Are you serving your clients (and potential clients) with helpful content these days? In the midst of COVID-19’s wake, it’s a tough season for everyone, but as a creative small business in the wedding industry, you have an opportunity to shine and be a positive resource during a crisis like this. Here are 5 ways you can deliver beneficial content right now!
1. Create a Freebie
Create a shareable or downloadable freebie your clients could use – even if it’s just something lighthearted and fun! Could you create a printable quote they could frame? A coloring sheet for kiddos, a recipe or a template for them to create something on their own? This could also be a great way to collect email addresses in exchange for your content, which is always a win-win. If you don’t have an email list yet, this is a good tactic to begin building one!
2. Teach Them Something
Teach them something. Share a tutorial or even just a simple tip along these lines: how to make flowers last longer (florists), a beauty technique (hair and makeup artists), tips for taking better indoor iPhone shots (photographers), a fun beginner script technique (calligraphers) or a helpful cooking secret (caterers). What comes naturally to you probably doesn’t to others, especially if they’re not part of your industry, and it’s always fun and helpful to learn a new skill. Consider teaching an informal online course via IG Live or making an IGTV video, an Instagram Story series, a YouTube video or a blog with step-by-step photos.
3. Explain How They Can Support You
If there are specific things clients can do to help your business during this crisis, tell them! We can’t expect clients to know how to support our business if the way they’d typically do that has changed. Are you offering alternative products or services they can purchase? Would you appreciate positive reviews on various sites? Is there a charity or initiative your business is supporting that they can support, as well? Post about it, blog about it and consider adding a temporary website update with specific info and actions people can take to support your business through these unusual circumstances.
4. Blog, Blog, Blog
Now is the time to make sure your blog is up-to-date. Blogging is a chance to increase your online visibility and sense of community as you link to other vendors and share their work along with yours. No matter if you’re just blogging past weddings or other types of content – tricks of the trade, how-to’s, personal posts – it’s all worthwhile to share!
5. Spread Positivity
Don’t underestimate the power of encouragement during this time when everyone could use a little extra joy. Share a few things you’re looking forward to, business-wise. Create a cute graphic or phone background with an inspirational quote. Share some positive lessons you’ve learned over the past few weeks. Share who’s inspiring you right now and tag them in a Story. The options are endless!
Creating content during a crisis, whether global, national, within your community or even just within your industry, can be intimidating. It’s hard to know what’s appropriate to post and how frequently to post. As a rule of thumb, it’s good to acknowledge what’s going on, but not dwell on it or feel the need to post over and over about it. Shift to creating positive, helpful content – serving your audience as much as possible – and it’ll be hard to go wrong!
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Written by Kaitlyn Bullard