4 Ways to Market Your Web Design Agency During a Pandemic
February 9, 2021
If there’s one thing that we can all agree on about COVID-19, it’s that the pandemic has been an immense learning experience for the vast majority of people across the world. Many have had no choice but to completely upend their daily approach to living, and this is especially true for business owners. Running a business during a global pandemic of this scale is something no one could have expected or adequately planned for, and all of a sudden, it has become the task du jour for millions of individuals and entrepreneurs.
If there’s one thing that we can all agree on about COVID-19, it’s that the pandemic has been an immense learning experience for the vast majority of people across the world. Many have had no choice but to completely upend their daily approach to living, and this is especially true for business owners. Running a business during a global pandemic of this scale is something no one could have expected or adequately planned for, and all of a sudden, it has become the task du jour for millions of individuals and entrepreneurs.
While demand for affordable web design services continues to remain strong, and hundreds of SiteSwan Resellers are flourishing, managing to effectively market your services during the pandemic can be challenging. What worked in the past may not be as effective now. That doesn’t mean that you can afford to let your marketing efforts slip, though. There are a number of different ways that you can alter your traditional approach to generating new business so you can continue to grow your business.
Not sure where to begin? Here are four ideas to help you market your web design agency during a pandemic:
1. Create Useful, Engaging Content
While it’s always important to ensure that the content you’re putting out there to market your web design business is of the highest quality and greatest utility, there’s never been a more important time than now to really focus on providing something of value to your audience. Staying timely means keeping up with the changing landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as brainstorming ways in which you might be able to provide a truly useful resource to your readers and clients. This might come in the form of a blog post outlining recent changes in state laws regarding masking and quarantining that could affect their business, small business marketing tips, reasons every business needs a website, or regular social posts highlighting community news and events.
Choose topics for blogs and other marketing collateral carefully. Think about what a potential client might find valuable. If you have to ask yourself whether or not it’s providing use to your readers, chances are it’s best to move on to a different idea.
2. Host a Virtual Event
Though it may be challenging to schedule face-to-face, in-person meetings at the moment, video conferencing has become a part of daily life for many professionals. One way to get closer than you can with a phone call, but without actually being in the same room as someone, is to host a virtual event that they can attend via Zoom, Skype or other video conferencing services (don’t overlook YouTube and Facebook, either). This is a great opportunity to hold an interactive Q&A session, offer web design and marketing advice, talk about your services, and interact with local business owners in a safe and engaging manner.
3. Offer a Discount
It’s no secret that many small businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and are struggling financially. With this in mind, now can be the perfect time to give back by offering a discount on your web design services. There are a variety of different ways to approach this, but you may want to begin by creating a general “COVID Relief Package” that discounts or eliminates the entire upfront setup fee for new clients.
Try doing this: go to Facebook and post this message right now:
"Our area needs some love right now. To help, I'm going to give away 10 free website builds this month. No gimmicks. No catch. The hosting cost afterwards is minimal. Comment below if you want details."
This is an actual example of what a real SiteSwan reseller did and the response was incredible. All 10 sites were spoken for in a matter of days. Waiving the setup fee for these 10 clients boosted sales and resulted in $500 per month in new recurring income.
4. Stay Active in Your Community
Contrary to how you might feel given stay-at-home orders and restrictions on social gatherings, now is not the time to disconnect from the community or to go into hiding. Because of the forced isolation we all have to endure, it’s actually more important than ever to make an effort to engage with those in your community. Staying visible to current and potential clients is essential, and there are plenty of ways to do it safely.
Staying active on social media, advertising in print and online, utilizing email marketing, and sponsoring local organizations and events are all great ways to stay active and promote your business in the community.
Final thoughts...
At the end of the day, those who find success during times of collective hardship are the people who adapt with ingenuity to the restraints put upon us by situations such as COVID-19. Believe it or not, now is an excellent time to get a web design business off the ground, as the need for websites has perhaps never been stronger for businesses across all industries. With the right mindset and creative tactics, you can successfully market your services to whoever you’re trying to reach – pandemic or not.
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