OMAHA, Neb. — So much has changed for businesses, that it can be overwhelming for business owners. Experts are offering tips on how to keep your business afloat and reach a new type of audience in these difficult times.
According to Greater Omaha Chamber president and CEO David Brown, Omaha was in a really good place before COVID-19.
"We were all seeing GDP growth that was probably double, or maybe a little better than that, than what we'd normally see," he said.
Then businesses had to change and adapt fast. Businesses going through this tough time can strengthen their customer base with some simple marketing tips.
Mary Ann O'Brien is the founder and CEO of OBI Creative, a local advertising agency. She says there are four things you can do to help your business in a quickly changing environment.
#1 Find the problems in the market and put your business in a position to solve them.
#2 Find your target audience and a way to best serve them.
#3 Digital first. Foot traffic has decreased. Technology use has increased.
#4 Be willing to change.
"Be strategic and be willing to change quick," O'Brien said. "Try a few things that maybe you wouldn't of tried in a typical environment."
O'Brien also says it's important to not be tone deaf to the situation at hand.
"Make sure that you are not appearing as a tone deaf brand or like you're not in touch with reality. We're in the middle of COVID-19 and we need to project that as brands," she said.
Making small changes can have large impacts on your staff, your business and your money.
"It is going to be a learning curve for all of us. Especially here in the Old Market where so much of the traffic is walk through for sure," City Limits owner Charity Naujokaitis said.
OBI Creative is offering free two-hour consulting sessions for local business owners.
For more information you can e-mail them at info@obicreative.com or call them at 402-493-7999.
