Moving Your Business Online and Focusing on Strategy: How to Pivot during Covid-19
By now, we are all familiar with – and perhaps even exhausted by- the consequences of COVID-19. While toilet paper may have been the only thing on our minds for a time, right now the most important thing to consider for you and your business, is to focus on how your business appears online.
Below is a list of things you can be doing to ensure your business is keeping up with the rapid changes and actionable steps to make sure you are looking great both online and off.
1. Get your Business online
It is incredibly important that your business has an online presence. If you have been lucky enough to skate by on recommendations and word of mouth alone for your very cool brick-and-mortar store, then consider us impressed! But now it is time to make sure, that at the very least, you have a website up and running. Because we cannot move through the world the way we used to, most people’s experience of you is now online. So let’s get your business online too. Make sure you have a great about page, and your phone number, location and store hours.
2. Make sure you have great branding
Hate to sound like a broken record, but most people’s experience of you is now online. It is incredibly important that your website has great branding to actually represent who your business is visually. This means a good looking logo, sharp copywriting, and photography that tells your story. Customers don’t get to experience you face to face so your website has to do all the talking for you. What does your current site say about your business?
3. Build trust during this time
Trust is a vital component of the customer-brand relationship. Right now, this means communicating to customers any changes you’re making to adapt to the pandemic, such as offering remote or flexible work, or sharing the health and safety precautions you’re taking. Show the world that yours is a dynamic brand that can adapt to changing times. It should be immediately obvious when landing on your site that you are open, your hours have changed and/or that you are keeping their safety in mind. Competing businesses are just a click away, and you can be sure that their sites provide answers to these very important questions.
4. Sell products online
It is also important that you move your products to be available online. Can they purchase items directly from your site and pick it up curbside? Can you provide shipping to reach a different audience? All of these are questions you should be thinking through! Don’t have any products? Let us help you think of products that make sense for your brand and/or design some for supplemental income while we wait for things to balance out.
5. Improve the online experience
Are you already online? It may help to think through ways to further improve the purchasing experience. E-commerce stores should provide high-quality photos, thorough descriptions, and detailed videos that help consumers get an accurate idea of what the product looks and feels like IRL. Consider making a waiting list for in-demand products, and be sure to be transparent of any delays the consumer might experience due to the pandemic.
6. Get your business found with SEO
All that said, it is essential that people are able to find you online. If you are looking great and have your products up but a simple search for your services does not show you on page one of Google, you will not likely see an impactful change to your online leads or sales. During Covid-19, the need for search engine optimization has only increased. People are using the internet more than ever and they are seeking out businesses locally. With so many closings and with people unable to venture far, local search optimization is crucial. Local SEO tactics will help you to appear for “open now” and “near me” searches. Let us get you found!
Need Help with your marketing strategy during Covid-19?
Please feel free to reach out with any questions. Mabble is focused on helping our community to grow with us. We continue to pivot during this time with our creativity, coming up with new and innovative solutions for our clients and our community. If you need help with your business or would like to help in the community, reach out for ideas!
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A lot has changed, but one thing hasn’t: Our love of helping companies develop a beautiful, unique-to-you strategy. Contact us today to learn more about creating a branding guide or working on building your online strategy!