We started 2020 with optimism and hope that this year’s going to be better than the last– but then, COVID-19 happened and brought sudden massive changes worldwide.
It has disrupted the way we interact, shop, work, and transact. Businesses of all sizes have been plunged into darkness, with some even having to shut completely Meanwhile, others managed to find dynamic solutions to shelter their businesses from the harsh impacts of the pandemic, including reimagining their products and services, marketing tactics, and delivery methods.
In this article, we put a spotlight on the most creative and innovative ways that small businesses have adopted to increase sales during the pandemic and prosper in the new business environment.
Businesses Migrate Online
Lockdowns and temporary business closures led to a sudden boost in online sales. In fact, the stocks of ecommerce companies such as eBay, Wayfair, and Shopify have risen in recent months.
If your business operations heavily rely on face-to-face customer interaction in a brick-and-mortar store, you might need to pivot by migrating online or solidifying your existing ecommerce presence.
This is what some small breweries in Ireland have done to reshape their service delivery and stay relevant amid the mandatory venue shutdowns. They have collaborated to establish an online shop of craft beers that are delivered to their customers’ doorstep. By teaming up, they were able to cut down the cost of setting up the site and increase profits through non-contact sales.
Sell Education Online
Due to travel and social restrictions, people have been forced to stay at home for extended periods of time. To fight boredom, many have resorted to online learning platforms.
Yoga and gym instructors are also pivoting online by offering fitness programs or courses. The brilliance of this strategy is that it provides a passive income stream because you can market existing content and profit from it. Alternatively, other fitness gurus offer live sessions that customers can subscribe to.
Tap Into Email Marketing
The majority of business owners have an email address and most check their inbox every day. This makes it a good communication channel to reach out to your potential or existing customers. Whether your approach is to provide topic-focused informative content or a sales pitch, email marketing is a strategy that you need to consider to boost your brand awareness.
A US-based photography company has ramped up its email marketing campaigns, with content ranging from discounts and free giveaways to sales announcements and online contests. As a means to improve targeting, they have segmented each type of content to get the maximum conversion for each sector in their audience.
Host Online Webinars
Because large, in-person gatherings are on hold for the time being to prevent spreading the coronavirus, many have shifted to social media live streams and webinars.
You don’t need to be a keynote speaker or polished presenter to host such online events and drive profit. You can showcase your expertise through ticketed webinars and online workshops that can help your customers improve their skills or knowledge relevant to your industry.
An email marketing and sales platform company further expanded its catalog of webinars amid the pandemic to share more actionable insights and valuable tools for small businesses. Through this strategy, it has witnessed increased brand awareness and online sales.
Explore Video Marketing
Many consumers are more visually inclined, which makes video an effective format to attract customer attention. According to a Hubspot report, 80% of marketers claim that videos have directly increased their sales. So while most of your customers are in lockdown mode, video marketing is definitely worth considering.
A digital transformation agency has mastered the use of video on its website and social media accounts to boost consumer trust and keep people longer on the site. By turning its site into an immersive video experience, the company was able to engage people and establish its brand as a leader in the industry. You can also adopt a similar strategy and use video content as a persuasive tool for consumers who are in the research phase, as many people prefer watching instead of reading about products and services.
You can check out Loom.com which has a great free plan to get you started.
Keep Pushing Sales Boundaries!
These are tough times for many– no doubt. Yet, we hope that sharing these successful ideas will bring some positivity and inspire you to get back to the drawing board to find new ways to keep the sales going during these trialling times.
Wondering how you can transform your business? Reach out to us for information on how we can help you with a new strategy or learn more about our solutions.
