Smart PR Communications offers advice to technology companies trying to market through uncertain times.

CHICAGO, ILL., U.S., May 20, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Smart PR Communications offers advice to technology companies trying to market through uncertain times. Company President Jeanna Van Rensselar said, “Tech companies tend to weather crises better than other sectors. In fact, many small to mid-sized technology companies reported their best earnings during the last recession. That said, it’s still important for marketers to do some pivoting when the economy slows.” To that end, Smart PR Communications offers the following eight suggestions:

1. Leverage the Creative Energy of a Challenge: This is an opportunity. Plan and act efficiently from a place of focused calm—the eye of the storm. Don’t react out of fear. Ideas that come from a place of fear will be scattered, lack a plan for implementation and be decidedly uncreative.

2. Protect the Brand. Short-term wins can have unintended long-term brand consequences. Panicking into a price war is a good example. Once a company gets pegged as the low price leader, it’s very difficult for the market to think of the company as anything else later on. If the company is known for impeccable service, they need to build a firewall around that differentiator.

3. Stay Closely Engaged with Customers: Focus less on new business and more on retaining current customers. The reality is that it’s hard to win a significant amount of new business during a widespread crisis. Better to put that energy into providing existing customers with a little extra TLC.

4. Strike a Helpful Tone with Customers. If a company is struggling, chances are its customers are too. Any burden that can be taken off customers’ shoulders will be very much appreciated—and they will remember it forever.

5. Focus on ROI. Most global crises are accompanied by at least a temporary economic downturn. This is a time to remind customers how much value you are delivering. Create a webpage that presents your best business case—including a downloadable 1-pager. Add that URL to everything including blog posts, social posts, media releases, emails, signature lines etc.

5. Provide Additional Value. This doesn’t have to cost money. For example, in-house experts can conduct customer-facing webinars; account reps can offer money-saving advice.

6. Let Some Things Go. Activities that are key components of marketing programs during good times need to fall by the wayside temporarily to make time for more critical activities. Some examples are mass FYI-related emails (not those that promote products and services); white papers, articles, etc.

7. Don’t Let Other Things Go. In particular, don’t let anything that improves or maintains online visibility go. Search is always going to be the best and most cost-effective way to keep a foot in the door in your market and introduce the company to new clients. So keep posting to the blog, sending out media releases, and adding new keyterm optimized content to the website.

8. Do Everything Your Competitors Quit Doing. Examples include:
• Maintaining Most Regular Marketing Activities: Maintain a schedule of regular communications such as emails, blog posts, social posts and media releases. Focus on things that are customer-facing. If none of this has been automated yet, don’t start now.
• Proofing: notice how communications tend to have more typos during down times?
• Responding Quickly to Phone Calls and Emails: It sends the message that nothing has changed.
• Being Visibly Helpful: There’s no reason to be perpetually positive (or negative); instead opt for “helpful”.

Consistency and discipline are the two cornerstones of successful marketing. This is especially true during a crisis. While things may seem chaotic on the outside; they can be calm and effective on the inside.
Leading strategic marketing communications consultant Smart PR Communications specializes in creating and maintaining significant visibility for small to mid-sized organizations. SPRC collaborates closely with clients and serves as either a scalable marketing dept. or as communications specialists for an existing marketing dept. SPRC maintains offices on LaSalle Street in Chicago and in Naperville, Ill. To contact Smart PR Communications, call 630-363-8081; email: jeanna@smartprcommunications.com; or visit http://www.smartprcommunications.com.
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Jeanna Van Rensselar
Smart PR Communications
+1 630-363-8081
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