Founder and Director of Gifford Marketing, Niki Gifford, has a diverse and rich career history in communications. She has led communications campaigns, from strategic marketing and PR to events and partnerships, for international, luxury clients for over 33 years, guiding brands through the best and the most challenging of times.

She has guided her stable of brands through four recessions and four epidemics including SARS, Dengue and Nipah, providing stability and recovery strategies as well as a voice of courage for her clients in times of need. At the helm of Gifford Marketing, Niki is ensuring her brands are resilient to the challenges posed by the current economic and medical climate using the skills and experience she has amassed for three decades at the heart of the communications industry.

At Gifford Marketing, we believe in paying it forward and providing strength, encouragement and practical help to both existing and potential clients. This is why we have compiled some of the best communications advice for readers who may be concerned about the strength of their companies over the next period as uncertainty around the spread of COVID-19 and the imminent economic turbulence. Many small businesses make the mistake of cutting their marketing spend the bone in lean times, or even eliminating it entirely, but this is exactly when your small business needs marketing the most.

Please do read on, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like to discuss the opportunity to work together.

Being commercially minded is critical for businesses at any stage in their development, whether the circumstances are unprecedented or quite quotidian. Businesses must monetise their expertise with clear, measured strategies across all business facets, but crucially, in their communications. In times of crisis, there is a tendency amongst younger businesses to panic and adopt a scattergun approach to their marketing. The key is to strategically target your ideal clients, making sure your communications are streamlined and specific. The first step is to identify your demographic and understand their attitudes and media appetite so you can ensure you are attracting the right clients and customers throughout even the most challenging of times. Speak to your demographic in a tone that feels authentic, genuine and valuable to encourage consistent engagement with your business and a steady period of bounce back when the clouds begin to clear.

This kind of activity involves the interrogation and clarification of your brand messaging. Find out how your brand can be helpful to your demographic, and create real value with well-produced content to secure consistent website visits, private appointments or brochure requests. Whatever your company’s key performance indicators, design compelling messaging through visuals and text that will encourage your customers to act, shop or scroll depending on your objectives. Whether you increase your social media footprint or your media share of voice with advertising or editorial placement, your messaging should be consistent, helpful and sensitive to the current climate.

Finally, it is imperative that you lead your team and your business with confidence, optimism and an open mind into the future. Look for opportunities to launch a new initiative, diversify your offering and leapfrog the competition. The crucial point to remember is that your competitors are in the same boat as you. Seek opportunity and value in the changing economic and social landscapes to put yourself in good stead to accelerate through to full recovery.