Recession. That is not a word you want to hear around your office. Though it is part of the economic cycle, that makes it no less scary for business owners. It has been a little over a decade since The Great Recession, but many parts of the country are still feeling the effects. From rural towns and in North Carolina to metropolitan centers like Detroit, some businesses never and communities still have not recovered.
Are we approaching another recession? Economists believe there is a good chance the next one will come as soon as 2020, after the presidential election. One of the best practices to protect your business from an economic downturn or recession is effective content marketing. In this article, we will discuss four steps toward recession-proof content marketing:
Can you think about the last purchase you made, one that you did any research on?
Recently, I bought a new carry-on backpack. First, I knew I wanted a backpack, I also knew I wanted one that had good handles, one that I could carry like a briefcase, and it had to have shoulder straps. A waist belt would be a plus, and ultimately it would fit in an overhead bin as I didn't want anything I had to check on an airplane. I spoke with a friend of mine who recommended "this one." It sent me down the buyer's journey/research into the bag. I looked at the reviews, "best of" lists, and comparison videos talking about problems, pros, and cons, and I compared the costs.
When you are just starting out or looking to redo your website there are a myriad of options out there, from the do it yourself (DIY) web builders, agencies who specialize in semi-custom sites with predetermined look and powered by a content management system (CMS), agencies that build custom looks on a CMS, or one that is a one off programmed and designed.
Every day, thousands of people search for products and services in your area. They want to see how you compare to other similar businesses. Most will use search engines and social media to see what other people are saying about your business. The problem is, your happiest customers aren't always the ones sharing their opinion online.
Inconvenience and uncertainty are the top two reasons your customers don't leave reviews about their experience.
Change that cycle with a reputation management plan. Get reviews from your happy clients through text message or email. Point the happy customers to review online and steer the unhappy ones to leave you a message about his experience so you can make it right before he shares his experience online.
View your most recent reviews on each platform, be it Google Business, Facebook, Yellow Pages, Angie's List, or others and reply to each entry.
Adding a texting platform to your list of communication would allow customers to reach you in a way familiar to them without having to call or email.