As industries adapt to a very different world from the one they existed in prior to the pandemic outbreak we think about how your business can prepare for life after lockdown – ensuring you bring your current customers with you and entice new ones along the way.
Be socially conscious
The pandemic has brought with it a wave of global activism. Being a brand with a social conscience is good for business; not only is it good for team morale within the business itself, it helps the community and it also creates a reason for consumers and potential customers to buy from you. If further validation was needed, more than 60% of consumers say that they are more likely to buy products from companies that give back to the community – and 29% are prepared to pay a premium for brands that have a social conscience.
It is very important however that how you manifest your social conscience as a business is authentic and not simply a reason for making money or improving your reputation. Consumers can see through a brand that is ‘faking it’ and simply taking advantage of an event like the pandemic.
Stay true to the brand, what it stands for and share your values with your customers, including why these are important to you, and how you address them.
Make sure your website infrastructure and SEO (search engine optimisation) is up to the job
With more than one in four industry leaders (26%) believing the pandemic has accelerated a ‘technological revolution’ in retail it’s important for you to make sure that you are equipped to deal with the surge in online traffic.
The chances are that consumers will likely be savvier than they were pre-COVID and will judge a website within seconds of connecting to it, especially one which is under performing. This could be the difference between them staying or leaving, therefore factors such as ease of use and page speed should be addressed immediately. By optimising these factors it won’t just help with increased demand but it will also benefit your SEO. Now is a good time to review your website and optimise any areas on the website that may need improving. Download our free E-commerce guide from the ATTAIN library to get you started.
Answer your customers’ questions before they are even asked
Proactively think of what your customers will want to know when we are still in the “no man’s land” stage of lesser lockdown rules while remaining to live with some restrictions. Make sure that you are consistent with your responses, either on the website or on social media, using a tone associated with your brand. Not only will this help the customer to find the information they are looking for, but it will also lessen the pressure on your customer services team.
Your marketing messages and how you communicate them are likely to reflect the lockdown restrictions: make sure you keep track of any changes to the lockdown guidance and adapt your messages accordingly.
Understand your customer data
Now more than ever, businesses need to stay informed about how their customers’ ever-changing buying behaviour is evolving. Every business has the data within their organisation that will help them to stay informed – understanding who your high value customers are and understanding when and where they like to engage with you is key to a successful marketing strategy that leverages the right mix of social, mobile, online, email and print for your customer.
For information and advice on getting to grips with your data and improving your digital marketing, visit our ATTAIN library to take advantage of our free to download guides. Or, if you would prefer to speak someone then get in touch with the ATTAIN digital team who will be happy to help you with any questions you may have.
