While many others in your industry will be sitting on their hands, you can dominate the market.

Most would agree Coronavirus has tossed our lives on its head. From having to practice social distancing and getting used to life without the outdoors to continually washing our hands and wearing masks and seeing loved ones and friends getting sick, the Coronavirus is something none of us expected. As business owners or marketing directors, it's ongoing stress to meet the needs of this market successfully. Many business forecasts are devastating, even those considered essential.

From a marketing perspective, what are some techniques we can employ to keep customers calling?

Be Human.

The first step in marketing your business is to be human first. These are unprecedented times, and it is a very uncertain and apprehensive time for most. More than anything, if your company can do something to give back in these daunting times, do it.

Tide cleaners are providing free service for first responders. T-Mobile, McDonald's, and many other large companies are doing similar discounts for first responders. It's their way of saying thank you to the people who get up every morning risking their lives to help save others. In these cases, the companies I have seen more traffic.

Don't you find yourself supporting those supporting others?

I assume, if you are reading this article, you are no Tide Cleaners or McDonald's. You may not be able to afford to give your services away, especially when customers seem to be harder to come by. However, think about what you can do. Can you discount services dramatically for first responders? Can you discount services for people not able to work, the high-risk demographic? Can you discount services for other business owners struggling right now? With your website and business, consider what you can give away for free. Anything you can do to help people out is appreciated.

You'll also find that it will drive you more visitors, which is an excellent indirect benefit.

Seize the Moment.

Take advantage of the decreasing cost of paid advertisement . The latest trend we are seeing is that paid ads are becoming cheaper on specific platforms. The cost would vary by the platform you use and your industry. With fewer small businesses advertising (like we are experiencing now), there isn't as much competition for the inventory, so the cost per click decreases. This virus has been causing us to spend more time online, so much so that companies like Netflix have had to reduce their streaming quality to help. In other words, traffic on the web is up, and advertisers are down. These conditions allow us to stretch our marketing dollar. I've been able to get clients on CNN for less than $0.50 a click. Local news sites have tens of thousands of new impressions available due to people following COVID-19 and local mandates. I've gotten plumbing companies on their local news station's sites for pennies in cities like Houston and Chicago.

Now is an opportunity to be seen in the LA Times, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal.

You can expect your conversion rates to drop in certain industries, but you're paying less per click. Some larger ad agencies have reported seeing paid ads producing a much higher ROI than before the Coronavirus hit. Some have reported seeing ROI go from 31% to 53%. That's a 71% increase in ROI. If you haven't tried paid ads yet, you should consider it. If you currently market using pay per click ads, consider ramping up as there is more inventory than there has been in years.

Manage Lower Conversion Rate.

For many industries, conversion rates are down. So how do we manage the decrease in conversion rate? The answer would undoubtedly vary by industry. Think about it. Why are people not buying after they click? Many are still not working or are working reduced hours. Some are working but are wanting to be conservative with there money in these uncertain times. Can you leverage payment plans to ease the financial burden?

My clients have secured no payment, no interest for one full year financing offers to market, and showcase on web pages. If you are a store selling something online, consider offering payment plans through services like Affirm. If you are selling consulting services or providing digital courses, you can set up a monthly installment plan. It's an easy way to boost your conversion rates, especially when many people are looking to reduce their cash spending in the short term. Companies have reported a 12% increase in conversions using this technique.

If you are a local service business continuing to provide for your community, be sure to let your potential customers know what extra precautions you take due to COVID-19. Customers need to know they are going to be safe during your service. Have an actual plan. I recommended that my home improvement clients hire a consultant to tell them how to protect their workers and customers. Show and explain precisely the precautions you are taking to keep them safe.

Can part of your service be offered virtually? If so, consider offering some virtual services. On the flip side, some people are just not going to buy right now. Find a way to offer them value and keep communication with them through social media or newsletters. Add like and follow buttons to your page to stay in touch and continue to drip on your potential customer.

Be Prepared for Pivot.

This pandemic is worldwide, but some areas are harder hit than others. Find areas that are maybe not as hard hit. Finding clients in other geographic locations is a simple task for online businesses or stores, but what about local businesses? If your local service can be expanded to a county slightly outside some hard-hit areas, people may be more willing to do business. Moving from one county to the next, you can see the change in mindset by looking at the precautions locals are taking. Try marketing in areas where the risk is lower. Focus on services that lean more towards a need than a want. For example, if you are a home improvement company, people are more likely to spend money on necessary repairs than on a kitchen remodel. Don't assume you won't get kitchen remodeling clients, but pivot to marketing some of your essential services too. Some of my clients seldom want to market their low ticket items, but be prepared to market what's selling.

More important than ever before, track everything. We live in a different market, and next month's market will be different from today's, so keep a close eye on what's working and what isn't.

Sadly, the next several months are going to be uncertain. But from a marketing standpoint, you can make a change. You could come out of Coronavirus stronger if you take the right marketing measures. While many others in your industry will be sitting on their hands, you can dominate the market.