With the Coronavirus spreading rapidly and partial city shutdowns on the rise, US citizens are beginning to practice social distancing and are stocking up on essentials.
For local businesses that rely on foot traffic, this presents a serious problem. Consumers have begun to shift their buying patterns from in-store to online. Amazon created 100,000 new jobs to fill the surging demand for product deliveries. Google Searches for Food Delivery and Canned Food are expected to hit all time highs this week.
Google Searches for Food Delivery
Source: Google Trends
With this shift, many business owners are scrambling to make the transition to a new reality.
For restaurants, this means shifting the majority of your business from dine-in to delivery or pick-up. For other businesses, it may mean a quick ramp in eCommerce sales to make up for the loss in store traffic.
As we make this transition, Makalu Marketing has begun working on a strategic response. From a marketing perspective, here are a few recommendations:
Update your store hours in Google My Business and update your ad messaging to explain your delivery and pick-up services.
For eCommerce clients, update product feeds regularly with product availability and estimated shipping times. As the demand for online delivery increases, make sure customers are aware of potential slowdowns in delivery.
Communication is key: every business needs to ensure customers know how your business is adapting to the Coronavirus challenges.
For local businesses, you can launch Google’s Local Campaigns and communicate delivery options (if any).
Adjust your marketing spend to target the most impactful strategies in this new environment.
Update your website.
The key takeaway in this situation is for every business to monitor the Coronavirus situation closely and adjust your marketing strategies on an ongoing basis. It’s probable that budgets will shift and consumer demands will continue to change.
As the situation evolves, Makalu Marketing is here to help. If you would like marketing assistance or would like to discuss your marketing plan, please give us a call at (650) 260-4870.