Helping Local Businesses Survive COVID-19
- COVID-19 does not need an introduction. It was an awful couple of years for everyone, especially for business owners.
ESC, best at connecting people.
We offered free marketing services to local businesses in the Windsor region. Yes, people were not going out a whole lot, but they were still ordering things online—clothes, food, household items, and more.
Our Goal
We aimed to bring these businesses into the online world, helping them get attention and sales while COVID-19 was still a thing. With many shops having to close their doors, families needed a way to sustain themselves. By going online, we hoped to boost their bottom line and keep their businesses going.
Every business owner and their employees have families relying on their income. Seeing these businesses slow down and almost die was heartbreaking for Windsor’s diverse economy. We wanted to make a change, and the best way was to take action ourselves.
We began with the essentials to get these businesses online, focusing on basic local SEO, a straightforward social media strategy, and simple website development.
Local SEO
We started with the basics—setting up and optimizing Google My Business accounts. This made sure potential customers could find the businesses when searching for their products or services.
Social Media Strategy
We visited locations to snap photos and shoot videos of their offerings. We explained what kind of content was performing best and helped schedule posts throughout the month.
Website Development
Instead of just informational sites, we focused on creating transactional websites where customers could shop online. With in-store visits off the table, these sites were crucial for keeping sales going.
- The Outcome
This initiative gave many small businesses the traffic they needed to survive these tough times. It meant the community could still get their favorite local coffee, delicious take-out, or shoes from their go-to store. These businesses were great at what they did, but they needed help with marketing. As marketers, we know the next best move. Sure, flying an elephant with balloons and a logo might get attention, but we focused on practical, effective strategies.
