The world is crazy to say the least right now and most people don’t know how to proceed with everything going on.
So, for the business owners that are continuing to work and grow their business, what do you do?
At this point, most people are cooped up in their homes and remain unsure about how the virus will affect their local area.
On top of that, because no one is going out to restaurants, retail stores, and other brick and mortar locations the economy has slowed down quite a bit.
With all of that said, as you are continuing to advertise your business, you have to remember that people are scared, they don’t want to spend their money, and they aren’t sure how to move forward.
For right now, growing will be tough, that’s for sure.
But maintaining, or at least keeping a steady stream of revenue coming in, is definitely something that can be done.
It just means that you need to adapt and diversify.
What can you do?
Currently, in terms of reaching new people, there are two forms of marketing that you can really focus on. One will require money, the other requires your time and attention.
Those are Paid Advertising and Content Marketing.
Which one is right for your business?
It depends on the industry you’re in, after all, some industries were hit worse than others.
If you provide some form of entertainment, YouTube, Facebook, movies, games, etc. — this is a perfect time for you to be running paid ads.
People are stuck at home, they’re bored and just want to get through the day. Plus, ads are cheap right now!
But, if you provide services like house cleaning, window cleaning, plumbing, lawn care, or something else, times will be especially rough because you provide services in or around people’s homes.
If you’re in one of those businesses, I highly recommend being cautious with the paid ads you are running.
As you are running these paid advertisement, know what your financial situation looks like.
How long can you safely run ads? How much money are you SAFELY able to lose? If everything was locked down for another 6 months, would you be ok?
This is a good way to determine if you should paid ads.
If it makes sense for you to run ads on Facebook and Google, go for it, but as I’ve said be really cautious with how much you’re spending.
Especially right now, there’s nothing worse than having an ad get out of control where you spend way more money than what you could afford.
I’ll say this one more time…
Really, REALLY watch the paid advertisements you are running.
If something isn’t working, pause it and reevaluate. Don’t try and force an ad to work.
Even if you had a perfect ad that worked great when everything was normal, chances are, the performance of that ad is has been severely hurt with what’s going on.
Don’t cash in all your chips for one ad you think might work.
Keep in mind though, paid advertising isn’t the only option you have.
There’s also a little something called “Content Marketing,” which is all about providing value and building a network of people around your business.
Things like YouTube videos, blog posts, or Facebook posts are all examples of content marketing.
The biggest perk, you’re not spending any money – it just takes time for you to see the results.
Paid Ads vs Content Marketing: What Am I Doing?
At the moment, I’m focusing 99% of my energy on content marketing as opposed to paid advertisements.
Why?
Well, because I primarily work with business owners, things have slowed down quite a bit.
My ideal customers are unsure about how the future looks, so they aren’t ready to invest in website design, SEO, and other forms services I offer.
Rather than me spending money on paid ads, I figured I’d spend my time elsewhere and provide value to people in uncertain times.
And, when you think about it, this is the perfect time to creating interesting content. Like I’ve said, people are stuck at home and business owners are antsy to get back to their business
So, while they can’t work on their business, they’re seeking out new information and learning about how they can grow when this is all said and done.
My goal is to not only help them, but to create an audience or network around my business for when they are ready to begin investing in the growth of their business.
You Can (…And Should) Invest in Content Marketing As Well
It doesn’t matter what type of business you are, house cleaning, window cleaning, or landscaping this is something you can do!
All it takes is some time and thought. You’re not spending anything and this post will last forever.
Even after this craziness clears up, your the content you posted will always be out there and driving new people to your website.
It’s free advertising when it’s done correctly.
Now, what are you going to post?
This will take a little bit of thinking on your part, but here are a few content ideas for your marketing strategy.
Keep in mind, many of these content ideas can translate from one industry to the next. It may take a bit of twisting and shaping, but they aren’t necessarily specific to one or the other.
For service businesses, your content would probably revolve around helping people with general maintenance or common issues one might run into. Things like tips, best products, or helpful insights (these could help sell why your service is important).
Some house cleaning content marketing ideas:
- “5 Easy Ways To Prevent Dust Build Up”
- “Best Chemicals and Sprays For Tough Carpet Stains”
- “Bad Allergies? House Cleaning Can Fix That!”
Some ideas for window cleaners:
- “Best Products To Defend Against Streaky Windows”
- “5 Reasons Why Clean Windows Will Increase The Value of Your Home”
- “Our 3 Step Formula To Perfectly Clean Windows”
Lawn Care and Landscaping content marketing ideas:
- “Best Products To Prevent Weeds”
- “Our Top 5 Flowers To Plant During The Spring Season”
- “How Landscaping Can Increase The Value of Your Home”
As you are creating your own content, based on experience, try creating a content marketing schedule maybe 10 or 15 days ahead.
This way, you know exactly what you’ll be doing, so when the time rolls around all you have to do is write or record it.
Paid Ads vs Content Marketing: The Summary
Whether you choose to continue with the paid ads approach or begin introducing content marketing into your growth strategy, it’s always important to watch what works and what doesn’t (this is especially true today).
This will help you create better, more effective ads and content which will increase the results.
Remember, as you are creating content, do what is easiest for you.
If you feel more comfortable writing something, really focus on blogging.
If it’s easier for you to jump in front of a camera, really hit YouTube hard and begin creating content helping people with certain issues.
When it comes to paid advertising, there’s nothing wrong with running ads. Though, you’ll need to watch and see how they are performing.
If running ads will potentially put you in financial trouble, avoid paying for ads and really focus on content. While that may take longer to see results, you won’t be paying for anything.
In addition to that, the content you put out will last forever and will always be driving in new business.
Or, you could use both strategies at the same time. It’s up to you and what will be best for your business.