3 Ways to Thrive During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Matt Ambrose — April 1, 2020

Shock. Fear. Disbelief. Denial….

And now gradual acceptance.

No doubt about it… the coronavirus outbreak has held us on one heck of a rollercoaster ride the last few weeks.

And a ride we’re not getting off any time soon.

We’re in for months (if not years) of economic turmoil, social unrest and uncertainty.

Some say the world will never go back to the way it was again.

So what can you do about it?

The way I see it, you have two choices:

1. Batten down the hatches, cut marketing spend to the bone and hope things go back to normal (trust me, they won’t)

Or

2. Pivot your offers and messaging to match the new reality.

Instead of letting fear drive your actions… why not step boldly forwards and find new opportunities for growth?

Option 2 sounds far more appealing, don’t you agree?

So if you’re with me on this, you may be wondering how can such economic and social carnage be turned into an opportunity for growth?

Here are three ideas:

1. Be a Guide with a Game Plan

People are scared, anxious and dreading what may come next.

There’s so much fake news… conspiracies about biowarfare labs… and conflicting health advice whipping around… people don’t know who to believe or trust.

They’re yearning for CERTAINTY in their lives.

They want someone to step forward… to take this catastrophe by the horns and SHOW THEM what to do.

Why not position yourself as this pillar of certainty?

And I don’t mean just firing off emails about having customers’ backs. Emails so insincere they make customers mentally wretch.

Nope.

I’m talking about being a guide with a gameplan.

A brand with a roadmap that helps them go from feeling helpless and lost to taking control of their lives again.

Ideally, you’d build this roadmap around your product.

Otherwise, just share advice like you would with any friend in trouble.

This could be immunity-boosting recipes… breathing exercises to reduce their stress levels… or turning trash into treasure on eBay to top up their emergency fund.

Be the business that gave them a helping hand when times were tough… rather than the fairweather friend nobody trusts.

2. Update Your Offer to Match People’s New Priorities

Let’s face it, being beach body ready is not priority # 1 right now.

So pivot your offers to match what people’s priorities really are…

which, let’s face it, for many people is SURVIVAL.

Turn weight loss offers into pathways to improving their health markers, and gaining a better fighting chance of surviving the next 18 months.

Got a probiotic supplement? Change the focus from gut health to immunity support.

Selling hemp gum? Focus your sales letter on how it can calm their moods while they’re on lockdown and the world outside seems a scary place.

3) Provide a Sense of Community

Know why everyone’s going nuts for live streamed workout videos right now?

Sure, staying healthy has a lot to do with it.

But it’s also to do with getting a sense of COMMUNITY.

We may spend hours a day staring at our phones… but that doesn’t mean we’ve lost the desire to feel part of a tribe.

Humans are social animals. It’s hardwired into our DNA.

And a few decades of being couch potatoes and social media addicts isn’t going to change that.

Right now, people crave social interaction and feeling like part of a community.

Think how you can fulfill that desire.

Create Facebook Lives, training webinars and competitions that bring people together and foster a sense of community around your brand.

Give people a virtual place to go to solve a shared problem and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised how many show up (particularly with all the free time they have right now).

Conclusion – Don’t Pray. Pivot.

Think the coronavirus chaos will be over after a few weeks?

It doesn’t take Dr. Antony Fauci to tell you this is unlikely.

Even after they find a magic combo of drugs to bring the death rate down and set up factories to pump out ventilators like they’re M4 Sherman tanks ready to fight a war…

Uncertainty, economic carnage and social upheaval will continue.

So rather than pin your hopes on the coronavirus chaos passing like a bad dream…

Reset your marketing machine for the new reality.

Pivot your offers, positioning, and messaging to match where your customers minds are right now… and set yourself up to thrive, rather than just survive, the coronavirus chaos.

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