Marketing Your Business During A Worldwide Crisis

Kristen Schmitz • August 5, 2020

At Guarantee Restoration Services, like most companies and organizations throughout this pandemic, we have had to adapt our businesses practices. Simply stated, these are crazy, unprecedented times, and we are all having to adjust every aspect of our lives. Like our other departments, our business development and marketing team has had to alter its sales, marketing and customer-relationship strategies.


“COME ON AND ZOOM!”

Do you remember this theme song? Chances are, if you or your kids grew up in the late 1990s, you certainly do. It was a daily program on PBS, and it always pops in my head when I get on a Zoom call. Am I the only one, or is it just me? No? Then, I digress…moving right along!


Around mid-March, everything really started to shut down in Louisiana, Mississippi and across the country. Many people, if you were not laid off or furloughed, had to adjust to working from home. A lot of businesses started utilizing Zoom, Go-To Meeting, Microsoft Teams or other video conferencing software for its staff meetings. Our employees use both Zoom and Go-To Meeting for internal and external meeting with customers and partners. Although many businesses have returned to normal, in-person working hours, we have found that video meetings are still quite prevalent throughout all industries.


LOOM AND CO-VIDEO

While video meetings are great for business conversations, how else can you connect with your customers if you can’t meet for lunch or coffee? Our marketing team has used a couple different video messaging systems. First, there is Loom video. These are short video messages that you can email. There is a free version available, but there are also paid subscriptions with more features.


Although our business development team has used Loom in the past, we are changing to another platform, Covideo. Recently, we opted to do a paid subscription through this service. With Covideo, you can send videos via email, social media, text messaging or your CRM integration. Covideo has a reporting feature which shows you who opened your videos, when they were opened and how many times they were played. In addition, you can customize several features to reflect your brand or business by adding a header image and landing pages. It is more personal and fun than sending a traditional email or text message!


DELIVERED LUNCHES OR TREATS

Like I mentioned earlier, during the pandemic and even out of the shutdowns, it’s much harder than it ever has been to simply meet for lunch or grab a coffee. We have either dropped off lunches to our partners or had them delivered by services like Waitr, GrubHub or UberEats. You may also consider picking up a cookie platter, cupcakes or other sweet treats and dropping them off just to say you’re thinking of them throughout this time.


OTHER IDEAS FROM OUR GRS MARKETING TEAM

In June, our marketing team put together small gift bags for our reps to drop-off to our customers. These contained GRS-logoed masks, hand sanitizer and cleaning spray. Something small, but the thoughtfulness goes a long way. In addition, we have either hand-delivered or mailed items like coffee gift cards. You may not be able to meet up for a latte, but someone will appreciate a $5.00 Starbucks card more than you know.


In addition, our Mississippi team has given lips stickers to our partners in the area as way to add some fun to mask-wearing. I also sent out some “Flat Kristens,” to some of my customers. The idea was for the recipient to take a selfie with these characters of me for a chance to win air pods on Facebook.


Finally, our Marketing Manager, Christina Riviere, has focused a lot of our social media, videos and blog posts on COVID-19-related safety, tips or other information. While it’s important to continue to create or continue customer relationships, staying relevant to the on-going crisis is also just as important.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO PIVOT?

Throughout this article, I have focused mostly on what our business, or more specifically, on what our department has been doing to continue our partnerships and customer relationships. Now, this begs the question what are you, your business or employer doing differently? We want to hear from you! Share via email by contacting me today at kristens@guaranteerestoration.net or connect with me on LinkedIn.

CONTACT US
By Christina Mullins June 10, 2026
Meet Cassie Bertrand, Claims Representative at Guarantee Restoration Services. Learn about her journey, role at GRS, and passion for helping others.
By Adrianne Hungerford June 3, 2026
Hidden moisture can damage commercial buildings long before it's visible. Learn the risks, warning signs, and importance of professional mitigation.
By Jeremy Cryer May 27, 2026
On the Gulf Coast, preparation isn’t optional. It’s simply a part of doing business. From hurricane season to heavy rain events and everything in between, properties in Lafayette face a different level of risk than most. And when something does happen, the difference between a smooth recovery and a stressful situation often comes down to one thing: having a plan in place with the right team. Why Pre-Loss Planning Looks Different in Lafayette Pre-loss planning looks a little different here because the risks are different. It’s not just about knowing where your shutoffs are or having a list of contacts. It’s about understanding how quickly a storm can shift, how water can move through a property, and how to respond when multiple buildings or locations are impacted at once. That kind of preparation requires more than a template. It requires local knowledge. At Guarantee Restoration Services, our Lafayette team builds pre-loss plans with that in mind. We take into account the specific challenges that come with properties in Acadiana, including wind-driven rain, tornado threats, and the potential for widespread damage across an entire area. That allows us to create a plan that is realistic, not just theoretical. The Importance of Having a Clear Path Forward “We’ve seen how quickly things can escalate during a storm event. Having a pre-loss plan in place gives our clients a clear path forward instead of trying to figure it out in the middle of the chaos,” said Craig Rose, Mitigation Manager at our Lafayette Branch. That “clear path forward” is what makes the biggest difference. When a storm hits, response times are everything, but so is access. Roads can be blocked, power can be out, and communication can be limited. A strong pre-loss plan accounts for those variables and ensures that response efforts can begin as soon as it is safe to do so. Protecting Operations, Employees, and Tenants It also helps property teams stay focused on what matters most. Instead of trying to coordinate vendors, track down information, or make high-pressure decisions, they can follow a plan that has already been built around their property and their priorities. From a business standpoint, that level of preparation protects more than just the building. It protects operations, tenants, employees, and timelines. Building Trust Before Disaster Strikes “Pre-loss planning is about building trust before there’s ever a problem. Our clients know who to call, what to expect, and how we’re going to support them when something happens,” said Paige Hebert, Business Development Representative in Lafayette. That trust and familiarity matter, especially in a region where large-scale events can impact entire communities at once. You are not just calling a company, you are calling a team that already understands your property, your risks, and your expectations. Be Realistic. Be Ready. Pre-loss planning on the Gulf Coast is not about over-preparing. It is about being realistic and ready. Because when the next storm comes through Lafayette, it is not a matter of if you will need a plan—it is a matter of how well that plan works when it is put to the test. Call us today to schedule your Pre-Loss Planning meeting where 24/7 is not just a number… it’s a GUARANTEE!
VIEW ALL BLOGS