If you’re a business owner or brand manager during this time, marketing, next to licking your neighbor’s door handle, may be the last thing on your mind. But it shouldn’t be. Countless studies show businesses that continue or even increase ad spend during a recession have a huge advantage. Plus, people are still spending money, just in different ways.

Here in Kansas City, a “Stay at Home” order was enacted on March 24th, leaving many businesses to wonder how to operate and what to do. Yes, everything sucks everywhere, but it doesn’t have to be bad for your brand long-term.

If you’re an essential business

Some businesses are thriving in this environment. If that’s you, it’s gangbusters right now, but you’re still competing against other brands for people’s time and money. Now is the time to ramp up advertising.

Maybe there is a service being underused. Maybe there are items you have in overstock that could be recommended. Now is also a crucial time for your website and online ordering system to be in top working order. This can be a guaranteed time of growth for you if you take the right steps.

In the 150+ brands we have worked with, many fall into this category of essential businesses—from Dickinson Financial Corporation (and Academy Bank) to KVC Health Systems to the Kansas City Streetcar. We have the experience to help you maximize this growth opportunity and ultimately bring your essential services to more people who need it.

If you’re not an essential business

Don’t panic. Now is the time for a new strategy, and revamping your content marketing is one approach.

Content marketing is using your content—whether it’s blog, email, social, or even direct mail—to promote your brand. Content was already king before the COVID-19 pandemic, and now it can be even more valuable. Brands have a unique opportunity to connect with people through content and on social media in a new, more personal way, and create the lifelong customers that will be key to recovering and taking your next step.

How are you uniquely able to help people right now? If you’re a gym, perhaps you’re sharing easy exercise plans that can be done from home. Or, our pals at J. Rieger & Co. are using their alcohol factory to make hand sanitizer due to the shortage. Brilliant! No matter what you do, there are opportunities for your brand to show it’s helping, and as a result, help yourself.

If you doubt that you can effectively acquire new customers now, this is also a time to prepare for when you can. It’s hard under normal circumstances to find time to rethink your brand strategy, update your messaging, or plan your next website, but many businesses have found themselves without as many everyday tasks.

That can be a huge blessing in disguise for companies that take advantage of it, and those are the companies that will be better able to recover quickly and grow when normalcy returns.

How we can help

Marketing, advertising, branding, design. We do the work we do because we want to help. If that means discussing a more flexible payment arrangement that’s sensitive to how uncertain things are right now, let’s discuss it. We even offer a “one-week website” service that is perfect for businesses that want to use this time right now to quickly address your most important marketing asset.

The point is—we’re all in this together, and if there’s any way we can help, we want to. Reach out and let’s solve your next marketing challenge and make sure you’re making the most of what can still be an opportunity for your brand.