For most small business owners, trying to stay afloat during a pandemic has come with both ups and downs. The down side, of course, is the slump businesses have seen. On the up side, entrepreneurs were spared the impact of layoffs that many employees suffered. And even if your business hit a low point during the peak of the pandemic, the potential to get back up and running lies in your hands.

When you’re ready to ramp back up, what you need most is a solid but affordable marketing plan. The goal is to focus on what your customers want right now, while finding cost-effective ways to reach your base and get in front of new faces.

Expand Your Services

Some of the most savvy small business owners have responded to the pandemic by getting creative about how they deliver their products or services. One reason this works is because everyone the world over is doing business differently. While in-person shopping and services haven’t gone away, people are continuing to do more business online, even as the pandemic slows. This is one reason why becoming a virtual paralegal is such a smart move for anyone who wants to grow their paralegal or legal assistant business.

For any business that’s developing a marketing strategy right now, the more value you can offer through virtual services, the more competitive you’ll be. If you run a service-based business, this may mean doing virtual consultations or adding an e-course to your offerings. If you sell a product, you could reach more customers by providing curbside pickup for online orders, expanding physical stores into e-commerce, or starting a subscription service.

Expanding what you offer is often the most impactful marketing strategy, but it can also be the most expensive. One thing to consider is how you can maximize what you’ve already invested in your business. For example, if you have products that have been purchased, starting a subscription box is a natural expansion that won’t require a large investment. If you still need additional financing, consider applying for small business grants or loans, which you can find from both private and government sources. For example, you may be eligible for an SBA Express Bridge Loan as a quick way to handle the impacts COVID-19 has had on your business.