How to Build Your Reopening Marketing Plan

Right now, many businesses are opening back up after pauses due to the pandemic, but feeling the effects of the hiatus. Closing your business temporarily can have devastating effects on your long-term success. Unfortunately, customers can tend to think a closed business is closed for good. 

Although customers know, logically, that most businesses were only closed temporarily, you may still struggle to get the traffic you’re used to. While your business was closed, people developed new habits and found other options. Your job on reopening is to get them back so you can recoup your months of lost income and get back on track. 

Marketing is the foundation of a successful reopening. You need to let customers know you’re back in business and tempt them in to see your stock or use your service. Fortunately, there are tons of ways to achieve this effectively, without breaking the bank. Once you have a plan, you can use Hatchwise to source a community of creatives who can make your ideas reality. Here’s a look at how get started: 

Establish Your Budget

Before you can craft your marketing plan, you need to figure out your budget. Go in without a plan, and you’re likely to wind up spending more than you can afford. Although it’s wise to invest in marketing, you should always balance it against operational costs. After all, all the marketing in the world won’t save you from empty inventories or unpaid employees. 

If you closed down due to the pandemic, odds are good you don’t have a ton of budget to work with right now. Fortunately, there are ample private and public assistance funds you can use to get back on track. In addition to government assistance, you might be able to find grants or loans for your industry, or for business owners in your area. Thoroughly research your options and use these resources to your advantage. 

Consider Your Audience 

Determining your target audience is one of the most important parts of any marketing campaign. You have to think about exactly what kind of people use your product or service, and tailor your campaign to catch their eye. For example, if you run a resume review service, you need to be able to speak to job hunters. Think about what your audience is looking for, and how you fill that need. Even better, think about what your audience can get from you and nobody else. These questions will help you conceptualize your audience and fine-tune your marketing plan. 

Explore Digital Advertising 

There’s never been a better moment to lean toward digital marketing. Right now, we are all connected primarily online. It’s foolish not to take advantage of that connection and make the most of your digital presence. For example, you can purchase targeted ads. These don’t just broadcast your product to the world – they hone in on your specific audience. This means they’re more likely to be effective and give you a solid ROI. 

Moreover, you can go a long way in digital marketing simply by being present online. If you haven’t already, establish your brand’s social media voice. Use these accounts to stay on top of industry trends, see what customers are saying, and connect with your audience directly. 

Emphasize Safety 

Taking a break due to the pandemic is understandable, but customers need to see that the time away was worth it. Emphasize any safety changes you’ve made to your business or shop, whether it’s increased cleaning, social distancing markings, HVAC upgrades, or moving to remote operations. Let them know you and your employees will be wearing a mask for any in-person work, and ask customers to do so as well. This is a great way to let customers know you value their health and safety, making them more likely to return. 

Even when the reason to close down is extremely understandable, customers can forget about temporarily closed businesses. Craft a marketing plan that sparks their interest and gets you back on their mind. The right campaign will let your customers know you’re back and ready to see them again.