The widespread economic disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has led many B2B businesses to go into hibernation or cut back on their operations and spending. However, smart B2B companies are recognizing that this is not the time to abandon customers, but to reach out to them with a greater level of empathy in the prevailing circumstances.
As long as you are sensitive and tactful in your communication with your B2B clients, they will appreciate your commitment to stand by them through this difficult phase. It is vital to reframe your B2B value proposition and messaging to show that you care for your customers and that you are willing to address their specific pain points in the current COVID-19 situation and provide tailored solutions.
Use Positive Messaging and Avoid Negativity
Your communication, messaging, and marketing must not feed upon the fear and uncertainty that is still continuing in the people’s minds. If you think you can draw attention to your target audience with negative reinforcement, your strategy will backfire.
People are already flooded with new headlines appearing every few minutes on Google News, social media, and television, and they do not have more appetite for negativity from their B2B partners like you.
Focus on reassuring customers that you are taking care of your employees, your company is following all the safety guidelines, you are helping the community, and you are ready to help customers through your business in every way possible.
Pay Attention to Your Existing Clients
While it’s paramount to increase awareness about your B2B offerings to new customers in this time when many of your competitors are lying low, it is equally important to engage with your existing customers.
They may not be ready to place new orders right away, but if you reach out to them and offer to assist them in their current circumstances – without any explicit sales pitch or expectation – they are going to remember it.
Unlike B2C business, in B2B businesses, personalized engagement, relationship building, and a high degree of trust are critical factors to success.
This is not the time to aggressively push sales, but this is the time to bolster your customer support systems and listen to their problems with great attention. Try to put yourself in your customers’ shoes, and focus on what solutions they might need right now.
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The customer loyalty that you can win now will go a long way when the temporary fog created by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic starts clearing up. Just do the right thing now, and sales will follow.
Fine-Tune Your Digital Communication Strategy
While the business is slow, and your team is probably working from their home, you can utilize your workforce and resources to fine-tune your digital communication strategy. This will help you increase your online visibility and reach new customers with the right messaging and improve your engagement with the existing customers as well.
– Add a pop-up to your website home page, or simply tweak the message on your home page to reflect that you are accessible in the current situation and you are offering dedicated online customer support and guidance wherever possible.
– Optimize your SEO campaign by including “coronavirus”, “Covid-19”, and other related keywords to your website content and blogs in an organic and authentic manner.
– Create a thoughtful blog post, guest article or column, email, or a newsletter that you can mail to your existing clients or prospects with whom you have had some communication or have some familiarity.
– If you are offering any new products or services that are relevant in the prevailing circumstances and are likely to help or interest your customers, publish and disseminate an online press release announcing it.
– Increase your social media engagement, personalize your social messages to crucial customers, and share useful information, white papers and case studies to educate your customers.
– Update your existing online brochures, presentations, and other marketing materials to align with the current COVID-19 situation.
– Post a YouTube video, hold a webinar, or conduct a Facebook Live session if your products or solutions can contribute to resolving your customers’ business problems in the prevailing circumstances.
History has shown that any crisis that spreads very fast also declines with equal speed when the curve begins to reverse. No matter what, it is time to remain optimistic and make sure the same optimism is reflected through your B2B value proposition and messaging.
David Balzen
CEO
