Right Now, It's All About Relationships
Relationships matter. We enjoy connecting with other people, and build trust with people who enjoy doing what we do. While we currently aren't able to physically get together, it's even more important to engage with others. Nurture those relationships you have - it's so vital to our wellbeing (personally and professionally) now.
I'd much rather engage with someone I know to get what I need than find an unknown business. We also tap our network if we need assistance, and the power of the referral network is incredibly important. If I trust you, and you refer me to a business, I already have a certain level of trust with that “new to me” business.
A key to great marketing is to develop strong relationships with your customers that will last over time. Provide them with great service that meets (or exceeds) their needs, communicate early and often, and check in periodically to make sure they are getting what they need. Even when you are not working with them, touch base to see how business is going, ask about their holidays, recent vacation, family, or whatever your connection is. Maintaining that relationship over time creates a common bond that can go beyond just work into a true personal connection.
As I often say, marketing is not rocket science – you just need to understand what you’re marketing, how you’re different, and who you are marketing to – start with creating strong relationships and the rest will fall into place.