When times are chaotic, it can feel easier to stick your head in the sand and give up.

Here’s why you shouldn’t.

The Covid-19 pandemic is not the 2008 housing market crisis, but I’m seeing plenty of small business owners in a hurry to cut back on their marketing expenses. This is the worst thing you can do for your business right now.

Yes, cutting back on unnecessary expenses will be critical. Think about the payments you’re making that contribute less to your bottom line, like buying coffee, and cut those out. Now, you’ll be better able to double down on your marketing and communication efforts—which will leave your business stronger when all is said and done.

Above all else, right now is prime time to be reaching out to your sphere to show compassion. Whether through a phone call, text, email, or video chat, you should be prioritizing your outreach with clients and prospects now more than ever. Reaching out with a simple, “How are you doing?” can make all the difference.

You can consider sending physical mail by way of postcards to remind clients and prospects you’re there for them through these difficult times. We have a variety of postcards available that are specific for this type of outreach, and that can help you forge a genuine connection.

There’s no such thing as overcommunicating during a crisis. People are spending most of their days at home, and they’re expecting to hear from you. Consider hosting a virtual “happy hour” on Facebook Live or setting up a virtual fitness class. Another great way to stay in front of people is through sharing positive and uplifting content on social media.

We’re currently offering our Social Media Shares Premium product free until May 31st for all of our clients, and it’s full of incredible content like at-home fitness tips, easy recipes, and educational kids activities—all personally branded so you can stay engaged with your sphere.

People need this type of content, and if you’re able to provide it, you’ll form connections to keep your pipeline full the minute the water clears.

After reaching out to your sphere, you can use this time for personal development. As Stephen Covey says, now’s your chance to “sharpen the saw.” I recommend going through your CRM or contact database and really cleaning it up (feel free to use this free resource to help you know where to start!). Take a look at the last time you reached out to people, and make it a priority to reach out as soon as possible.

You should also place any of your old buyer leads in a bucket, and reach out to those leads when things start to settle down.

If there’s one thing I know, it’s that the economy will bounce back and the market will settle. When it does, you’ll want to be in a position of power, and the only way to do that is to stay the course now. You might have to call 200 people for a lead when you used to call 100 for the same results, but it will be worth it.

Obviously, this crisis is impacting and will continue to impact millions of Americans financially. There will be plenty of people looking to downsize and refinance after this, and you’ll have the opportunity to rise from the ashes as an influential resource.

The agents who will thrive are the ones who double down on their marketing, lead generation, and client communication. If you plan to be in business come June or July, don’t stop grinding now.