Gabriel Group | Willing, Ready and Open

Written by Ryan Hartman, Senior Director of Client Strategy & Business Development

As the country gets ready to move into the next stage of life during a pandemic, businesses around the U.S. are scrambling to cover their bases as they get their “Open” signs ready to hang in their windows once again.

Between guaranteeing safe sanitation measures and communicating to your customers the right way, preparing can be daunting. But when it comes to your marketing efforts, we’ve got you covered. Look below at the three major checklist items that need to be on the top of your mind to make you feel willing, ready and able to open your doors.

Reach out and engage.
While you’ve hopefully maintained communications while you have had to close, it is even more imperative to get in front of your customers now before you invite them back into your building. Let them know about your reopen date, the procedures you are taking to keep them safe and your expectations when it comes to how your business will be run in the future. After you get through all the serious, but necessary, talking points, do not forget to have some fun and celebrate! It’s been a long couple of months in quarantine … make sure and tell your customer base how excited you are to see (or at least interact with) them again!

Update your COVID-19 policies.
Once you have your action plan in place, make sure you update your website, social media pages and signage. Your customers will be doing plenty of preparation of their own before coming to visit you in person, so ensure that all the information they are seeking is readily available on every one of your marketing platforms. Continue to stay updated on the latest CDC guidelines and best practices here so that you can adjust, if necessary, in the future. And if you do, always send out an email outlining the changes so that your customers have the most up-to-date policy possible.

Do not stop communicating.
From your announcement of sharing your intention to reopen to posting community-driven messages on Facebook, you simply cannot overcommunicate right now. Uncertainty is still very much in the air, so continue to be a voice of reason and positivity for your customers while we shift into the next stage of non-normalcy. (Let’s be honest, right?) Once you do reopen, do not stop letting your customers know how things are going. Acknowledge that although the insurgence of masks, gloves and social distancing will take some getting used to, you remain thankful to be open again and to have their business.

This next big step towards recovery is an intimidating one – but no doubt an exciting as well. As you prepare to reopen, keep the three ideas listed above in mind and you can’t go wrong. If you need further advice on marketing your company in the best way possible, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at ryan.hartman@gabrielgroup.com or 314.373.6100.