A message from Cameron – How can we help?

Dear Friends,

We have become very familiar with a continuous cycle of global economic and geopolitical challenges that repeatedly threaten the normal rhythm of business. We continue to survive recessions, fears of terrorism and war, various rate and price hikes, and most recently the Brexit shenanigans… all of which send shockwaves through businesses. However, I can honestly say the tsunami-like speed, breadth and depth of this COVID-19 virus is like nothing else we have ever experienced.

That said, as humans, as a nation, as a business, we have become incredibly resilient and we do have a knack of spectacularly weathering through these tough times. Despite this being perhaps a larger challenge, and the journey a little bumpier, I anticipate the outcome to be much the same – there will be light at the end of the tunnel, order will be restored, calm will be found. This too shall pass, and there will likely be some fantastic good-news and community stories along the way too.

With things so uncertain, it’s not always easy to know exactly what actions or approach we should be taking, but it does seem inevitable that we will all be making major changes to how we live our lives in the coming weeks. For our team, we are now working from home as we’re lucky enough to have the resources in place (we will share these with you) which has made the transition relatively straightforward. As such, it’s business as usual for us, as we endeavour to support not only our clients but also other businesses and our community as much as possible.

 

Do Not Give Up

I cannot emphasise enough, that now is not the time to give up. We run a business of our own, so can appreciate the challenges in a statement like that, and understand that it’s easier said than done.

But; there is help, there is advice, as well as skills within your workforce, solutions in technology, support from local experts, plus many more sources that are able to assist.

 

What are we, Dirty Martini, doing to help the crisis?

In short, there are five definitive ways we can currently jump in and help other businesses…

 

1. Free website health check –

With many confined to their homes, digital traffic is soaring and will continue to rise to unprecedented levels. If you have a website, our health check will help you make sure your brand is as visible as possible. Your website is constantly open and ready to provide assurance, distraction, information and comfort to a restricted society.

 

2. Hospitality e-commerce, ordering & delivery service –

Are you a restaurant, hotel, food supplier, wine merchant or deli using a WordPress website?

We can bolt on a system that creates a fully-fledged takeaway service, with full online takeaway menu, online payments, delivery revenue and collection options within 5 hours. No contract, no monthly fees, no commission.  

3. Free website notices –

It’s crucial you keep your customers, staff, and community up-to-date with your response to the situation. Our pop-ups, or website notices can quickly inform people if you are open or closed, as well as the more intricate details such as changes to cleaning schedules or perhaps special offers you are running. We can do this for WordPress sites.

Click here to see an example.

 

4. Social media posts –

We can help you get the message out on your social media channels. For many, your customers will be online more than ever right now. We understand that some businesses will need a point in the right direction with social media and content. We’re here to help and can quickly post and share accurate information on your behalf.

 

5. #ExeterTogether

We’ve started a new community @ExeterTogether. An exciting new channel to share local news and YOUR updates, supporting independent businesses, services and freelancers through the COVID-19 crisis. We’ll be engaging with a growing and wide audience, ready to support you. Just message us at together@dirty-martini.com with some blurb about your business to be featured for free.

Check out the #ExeterTogether campaign here – we’ll rapidly be updating content! Sign up to be featured here.

 

Our clients

You will know we have been relentlessly forming fluid strategies to help you through this. We’re in touch with you continuously and are constantly identifying products, services and information you can offer that will be well-received by your own customers during this time. Regardless of this temporary situation, brand awareness never shuts up shop – we continue to recommend you invest in safeguarding your brand with clear marketing now.

 

Many brands have gone silent, meaning you have less competition. Become a strong and clear voice – people, customers, and communities look for leadership, trust and comfort during such events.

 

The main point to note is that if you need assistance, please reach out and talk to us. Even if we can’t directly assist, we may know someone who can.

These are unprecedented times, and whilst the situation changes minute-by-minute, there are some certainties that mean your brand awareness is as important as ever.

We know this pandemic will pass. But how will it affect your brand in the meantime? We know that closures are out of your control.

But your customers are still online. More than ever. Their attention is, therefore, yours to grab.

 

As a final note; as with all challenges, Dirty Martini firmly believes that resilience is achieved through love, support and care for one another. Despite our own obvious challenges, we’re here for you and will do all we can to help you.

 

P.S. The image choice for this page I feel is rather apt.

Stilt Fishing in Sri Lanka was born out of necessity. With the arrival of British troops during World War II, demand for food and subsequent overfishing forced many Sri Lankan fishermen out of their traditional, long-established fishing spots and demanded them to rethink their strategy. Before long, savvy individuals had assembled stilts directly on the coral reefs to ensure the best possible fishing spots.

Despite the demanding level of physical and mental endurance, fisherman on the coastline of Galle have been using this technique for over 70 years. Their future isn’t guaranteed, not even a daily catch is guaranteed, but their strategy to diversify, invest, learn and continue through the harder times ensured they survived and are still catching fish today.

 

Reach out to us today: hello@dirty-martini.com