Right or wrong, plans have begun to return to business as usual.

But with what we’ve all experienced in just a few short months, business as usual will likely mean something very different.

I am positive and excited about the new reality we are shaping. And the ways we can help (with some exciting funding opportunities below).

Slapped Around By The Coronavirus Shutdown

Many of our clients and community have been significantly impacted by the coronavirus shutdown, as were we.

Marketing is the first thing to stop for many (not the wisest thing to do!). Government stimulus packages have been a lifesaver. As are their adaption grants.

We’ve seen that many businesses simply were not ready for online sales. For some, their pre-covid offering is temporarily, or no longer relevant.

Do You Feel Me?

Marketing messaging that don’t authentically connect to the shared human experience – which we are all feeling now – are missing the mark. COVID has been a leveler in this respect, because everyone has been impacted in some way. Everyone feels it, marketing that ignores that, creates ill will.

The Purpose Driven Upswing

Today there is a new energy, a shift. The past two weeks have seen an influx of requests for rebrands, refreshes and marketing campaigns.

All our initial conversations centre around purpose and positive impact. There is a greater appetite for this now, which is awesome. There is an air of positivity, of new possibilities. It feels like now is the time to get moving, with purpose at the core.

Relevance (in offering, purpose and marketing) in this emerging new world is the key to surviving and thriving. The shared human experience is central to this. There is an opportunity to really connect with our audiences.

Time for Reinvention

This is the season for reinvention, with purpose. It begins with making our offerings relevant, purposeful and available online. We then need to support it with meaningful marketing, with a focus on content marketing that resonates for our audiences.

Our team has been doing some deep work of our own! We’ve discovered what we are here for! That’s to help business owners get true fulfillment from their businesses. There’s a lot to that, and you’ll see more about it over the coming weeks.

Two Funding Opportunities

Even more good news is some local governments have been offering support grants to those who have been impacted. They are designed to fund the work needed to adapt to the new world.

For example, here in Queensland there is the Small Business COVID-19 Adaption Grant Program, with round 2 opening on July 1. So if you missed it last time, now’s your chance to prepare and get ready to apply.

The program is to support small businesses subject to closure or highly impacted by COVID and can be used for all kinds of support to reinvent or rebound.

The available grant amount is a minimum of $2,000 and up to a maximum of $10,000 per eligible small or micro business.

Funding can be for things like:

• building the business through marketing and communications activities (e.g. content development – web pages, mobile apps, visual and audio media etc.)
• digital/technological strategy development
• digital training or re-training and up-skilling employees to adapt to new business models

In the last round, we helped clients apply for the grant with quotes for websites, content development, digital strategies and digital training.

In NSW there is a similar small business COVID-19 support grant which closes on 30 June.

Both are relatively easy to apply for if you’ve been impacted and $10,000 can go a long way. Check them out to see if you qualify.

Could Now Be Your Time to Reinvent and Refresh?

If you’re thinking about reinvention or refreshing of your brand online, with purpose and impact at the core, now could be the ideal time.

Sometimes it’s difficult to get the fresh perspective you need from where you are. That’s where we can really help.

Complementary Reinvention Consultation

Book in for a consultation with one of our team to see what we can do together. And discuss what can be funded by the government grants.

Not in QLD or NSW? Check with your government to see what stimulus packages or grants they have available.

Until next time, be unapologetically awesome,

Luke