Three Vital Marketing Updates Indianapolis Business Owners Must Make

We’re nearing the end of the fifth week of social distancing in Indianapolis due to COVID-19, and the city looks different than it did mid-March. People are staying home and thinking carefully about when and how they must interact with others. Spending habits and internet browsing habits have shifted accordingly in Indianapolis and around the country. 

Need some action items fast? Skip to our to-do list. Otherwise, keep reading to see how BoxCrush has helped local businesses adjust during this pandemic. 

Know Before You Go – Update Local Listings

With businesses adjusting hours or adopting a curbside delivery-only approach, local listings are more important than ever. People are using Google and Yelp to learn which businesses are open and what products or services are available.

Now is the time to claim your Google My Business listing if you haven’t already, and if you’ve claimed it, update it. Google is encouraging all businesses to update their hours and contact information. 

Google is also offering a new posting feature. In addition to a regular post or offer, a COVID-19 update is available. You cannot add images to these posts; however, these posts do not seem to expire like standard posts. This feature gives you an easy way to explain what precautions your business is taking. You will only need to update it again if something changes. 

Yelp is offering a similar feature. Businesses have the opportunity to post a COVID-19 update right on their profile page, above their business hours. This highlighted box is a great way to communicate how your business is adapting. 

Explain How You’re Operating – Update Your Website

If your local listing does its job, a user may click through to your website for more information or to place an order. A prominent COVID-19 update is necessary on the homepage. If you have made adaptations that need to be explained in detail, you can link the homepage announcement to a webpage or to a PDF.

On your site, be clear about how you are currently doing business. Do you want people to phone in their order? Tell them that, and make your phone number prominent. 

Do you want people to order online for carryout? Make that call to action clear, and outline the steps. Will they need to create an account? Are your payment methods secure? Do you offer curbside pickup? These are all questions people will have. 

Are your offerings limited or different than what you usually sell? Create a page or a PDF that showcases what you have, and give clear instructions on how to order. 

Are you offering telemedicine? While you’re certainly contacting patients with existing appointments, also mention if new patients can be seen with this technology. It may make the difference between a potential patient calling your office or another medical practice. 

Is your local business making service calls? Explain to users how your technicians or other workers are practicing precautions, and what customer expectations are when a worker arrives at their home. 

Follow-Up With a Thank-You

Be sure to thank the customers who seek you out at this time. Thank people who call to place orders and thank them again when they pick up their order. You can also follow up with an email and at the same time, ask satisfied customers to leave you a review. 

It’s important to note that Google My Business is currently (as of 4/10/20) not publishing new reviews right now for several reasons, but any reviews submitted will be published at a later date. In the meantime, you can encourage customers to leave a review on Facebook or Nextdoor. 

Need more information on how to temporarily adjust your business practices? See our action list below, or reach out to BoxCrush directly by filling out our contact form or starting a chat in the lower right corner chat window.

Action Steps: