If there’s one thing we can likely all agree on it’s that 2020 has been a year for change, and not all of them are good ones, especially when you consider the struggles our business owners have faced.
Thanks to altered consumer behaviors and government imposed restrictions designed to combat the global pandemic and limit the spread of COVID-19, many businesses find themselves struggling to meet revenue goals. It’s been particularly difficult for those with brick and mortar locations or services that rely heavily on in-person transactions.
For businesses slow to adapt an online presence or pivot to provide their products and services virtually, the struggle to recover continues. Researchers expect this trend to endure as the pandemic rages on.
Digital Commerce 360 shared a recent survey reporting that we can expect the 2020 holiday season to see shoppers continuing to lean toward online shopping. And though the margin is not great – with shoppers reporting a 3.7% reduction of spending in stores this season – the fact of the matter is that businesses offering online shopping options are expected to thrive as shoppers are reported to spend 43.4% more with online retailers.
It is times like these when the Internet is your friend. For those willing to adapt creative practices fueled specifically by a more robust online presence, there remain opportunities for your business to experience a new level of thriving with the help of your local community.
How Business Owners Should be Using Their Online Presence in a COVID World
Be transparent about hygiene and safety protocols.
Shoppers as a whole remain concerned about hygiene and safety and this concern is definitely impacting their decisions to shop in person.
Customer service software provider, Qudini, found that, “63% of consumers are currently avoiding stores, with health concerns due to the pandemic driving that decision for 81%,” in an October, 2020 survey they conducted.
Digital Commerce 360 projects shoppers will spend upwards of $198 billion with online retailers this holiday season. That a 43.4% increase over this same time last year, proving that consumers want to shop, they just need to feel safe doing so.
Shoppers want to know the places they visit offer contactless options, like self checkout, reserved time slots and online payment. And they’re concerned about cleaning protocols and safety measures being implemented and followed.
Using your online spaces to offer options for things like contactless payments and reservations as well as to be transparent about your hygiene practices will allow you to give your customer the sense of safety they are looking for when they make the tough decision to shop in person.
Provide customers realistic expectations and information.
With the constantly changing protocols and shifting regulations that exist state by state and often even county by county, communication is key. It’s important that you provide realistic expectations to your customers for when they do decide to stop in to shop to alleviate stress .
If you have certain safety measures you want them to adhere to or other distancing and hygiene protocols your business is enacting, use your online spaces to keep them informed.
Customers don’t want to show up to a store with their mask and learn they also need a face shield or can only be admitted if they have an appointment scheduled. Consumers get frustrated when they travel to a destination and discover that they reached capacity well before they arrived or have to wait an uncertain amount of time outside. Even more frustrating is arriving and discovering the business changed their hours due to the pandemic but never updated their online spaces.
Keeping your websites and social channels up to date to inform people of your protocols and status will help your clients make informed choices about when and if they should visit you. They will appreciate this level of consideration and not be encouraged to seek out your competitors just because they communicate better.
Pro Tip: If you’ve changed your hours in response to COVID-19, make sure your Google My Business page is updated with the correct information.
Make getting what customers want easy.
At the end of the day, finding ways to meet your customers where they are, even if that’s at home, is going to be integral to your business success. Fortunately, the Internet offers plenty of opportunity for the creative business owner to do that without a heavy lift.
From offering curbside pickup to full scale online shopping and at home delivery options, using your online space to facilitate as much of the shopping experience and service and product acquisition as possible will make your customers more willing to stay.
Digital Commerce 360’s survey found that businesses that employ options like contactless payment, online reservations, virtual appointments and curbside pickup not only help consumers feel happier and safer, they’re also thought better of and more likely to receive repeat visits.
Provide value and build community on social media.
One positive outcome of the pandemic is that it has spurred a larger commitment to shopping local and buying small. Consumers appreciate the uniqueness, diversity and economic stimulation small businesses provide to their communities and they are eager to support local businesses when they can in order to help keep them afloat.
This is an opportunity for business owners to use their social platforms to engage their communities. Share your story to help locals get to know you and your staff through your posts. Keep them informed and up to date on what is going on with your business. Thank them for their patronage and ongoing support.
Building a community around your products and services will encourage loyalty both during and after COVID-19 restrictions begin to subside. As McKinsey & Company recently noted, “Some 80 percent of customers who started using a private brand during the pandemic indicate they intend to continue using it once the COVID-19 crisis subsides,” which means now is the time to focus on relationship building around your brand.
As 2020 comes to a close, it would be nice if it would take COVID-19 off into the history books with it. Unfortunately, experts warn that this is unlikely as it will be many months before we can feel a sense of comfort going back to behaviors and activities we used to enjoy and businesses need to invest in their online spaces wholeheartedly if they intend to thrive into the new year and beyond.
Frederick Chamber Insights is a news outlet of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about membership, programs and initiatives, please visit our website.