Negosentro| Virtually Viable?: COVID as a Catalyst to Improve Your Online Presence |When you finally made the monumental decision to open your own business, you probably thought you had planned for every contingency. You probably believed you had a strategy in place for ensuring your baby’s survival through almost any emergency that might arise.
But the COVID-19 pandemic is something none of us saw coming, much less could have prepared for. And now, as a small business owner, you are probably casting about for ways to navigate your business through these troubled seas.
These rough seas are certainly not benefitting your bottom line, and you’re probably wondering how much longer your business can withstand the financial drain, There are steps you can take today, though, that will help you reconnect with your clients, shore up your company’s profile, and streamline your operations — all without leaving the safety of your home.
As painful as the pandemic may have been for you, your employees, and your business, it is also providing an invaluable opportunity to boost your business’s online presence, and that may well be the key to surviving this crisis. We’ll show you how.
Reaching Out
If you’re running a small business, one of the scariest and most harmful things about the lockdown is having to spend so much time separated from your customers.
However, just because your physical doors may be shut for a while doesn’t mean you have to close down the whole show. In fact, this may well be the perfect opportunity to up your online sales game, particularly if you pair it with alternative service options.
For instance, you might implement curbside pickup and product delivery by mail. If you have the resources, contactless direct delivery might be the best option of all for keeping your business up and running and your connection with your customers flowing smoothly.
In fact, in the era of lockdown, customers’ buying options are going to be extremely limited. They are likely going to be grateful for the extra service you are willing to provide and may well reward you with their loyalty long after the lockdown ends.
This is especially true if you take advantage of the opportunity for customer research that online sales and delivery services can provide. For example, if your customer chooses to have their product shipped by US mail, you can follow up with an online survey or email to assess the customers’ experience and identify their particular needs and expectations.
Meeting Needs
Using your business’s virtual presence to ensure its survival in the physical world post-pandemic is a multi-stage process. First, it means using your company’s online platforms, from the company website to its social media pages, to advertise products and new, specialized services you’re offering during lockdown.
After that, you need to go a step further by following up with clients through online surveys and questionnaires to figure out what your customers need from your business in this new reality we are living in today.
The fact is, coronavirus has changed the market. Your customers may be experiencing, or expecting, a job loss. They are likely going to be more frugal and more demanding.
But if you can adapt your products and services to their needs, and use strategic online marketing to make and build that connection with them, you may well find your business is flourishing, even before you reopen the doors of your brick and mortar store. Using location-based online marketing, for instance, is an ideal way to literally reach your target customers where they are.
The Takeaway
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world in innumerable ways. It may have taken away what we understood as “normal,” but it does not have to rob you of your livelihood. It does not have to take away your business as well. Instead, the pandemic may turn out to be the perfect opportunity to enhance your business’s online presence and to make your company leaner and more profitable than ever before.
Image Source
