Election Marketing Best Practices
Holy heck! The day is here! If you are anything like me, you are gravitating to non-election coverage right now. This doesn’t mean I don’t care, I very much do, but I just want funny memes, gifs and photos of Holiday decor. So with that being said, a few reminders when Marketing your small business in the coming days and weeks.
Keep Calm
Yes, it will be tempting to chime in on whatever direction the election is heading, but keep your messaging about your business. It’s okay to talk about why voting is important, but taking a stance on a particular candidate is very risky. For small businesses that have struggled this past year, the risk of speaking out needs to be calculated if this is something you plan on doing.
One of my favorite businesses that always knows how to post relevant content without polarizing their messaging is Clover Sonoma. A simple look at their social media feeds and advertising indicate they can make a stand while not shutting out some of their customer base.
Blame It All on Your Roots
Remind yourself and your customers what your mission statement is. Before you hit send on that e-mail blast, make sure your content sticks with your company values. If you are a restaurant that emphasizes family style dinners, keep your messaging to family and love. Your customers will remember that you were there for them after its all over.
Share the Love
As I mentioned at the top, I just want to see fun and warm things right now… so share uplifting content about your business that reminds your customers to utilize your service and products. This kind of content will let your customers feel like they can count on you for some positivity even when times are crazy.
Start Spreading the News
Election Day coincides with the beginning of the busiest season for a lot of businesses. Stick out from the election content with strong imagery, important details to upcoming sales, limited releases, holiday promotions, etc. People will be looking for opportunities to jump off the news and on to happier things, like getting their shopping lists taken care of.
This morning I received an e-mail from Encore Events promoting their rentals for your small Thanksgiving gatherings. This is was a great distraction to get me focused on happy times ahead.
Get Ready to Spend Some Money
Take note that due to the heavy election content traffic, it might take a little extra to stick out and be noticed. If you have big news and updates that need to get out in front of customers, you should consider running some advertisements.
Keep in mind, rates will be a little higher because you will be competing with more volume, but to break through those algorithms and in front of potential customers, it could be easily necessary.
Need help in any of these areas? We only have a few more spots for those looking to grow their business this holiday season and beyond.
Now back to Dad Joke memes I go.