For the vast majority of the individuals around the globe today, the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak is an image of how delicate and capricious our lives can be in an unusual situation. The virus which has changed how the majority of us live, work or play out our essential everyday capacities is proceeding to build its grip at an alarming rate with the effect being felt at various levels bringing about an economic slowdown, trade hindrances, business disruption, public seclusion, public seclusion, trade hindrances, etc.
Regarding the business’s progression, organizations around the globe have switched over to online/virtual methods of working while worldwide portability has ground to a halt. Business pioneers need to reconsider strategies to drive flexibility and rise out of this crisis stronger.
How to make your business “Essential” in this pandemic
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Given such a situation, organizations should work distinctively to deal with the emergency successfully. As the circumstance develops, numerous small business owners are uncertain of what steps to take to alleviate risk, protect employees, and backing clients. Here is a list of things to keep in mind for those who want to fuel their business and want to bring their business back on track –
React to the Pandemic
Stay relevant to the customer’s needs in the current situation that implies consoling them about how your organization is reacting to the pandemic. As revealed by a recent study, 56% of consumers are happy about how brands are assisting in the times of the Covid-19 pandemic. While a few brands are supporting affected communities, others are offering essential assistance in healthcare institutions. They are giving levity, alleviation, and assets that the individuals who need them most.
A decent number of organizations are reacting to the Covid-19 emergency with great offers, new services, special resource pages, and other accommodating methodologies. For example, HubSpot has presented various support measures, and resources to support clients and communities adjust to these difficult times. Among them incorporate new content series, marketing, and sales benchmark information, and a HubSpot community for individuals to communicate with similarly invested professionals all around the world.
Also Read: Survival Strategies Post COVID-19 Lockdown For Businesses
Build and Maintain Healthy Relationship with Your Customers
We are all in this together, and problems are faced by all of us; amid this pandemic, we as a whole have confronted challenges and managed a lot of issues. Henceforth, the ideal method to sell is to remain straight with your customers about your business. Customers can also empathize with companies facing a crisis, as long as the communication is genuine and honest.
Communicate with customers; this is important to understand their perception of the products you offer. At the point when your clients feel that you value them, their business, loyalty, and brand inclination will tend to grow. Also, when they profit by significant valuable advice, focused
support, and continuous assistance, they could discuss their fabulous client experience to every one of their companions and associates. Furthermore, that could mean more referral business for you. Keep in mind, word of mouth is viewed as the best way of marketing.
Also Read: How Covid-19 Has Impacted Indian Business And Economy
Try not to surrender about the current absurdity in the world. Think about this as an opportunity to grow your business. Here is a list of things you can do to enhance the customer experience –
- Deliver the relevant services to your customer on time to solve their immediate and long-term challenges.
- Ensure that contacting you is easy for your customers.
- Provide them with the customer service number or an email address, prioritize online chatting with customers, and provide them with online FAQs.
- Build a stronger relationship with the customer by offering them more products and services relevant to the current scenario. For example, many businesses shifted towards manufacturing masks and sanitizers as it is the requirement of the new normal.
It is understood and expected to have difficulties paying vendors their wages on time amid the lockdown. However, it would be helpful to give your vendors sufficient notice if there will be any delay in payments so that there is no bitterness in this already difficult time.
Also Read: Covid-19 Challenges Faced By MSME
Shift to the Digital Platforms
Stay connected with your customers by moving your brand online. Focus on digital marketing endeavours like paid advertisements, email marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO). Keep your website updated and emphasize exhibiting yourself as a thought leader with the help of blogs, videos, social media, and other digital content. On the off chance that you have the promoting financial plan for it, consider hiring a marketing proficient and influencers to expand your online visibility.
Organizations should focus on adjusting their email marketing campaigns to address the customers’ challenges at the individual level. Rather than conveying the standard email content, you’ve generally offered, change the tone, content, and frequency to match your consumers’ desires. Remain on brand; however, be mindful of how your messages are enhancing your audience. Odds are an enormous portion of your audience uses social media, so utilize that for your potential benefit and participate in the focus of your marketing efforts on the social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter to drive a lot of your customer engagement.
Also Read: Top 10 Business Ideas After Lockdown
Post relevant content on social media to add value to your customer or to entertain them. Engage your audience by commenting on their posts and modify upcoming posts based on supposition and input. At the point when our reality is in a condition of upheaval, creating content to be consequently posted 30 days ahead of time probably won’t be the ideal choice. It can make you appear tone-deaf and heartless, regardless of how blameless the posting goof was.
Change Your Working Hours for the New Normal
Regardless of whether you’re a business managing essential items that have been open all through the lockdown or intend to reopen soon, shorter business hours might be useful. You’ll require more time for sanitizing, and you may need to downsize non-peak business tasks to control labour costs.
Numerous organizations are likewise cutting out on special hours for their safety and the customers’ safety, say, between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Update your new working hours at the physical location, your website, and your social media pages. Additionally, discuss with your clients and let them that you’re still there to serve them and that safety is your fundamental concern, and they can always confide in you, and your adjustment in business doesn’t mean a trade-off on quality. Clarify the additional precautions you’re taking, including face masks, contactless payment methods, and cleaning procedures, and ensure that all the safety measures are taken to ensure that doing business is a safe experience. Doing so would eliminate all the safety-related issues.
Also Read: How To Manage The Shortage Of Credit During Lockdown?
Think Ahead
With the changing consumer needs, the significance of your product or service may change too. It is imperative to emphasize how your brand is as yet fundamental to your customers and how it tends to be gainful to their lives. This may mean shifting focus from one product to another or accentuating unique ways that your present contribution can satisfy your audience’s needs.
If people can’t buy your services or goods right now, you can encourage them later. For example, if you own a retail outlet that had to close its doors, you might offer gift cards for future purchases at discounted rates. In the meantime, you can boost current cash flow as well by work on the other things. Now, it may be a good time for a complete makeover of your website. A useful and user-friendly website is so attractive for many businesses, and they find it more reliable. Test your online ordering procedure system from a customer’s perspective and consider ways it can be updated to facilitate customer orders.
Include Your Audience
This is an open door for the organizations to show true leadership by re-examining their objectives, altering timelines, and inviting their audience to be part of the conversation. Invite your target audience to help control the bearing of your business, as they will probably have significant experiences about what they need and how you can help.
For an organization to make raving fans, there must be some degree of buy-in from the audience. When you show to your clients that they are being heard, it builds trust and fortifies customer loyalty.
This is a circumstance that has shocked numerous ventures. In any case, there is nothing to lose hope. Now it is all about the survival of the fittest because this pandemic is not going to end soon. In the new world order, the money of business will be effectiveness, practicality, and adaptability. Data sharing, coordinated effort, and a new method of working across information storehouses and public limits will be essential to make sure about progress. However, for organizations planning to endure, flourish in this new world—blockchain will empower the upcoming business pioneers to settle on better choices, team up across public and industry lines, respond faster to market turbulence, and change purchaser perspectives.
