Avoiding Marketing Paralysis

No one had any clue that those 2020 vision goals needed to include business shutdowns, quarantine, social distancing, required face coverings and sanitizing.  Now that those plans have been scrapped, how are businesses adjusting?  While some businesses are moving forward with business as usual, many others are frozen in their tracks.  As a result, it has created Marketing Paralysis.

Marketing paralysis is a mindset of fear.  Fear of getting the virus.  Fear of how to keep employees or bills paid.  It stops people from being able to think productively. From adapting their business to the “New Normal.”

As business owners, we are used to the ups and downs of the market.  Seasonal changes in business, certain times like election years affect business.  We recognized those times and knew that they were short lived.

In a recent conversations with several business owners, a large percentage of them said that during this time their business was either shut down or operating on a very limited basis.  So their days were filled with house cleaning and repairs, gardening, taking walks and watching movies.  Basically an extended vacation – a vacation from Hell.  My question was “WHY? Is your business so well setup and run that you don’t need to do anything?” 

For my business, my phone calls were drastically reduced.  But after 3 months of quarantine, I still have weeds in my yard, clutter in my garage, home repairs needed and movies still unwatched.  But instead, I have created a over 20 marketing training videos, hosted 3 dozen webinars, finished reading several books from marketing gurus and watched hours of training.  Business as usual is NO LONGER business as usual.  You have to adapt or die.  

Now is the time to revamp your marketing to meet today’s marketing climate.  What can you do online?  What changes to your business do you need to make to move forward?  What’s your business continuity plan should things happen in the future?  If business is slow, GREAT!  That’s your opportunity to really focus on changes.

If you are struggling with Marketing Paralysis, here are 5 suggestions to help you break out.

1.  Grow your Email List – Email is the one marketing component you can control.  If you have an email list, use it.  If you don’t have one, build one.  Emails still get opened.  Keeping your brand awareness high is a must.  Consistent touches to your audience keep your name in the front of their mind.  Offering valuable information, entertaining content or exclusive offers will help drive traffic to you.
2. Use Google My Business Posts – GMB lets you create blog posts that help Google know what’s going on in your world.  You can create posts for events you are hosting, announcements about your business, even COVID updates.  Use this platform to raise your visibility.
3. Use Social Media To Grow Connections – Social media platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram are perfect opportunities to find prospective clients and strategic partners.  Once you connect, start building one on one relationships by commenting and engaging.
4. Create a Content Plan – By having a plan for creating and distributing content, you build the consistency needed to grow your traffic.  
5. Take Action – The biggest thing you can do to break free of Marketing Paralysis is to take action.  Pick one thing you can do and start working on it.  Turn off the TV, tune out the negative noise and distractions and focus on your business.  

Take back control of your business and your life.  Business may never return to the “good ol’ days” but as we move forward, make sure your business thrives and survives.