Reflections of a Content Strategist: The W Source Virtual Panel on Marketing in a Time of Crisis

I had the honor to speak yesterday about content strategy and marketing in this current time of crisis alongside several other talented female business owners. Part of a virtual panel offering insights on behalf of the W Source community of women business owners from around the country, it was a refreshing and uplifting discussion about what every business owner can be doing right now in spite of the challenges that everyone is facing.

Our panel included brand strategist Emily Soccorsy of Root + River, wardrobe stylist Elisa Ellis of Closet Confidence, and digital marketing strategist Amanda Kuchlenz of MomentUp Marketing—thanks to our moderator Hannah Buschbom of the W Source for steering the ship. 

Everyone had excellent insights to share. Here are my main takeaways from the panel, which I hope may be of inspiration right now. 

• Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there: What people are engaging with and responding to right now is authenticity: real, raw content that shows the human(s) behind the business or brand. As Amanda Kuchlenz advised, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there on social media. Everyone’s reality right now is a little rough around the edges, to say the least ("homeschooling" parents of young kids, I'm talking to you!). Seriously, whether you're stuck in close quarters with your spouse or you were forced to take a crash-course in hosting online events to salvage your upcoming seminar, these are unprecedented times for us all. Now is the time to be vulnerable and share some behind-the-scenes posts about you and your business online. Why not do a quick video with tips for your audience? Or share how you and your team are adapting to the stay-at-home reality in order to continue serving clients (with photos to illustrate)?
• When in doubt, tell stories: One thing we all agree on? Now is not the time to pull back or stop promoting your services. There is nothing wrong with continuing to operate your business and offer your expertise to those who need it. But we also know that marketing as usual won’t cut it. Avoid the hard sell by focusing instead on telling stories, Emily Soccorsy suggested. Storytelling is an easy way to engage your audience with a compelling narrative while still putting your services or offerings out there. As a writer by trade, I’ve always been a fan of storytelling and using narrative to create engaging content. Did you just learn of a client’s success that made your day? Share it with your audience in the form of a story: what success did the client experience, how did it make you feel, and what was your takeaway from it? Did your team just finish redesigning your website to better serve clients? Talk about the thought and effort put into the redesign and what it means to you to be of service to your clients. Putting your business offerings and successes in narrative form makes them more memorable for your audience.
• Show up for yourself, connect with others: There’s no denying that, now more than ever, mindset is a big factor in running a small business. It’s easy to let social isolation and the economic crisis affect your attitude, and before you know it that might start to bleed into your interactions with clients or colleagues. Elisa Ellis had some great advice on showing up for yourself every day in order to set a positive mood for the day—I couldn’t agree more. Going through a normal routine and actually getting dressed every morning means you’re giving yourself some much-needed attention, while also preparing to show up and connect with others throughout the day. Even if you have no video calls scheduled all day, showing up for yourself puts you in a different mindset that will carry through in all of your interactions during the day —phone and email included. Since virtual connection is the only option we have right now (other than our beloved housemates), showing up for yourself and your community is critical.

• Be bold and tap into your creativity: If there’s one thing you can do to invest in your business right now as we continue moving through this crisis, it’s to be bold. Now is not the time to shy away from change or what’s uncomfortable (I’m echoing Emily here); it is a moment that is ripe for transformation. How can you evolve as a business owner to better serve your clients or community? What creative ideas can you implement to set yourself up for forward momentum when we start moving into recovery mode? If you’re anything like me, you already have a number of ideas in your head that you’ve never gotten around to pursuing—maybe you’ve been too busy or you’ve let fear hold you back. Well, now is the time to act: create that course, launch that program, write that book. Launch that blog. Just start. We will get to the other side of this crisis, and when we do, you’ll want to be poised to come out of it with a stronger foundation than you had going in.
• Keep at it: One thing I know is that we’re all facing the same uncertain, scary times. I also saw today how many resilient, persistent entrepreneurs are continuing to forge ahead and work hard to serve their clients, to be of help to their community, and to remain proactive as things continue to evolve. That is the most you can ask of yourself. Some days will be harder than others, but that’s what community is for. Lean on your network, and don’t be afraid to be honest and open—we all need more transparency in our lives right now.

Have questions or need support? Don’t hesitate to reach out. Here’s to staying productive and tapping into your creativity!