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ARTICLE
The campaigns were effective and our voices have been heard, not just by our own government but in other countries too. what we were and still are facing, whilst fighting for help to navigate the crisis.
With light visible at the end of this long tunnel, we are very close to being able to continue our work. As much as efforts to save the industry have had an impact, the duration of lockdown restrictions meant that many of us have taken a step back from our business’s online presence. Our Facebook pages have been left dormant, our Instagrams redundant and our Twitter feeds inactive, as we focussed on earning a living. So, with restrictions starting to ease, now is a great time to invest some time and energy in your website and social media.
This crucial point is number-one for a reason. Clients may well be looking for your services but with few, if any posts to see they won’t know that you’re back in business. Making potential clients aware that you are ready to take bookings avoids this uncertainty and makes for a great first update after a period of inactivity.
Update all your active platforms for a broader reach. And remember, if a post isn’t informative or engaging enough, it is likely to be scrolled past. A graphic attached to your post can grab attention while the textual part of the post can be used to get across your key message. Be sure to utilise ‘stories’ too. Stories are a feature on almost every social media platform and are best used for short and snappy posts, which disappear after 24 hours. You can use stories to link back to a post on your feed or to simply create a new update.
One thing worth mentioning is that some platforms notify your followers when you upload under certain circumstances. For instance, if you’ve not posted for some time, Instagram tends to send a push notification to your followers’ mobile devices announcing that you have posted a story “for the first time in a while.”
If you haven’t done so already, get in touch with customers who currently have events in your diary, just so they are aware that you are still looking after them. No doubt you will have customers who have been in constant contact, but there will be others who you have had minimal discussions with. It’s worth making sure they know they are on your radar. There will be a small number of events that have been in the diary for ages and which won’t go ahead. By communicating with all your bookings, you can clear your diary of any events you know won’t happen.
As updates to the guidance are published, it is crucial that both you and your clients are aware of what you can and can’t do with any remaining restrictions in place. Always check guidelines from official sources and communicate the (positive) things your clients can do, rather than the (negative) things they can’t. Your clients are unlikely to appreciate the full impact of restrictions on events and they will value your input.
The only true credible way to understand how you can operate is through official channels, with the primary source for UK updates being the GOV.UK website (for details of local restrictions you can visit your local council website). The more you know, the better chance you have of running safe and fun events.
With light visible at the end of this long tunnel, we are very close to being able to continue our work. As much as efforts to save the industry have had an impact, the duration of lockdown restrictions meant that many of us have taken a step back from our business’s online presence. Our Facebook pages have been left dormant, our Instagrams redundant and our Twitter feeds inactive, as we focussed on earning a living. So, with restrictions starting to ease, now is a great time to invest some time and energy in your website and social media.
1. Let potential customers know you're returning to work
This crucial point is number-one for a reason. Clients may well be looking for your services but with few, if any posts to see they won’t know that you’re back in business. Making potential clients aware that you are ready to take bookings avoids this uncertainty and makes for a great first update after a period of inactivity.
Update all your active platforms for a broader reach. And remember, if a post isn’t informative or engaging enough, it is likely to be scrolled past. A graphic attached to your post can grab attention while the textual part of the post can be used to get across your key message. Be sure to utilise ‘stories’ too. Stories are a feature on almost every social media platform and are best used for short and snappy posts, which disappear after 24 hours. You can use stories to link back to a post on your feed or to simply create a new update.
One thing worth mentioning is that some platforms notify your followers when you upload under certain circumstances. For instance, if you’ve not posted for some time, Instagram tends to send a push notification to your followers’ mobile devices announcing that you have posted a story “for the first time in a while.”
2. Get in touch with existing clients
If you haven’t done so already, get in touch with customers who currently have events in your diary, just so they are aware that you are still looking after them. No doubt you will have customers who have been in constant contact, but there will be others who you have had minimal discussions with. It’s worth making sure they know they are on your radar. There will be a small number of events that have been in the diary for ages and which won’t go ahead. By communicating with all your bookings, you can clear your diary of any events you know won’t happen.
3. Share the Latest guidance with your customers
As updates to the guidance are published, it is crucial that both you and your clients are aware of what you can and can’t do with any remaining restrictions in place. Always check guidelines from official sources and communicate the (positive) things your clients can do, rather than the (negative) things they can’t. Your clients are unlikely to appreciate the full impact of restrictions on events and they will value your input.
The only true credible way to understand how you can operate is through official channels, with the primary source for UK updates being the GOV.UK website (for details of local restrictions you can visit your local council website). The more you know, the better chance you have of running safe and fun events.
4. Update your website
The full review can be found in Pro Mobile Issue 108, Pages 58-62.
