The last few weeks have been anything but normal, especially for small business leaders. The coronavirus (COVID-19) has forced companies to get creative and brainstorm ways to successfully move forward in an uncertain time.
One thing that is certain: Clear communication will comfort those who want to keep doing business with you. Here are four ways you can keep customers informed during COVID-19:
1. Change your Google listing’s business hours.
Many companies have adjusted their hours in response to the coronavirus. Fortunately, Google makes it easy to change your business information. To update the hours on your listing, follow these steps from Google My Business:
- Log in to Google My Business and choose your page.
- Click “Info” from the menu.
- Click “Business Hours,” then enter your new hours in the box that appears.
- Click “Done Editing.”
2. Update your website’s delivery, carryout, and pickup information.
While Indiana has temporarily banned dining in at restaurants and most non-essential businesses, companies still have a unique opportunity to serve customers. If you already provide delivery and/or carryout, make sure that’s clear on your website.
And if you’re just starting to offer these services, or your customers can pick up their items with little to no contact, you’ll want to share this news with a pop-up or notice on your home page.
3. Post on Facebook (and change your hours here, too).
Updating customers on your Facebook business page is a great way to keep them in-the-know — especially since we’re all scrolling social media at home anyway!
You can also adjust your business hours, add delivery and to-go ordering options, and more. To update your hours, follow these steps from Facebook:
- Click “About” on the left sidebar, below your Facebook page’s cover image.
- Scroll over your company’s business hours and click “Edit.”
- Edit your business hours in the popup window. If your business has two sets of operating hours in a day, you can click the “+” button to add the second set of hours.
- To mark your business closed on a particular day, uncheck the box next to that day.
- When you’ve made your changes, click “Save.”
4. Email subscribers about these changes.
Whether you have one subscriber or 100, consider emailing customers about how you’re adapting to the chaos — and how you can make life easier for them. For example, a clothing boutique might offer free shipping, or a cleaning company may remind clients that their always-high standards will continue.
Customers are getting emails from plenty of brands responding to the crisis, so try to keep yours short and sweet. An engaging subject line that clearly states what’s changing (or staying the same) will also help you stand out.
We don’t know how long this crisis will last. But you can serve customers during this uncertain time by continuing to offer helpful services, updates, and (some) stability.
In an unstable time, let’s find stability together.
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Treefrog Marketing is an agency in Lafayette, Indiana focused on small business. We specialize in strategic marketing and advertising, graphic design, web design, social media, SEO, and more. For more information, please visit our website. You can also connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.