Let me first say: you do not need to be productive during this unprecedented time. There are no rules. We’ve never done this before! Take it day by day, be gentle on yourself, and deeply listen to your needs.
If you do choose to work on your business marketing during this time, but don’t know where to start, I’ve got a list of 120 great, easy marketing tasks you can do from home during the lock down to help promote your business quickly and effectively online. The best part? Most of these actionable tasks will only cost your time!
This great list of ways to optimize your online presence quickly! While I was brainstorming tasks for the list, I even starting my own list of which of these tasks I need to do for Bad Axe. Let's crank some of these out together!
Social Media:
Get a Facebook Page
Get an Instagram
Link your Facebook Page & Instagram Business Page
Sketch a social post plan (download the Social Media Planning Calendar I use)
Update your page info on Facebook
Update your Instagram bio
Ditch Linktr.ee on Instagram if you have a website! Opt for a yourwebsite.com/links page (mine is badaxeenterprises.com/links) so you can track analytics and get more people on your site!
Research hashtags to use on Instagram
Start a YouTube channel
Get a Pinterest for your business
Explore possible social media platforms that might be a good fit for your business
Design a new cover image for you Facebook page
Update all your social profile pictures
Claim your Google My Business account
Create a branded hashtag
Check on the performance of your existing branded hashtag
Develop a social media ad campaign trial run
Check social media for posts featuring your business. Use location search, hashtags, and check posts you are mentioned in
Try out a new type of social media post to see if your audience likes it
Check your social media insights to see what days your followers are most active. Do you post on those days?
See where your followers are located. How are you addressing that region?
List locations you can use for hashtags or geotagging on your posts
Start tracking hashtag performance (I was using the SmartHash app for a while and enjoyed it)
Start a Facebook Community page via your business page for your clients
Website:
Build a website
Clean up your newsletter email list (delete broken emails)
Start an e-newsletter
Make sure you are set up on Google Analytics for your website
Start a blog
Make sure your website looks amazing on mobile
Update your website to make is accessibility friendly
Add ALT Text to all the images on your website
Update Meta Tags for your website
Re-check your website for typos
Update your About Me page on your website
Write a FAQ for your website
Make a list of keywords and make sure they are present on your website
Set benchmarks for website traffic
Integrate a calendar or booking service
Ask a friend or colleague to read over your website and review it for you
Branding:
Design your business card
Work on your Brand Voice with the free Brand Voice Guide I wrote up
Design your logo
Create a brand color scheme
Update your website & social accounts with your brand color scheme
Pick a font family for your branding
Update your website with your brand fonts
Complete the Brand Definition worksheet
Design letterhead for your business
Create a great backdrop for virtual meetings (make a virtual backdrop in Canva or arrange your space accordingly)
Productivity:
Start using a social media post scheduler (I use Hootsuite)
Develop a lead management strategy
Adopt a lead management software (I use HoneyBook, and you can get 50% your first year using that referral link)
Go through your camera roll and upload any useful images to a folder for future marketing use
Make a meal plan to help you remain productive and focused
Take new headshots of yourself
Build a light box for product pictures
Change all your passwords
Assess your pricing scheme
Create a hashtag bank of sets of hashtags to use for different post topics (this speeds up the post process SO MUCH)
Develop a plan for negative reviews. Pre-type and save a positive/kind response asking the reviewer to contact you directly to discuss further.
Generate some automatic emails or workflows (again, I use HoneyBook for this)
Design a digital or print brochure of your products/services
Make a time management plan and stick to it!
Learn how to use a video conferencing software
You:
Teach an e-class
Host a Q&A session for potential clients, or encourage them to email/message you their questions
Play with design software (I use Canva for almost everything)
Brainstorm a list of potential new products or offerings
Start a podcast
Learn about cycle synching
Research local events you’d like to take part in
Look up goofy national holidays that apply to your business
Write your Stump Speech or Elevator Pitch! Be able to tell what your business is in two sentences. Practice it! Create variations of it! This is so important!!! I should have put it closer to the top!!!
Clients:
Email past clients to check in with them
Write a list of dream clients you’d like to land
Ask for reviews from past clients
Define your Ideal Client using the worksheet I designed
Reach out to new followers on social media, thank them for following you!
Reply to reviews (even if they aren’t super recent!)
Join a Facebook group where your ideal clients hang out. Observe their needs/behaviors
Write mailable letters to your best clients
Ask your best clients if you can interview them about their experience with you
Peers:
Make a list of role models in your industry: what do they do?
Collaborate with industry adjacent professionals
Make a list of accounts you feel you could/should cross promote
Compile a list of competitors to watch
Host a virtual networking night to meet other biz owners and share ideas
Learn more about your industry via e-classes
Take a design or marketing SkillShare class
Make sure you are getting the most out of your chamber or business bureau membership: update your business listing on their sites if needed!
Find and join a Facebook group related to your industry that offers education, support, or networking opportunities
Assess any annual memberships you are part of. Do they offer marketing benefits?
Sales:
Take new pictures of your inventory/products
Start an e-commerce section of your website
Optimize your product posts on Etsy/Ebay/Society6/RedBubble etc
Make sure your customers know where you are selling online: share your e-store info frequently!
Make the most of on-site marketing tools for wherever you sell your products/services
Check out product sale trends: what’s selling well? How did you market that item?
Promos:
Consider promotional materials you use already: time for a change?
Hone in your print ads to make sure they reflect your brand style accurately
Determine what types of promo materials or swag your audience would respond to best
Try a simple giveaway on social media, were people engaged?
Take inventory of the promotional materials you have been given. What stood out to you?
Decide what in-print or traditional media ads make sense for your business and which don’t
Content:
Film some “behind the scenes” footage
Explain one of your biggest learning moments
Write a letter to your younger-self: what do you wish you had known when you started your business?
Brainstorm potential blog topics
Film a trailer for your YouTube channel, or an intro video for your website/social media
Feature your favorite product/service you offer: why do you love it? What makes it super special?
Develop infographics to explain things about your brand that potential clients have been asking about a lot (for Bad Axe, this would be an infographic to explain what the difference between hosting, domain, and design are for websites. I get asked that all the time!!)
Update your existing blog: are there old posts you could repurpose?
Curate seasonal themes for your social media/blog posts/newsletter
Cross promote your accounts! Let everyone know where to find you online
List your top performing posts from last year. What worked?
Poll your audience
Share at least one social post per week from your business page to your personal page
Go live on Facebook or Instagram
Write an introduction post for blog, social media, or podcast
What awesome things are you crossing off your "To-Do Someday" list?
Stay healthy!
Stay Bad Axe,
-Carolyn