They're here and you're probably dealing with one on a regular basis. Chatbots are here to stay. But, should small business owners be adopting them or are they just the latest shiny distraction?

Read on, if you’re wondering what the fuss is all about and why more and more businesses (yes even small ones) make them a part of their marketing automation strategy.

During uncertain times some short term thinking is warranted and even necessary to get us through. It's natural to want to buckle down but don't let short term thinking overwhelm you. This crisis will have an end and when it does you must be ready to build momentum fast.

"Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly. It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death."

Those are the words the World Health Organisation used when they declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

Since then 16 days have passed and I hazard a guess that you will have witnessed and quite possibly experienced fear, anxiety, uncertainty and possibly confusion around the mixed messages that are coming at us practically every hour since.

If you're a small business owner or an independent professional impacted by this pandemic (who isn't?) you will almost certainly feel trepidation about the immediate and short term future.

Last week the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic and since the global situation is evolving pretty much by the hour. Exactly how should marketers behave during such an unprecedented time?

In the same vein as the panic buying and hoarding that continues to go on, I see some of my fellow marketers and business owners resort to some frenzied and frankly questionable tactics.

When it comes to promoting our businesses, it’s essential that we elevate yourself above the chaos and begin responding in a thoughtful and ethical manner.

Most of us have a sixth sense for businesses that are exploitative of people who may have lost or are on the verge of losing belief in survival of their business or future.

The vast majority I know in business and work with possess a strong moral compass. Unfortunately there are also plenty of charlatans who do the rest of us a great disservice. One example in particular is the area of life and business coaching. Unfortunately for each trustworthy coach that is out there doing great work for their clients, there are several that come across as superficial and, frankly, opportunistic.

But unfortunately the coaching sector is not the only example. I’ve seen plenty of very questionable practices over the past week in particular.

This is exactly why the certain sectors as well as the marketing profession gets a bad rap.

It’s time to stop the frenzy.

It’s time to stop reacting and start responding.

When did you launch you launch your current website? Some months ago, a couple of years? Has it been worth the money and the investment of your time? Do you even know?

When it comes to digital marketing there seems to be a widely held believe that a new website is the cure-all for lacklustre marketing results.

"I want you to help me get online."

This is typically what I hear when I meet practitioners who mainly rely on offline marketing channels to grow their business.

I always respond by asking them why they feel that they need to be online. The answers vary but here's what I often hear:-