The other day I was reading a really interesting FB post about selling and marketing during this time. About how small businesses should and shouldn’t be using their social media platforms during this global pandemic.
It was fascinating to see a range of viewpoints. Some argued about the insensitivity of it all. Saying that it wasn’t right to be actively selling services and products when people are facing difficult times, financially. That outright selling is tacky and insensitive at this time, especially when if it looks like you’re trying to cash-in or capitalize on the situation.
Then there were others who said that there was nothing wrong with selling right now, as there are still people who want to and have the means to buy what they want and need.
To me, the question isn’t about whether you should or shouldn’t be selling your services at this time but how you should be selling during this time.
Just because we are in a global pandemic which of course is presenting so many challenges, frustrations and sadness for so many people, life, under its new normal, and business, are still continuing.
People who love reading continue to buy books, if they can. People who want to learn something, buy courses or join online classes, if they can. Couples wanting to get married in the near future are still making plans for their weddings. I had two 2021 bookings last week that came out of the blue! Commerce is still continuing. Sales are still happening. People are still buyinare
So right now what we should be looking at is how we as celebrants sell what we do, during a time which calls on us to be more mindful, more sensitive and more appropriate.
First of all, you’ll actually find that my thoughts on this are exactly the same now as they were pre-Coronavirus.
I am a firm believer in the ‘show, don’t tell,’ philosophy of selling and marketing.
Show people what you do.
Show people who you are.
Show your personality.
Show your passions.
Show your weddings.
Show where you work.
Show where you live.
Show your hobbies and what makes you happy.
Because showing is selling.
If you’re doing all of this and doing it well, then this is all you need to do to sell your services. You don’t need mega marketing strategies or to put calls to action into every single post. You don’t need to tell people to contact you. You don’t need to tell people to get in touch. You don’t need to oversell. Overreach. Or overcompensate. You just need to be present, have some presence and be your natural self.
Anything else is what’s likely to make people feel icky. To make people feel like they’re being sold to. Which is funny really because although there are people who want to buy things, it doesn’t mean that they want to be sold to and sold to ALL of the time.
If people like what they see on your social media platforms, if they like how you present yourself, they will contact you. They will get in touch.
So selling during this time isn’t wrong. But the emphasis should be on how you do it, not whether you do it.
If you’re struggling for non-salesy content to post online, you can grab my free 28 day planner here, for ready-to-use ideas or extra inspo to inspire your own ideas.
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