5 Tips For Getting Your Business Through Times of Uncertainty

As Noble Studios continues to adapt to our approach to work during the coronavirus, we’re finding ways to help our clients get through this unprecedented time. Google is sharing many resources for businesses to manage through times of uncertainty with clients, and as a Premier Google partner, we wanted to share them along with our “better” practices. We can all get through this better, together.

Keep your customers up to date.

COVID-19 has affected the operating hours of countless businesses, and customers at home may be left questioning if you’re even open or operating. Edit your Google My Business profile to update operating hours (or closure news) and publish posts about important inventory or special offer updates in the weeks to come. We also recommend staying active across your social media channels to answer customers’ frequently asked questions, and communicate with them that you’re here to help them navigate through this with the information they need. Consider using Facebook Messenger’s automated responses to help alleviate your workload.

Keep your employees informed.

According to an Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report, employers are expected to be the most credible source of reliable coronavirus information, such as where one can get tested for the virus or the latest important developments. Your business's ability to share such important information while out of office is crucial. Consider a daily or weekly internal newsletter filled with key information and frequently asked questions so your employees know you’re actively supporting them by addressing their concerns.

Embrace new tools for remote work and collaboration.

It is never too late to embrace Google’s free suite of online office tools and resources so your team can keep working effectively from home. Keep collaborating with your teams via shared docs, conference calls via Google Hangouts, email lists or chat rooms to stay as productive as possible. We’ve found using Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams or 1:1 video calls on Slack are effective alternatives for when Zoom just isn’t available. While ensuring your employees are enabled to work their best from home, it’s just as important to maintain company culture and morale. Here at Noble, our global offices have remained highly active on Slack to connect beyond deadlines and collective concern. We’ve expanded our novelty #pets and #thesoundstation channels with others for working out and advice for parents with kids at home. No matter the channel, they help replace the social aspects of the office we all miss.

Evaluate your marketing strategies and messaging.

Make the necessary changes you need to your ads and campaigns to communicate with customers accurate information as the latest coronavirus news develops. That could mean pulling back on paid media efforts, adopting new campaign messaging and imagery and testing new channels all together. As we like to say, be a change hugger. Setting up Google alerts about all things coronavirus, clients, competitors and key industry terms will ensure you’re getting the information you need to inform any major changes to your paid media efforts as soon as it’s available.

Stay informed.

Visit the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) guidance for business for more information, and be sure to constantly be checking for new developments and guideline recommendations from the CDC and World Health Organization.