“The times, they are a changin'” goes the Bob Dylan song. And in the coming weeks, we will be figuring out how to get our businesses going again in the changing “Viral” age. Many of the concepts that we have covered over the years have had to do with going “viral”. This double meaning seems poignant today, because we literally will want our businesses to be as effective at messaging as the Coronavirus is at spreading. The Digital Age is coming into its own with everyone home and on Internet services for every activity. Businesses who have been able to be active on Social Media, aggressive on offers and present across search real estate have been able to weather this un-predictable time.

In the interim, think about how your business can solve one of the problems we are facing. One customer has added an Ozone sterilization procedure for automobiles, another is installing sneeze shields and partitions for business applications. Everyone has stepped up how they clean their business, interact with their customers with limited contact and just plain regular sanitation.

Do a BIG Promotion! Not everyone likes to discount, but every customer wants a discount. During these slow cycles do something big to reward your current customers. Stay client focused. Let your customers know that you are open and you understand that they are going to be cash-strapped for a while. It is better for us to stay busy at a lower margin, than to be slow with “price integrity”. One customer is offering 25% Off with limited exceptions.

If discounting isn’t your thing, find some gift with purchase that makes sense. One customer is offering hand sanitizer with purchase. Be creative and if you get in a rut, call us and let’s brainstorm.