News of the Coronavirus is spreading quickly, and many companies are taking active steps to prevent the illness from spreading in their area. No matter what industry you're in, a few small changes can help protect your employees while maintaining an active client base.
Even if that upcoming tradeshow isn't officially canceled, you should plan to stay home for the safety of your employees. Conferences attract hundreds of thousands of attendees from around the world - and while that's great for business, it's terrible for a quarantine.
If you've already paid for a booth, talk to the organizing committee about the possibility of a refund or a credit for next year's event. Every show has different policies, and you may need to take a small financial hit to keep the virus from spreading.
The good news is that canceling your booth doesn't mean you need to cancel your panel. With modern technology, you can get the same or even more traffic by holding a webinar instead. Advertise on social media, and include a link to the virtual event; you might be surprised at the online turnout.
Virtual conferencing is also a great replacement for client briefings, board meetings, and job interviews. From group phone calls to screen share presentations, look for options that let people stay home while getting the same work done.
If everyone stays home, the internet is going to be more lively than ever before. This means that online communications should be at the center of your marketing strategy.
Start by increasing your company's presence on social media. Get in touch with the audience on each of your current platforms, and consider expanding to new platforms where you don't already have an account. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit will see the most traffic, but you can also expect to see new users on YouTube, Quora, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
Now is also a good time to focus on inbound marketing, especially if you were relying on a tradeshow presence to bring in new clients. Talk to your SEO specialist about running a PPC campaign and bolstering your content marketing efforts. A quick website audit will determine whether you need to make any accessibility changes; if your office is closed, your virtual presence needs to be in top shape.
Unless you're located in a high-risk area or have traveled recently, it's probably fine to keep commuting to your office. However, as the virus spreads, more and more companies are adopting a work-from-home model, and you should be prepared to do the same.
Whether you need to increase your social media presence or replace your tradeshow audience, the marketing team at Precision Creative is ready to help your company succeed in the digital work environment. Contact us to discuss moving your marketing efforts online.