Should I stay or should I go? Marketing your business during COVID-19

For some sectors the COVID-19 pandemic has been a blessing in disguise, offering opportunities for growth and the chance to gain new customers. Music instrument retailers, arts and crafts suppliers, and online stores selling recycled toilet paper and cleaning products are thriving, fortunate to be already offering what consumers are demanding: products to while the iso time away or items difficult to find in store.

But what if your sector relies on traditional, face-to-face human interaction as its lifeblood? Events, hospitality, recreation, and tourism are just some of the industries all but decimated. Seeing Virgin Australia fall victim to the economic downturn has been gut-wrenching.

So in times like these should businesses, whichever way they’re affected, take a step back from their marketing activities? After all, if no one’s wanting their services at the moment there’s little point in advertising. And on the flip side, if demand has skyrocketed why should a business waste money on acquiring customers who are already breaking down the door?

Right? Wrong!

In fact, what ALL businesses should be doing at this time is focusing their efforts on marketing. We’re not suggesting you invest your pre-coronavirus budget if revenue is down, or divert your unexpected profits into a national TV campaign, but by maintaining an appropriate level of brand awareness and taking the time to review your long-term marketing plans – you’ll be in the best position possible when normality resumes.

We share our top tips for what you need to be doing for your brand right now:


1.       Be Seen.

People are spending a lot more time online at the moment whether it be for shopping, work, accessing news or purely out of boredom. This is a great opportunity to grow your brand awareness! Review your brand’s online presence and see how you can improve it. Are you running a Google Ads campaign? There’s probably less competition so you may get more bang for your buck. You could also be eligible for free advertising credits from Google.

Have you audited your website to ensure your messaging is accurate and reflects your response to COVID-19? Can your SEO (search engine optimisation) be improved to help your ranking? Your website is your most important salesperson – so make it perform well and use this time to optimise it.

By maintaining your online visibility you’ll ensure your brand stays top of mind for customers. Even if you can’t sell to them in the short-term, when it’s time for them to need your products or services again – you may just be the first business they call.

2.       Socialise

There’s no need to worry about social distancing online! And thankfully it’s free to have a business page on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter – all you need to invest is time into your content. Research what others are posting that’s driving engagement. Adjust your content strategy to reflect the current events and keep the conversation flowing with your followers. Do you have any special offers you can promote? Able to run a competition to grow fans? If business is booming, consider an advertising campaign that drives followers to your page. When life returns to normal your sales may be slow, but with a solid strategy in place, your fans will already be warm and ready to buy.

3.       Get Creative

There’s no better time than now to think outside the box. Are there new opportunities within your business or industry you can leverage? Many restaurants and cafes are offering takeaway and delivery services for their local communities, some with a unique angle such as ‘Date Night at Home’ – a fantastic way to keep their businesses relevant until the doors reopen. Coming up with fresh ideas and promoting them through social media is also an ideal way to engage followers and reach new audiences. Set aside time with your stakeholders for a brainstorm and see what ideas pop up!


If you’re after other suggestions for how you can market your business at this time, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the team at Two Moons. We are continuing to operate during this period and have helped many of our clients discover new opportunities they may never have thought of. We hope to hear from you soon!

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