school size: 750 students
2020 has proven to be quite a stressful year for many people around the world. From layoffs to supply chain shortages and illness, there are many factors contributing to the slight feeling of anxiety many of us are experiencing. As a business owner, it is important that you recognize how these factors are impacting the lives of your customers. They might have a tighter budget, be spending more time at home or feel stressed about childcare, just to name a few. One great way to ease these pains and establish a feeling of stability for your customers when it comes to your business is to communicate openly and keep them informed.
Luckily, the twenty-first century is full of technology that literally places multiple methods of communication at our fingertips. As a business owner, you have the ability to communicate with your customers and potential customers in a variety of ways, text message and email marketing being super easy and effective channels. When a customer purchases from you, ask for their email address, phone number and their willingness to receive marketing materials. From there, you can create automated systems of communication using these two platforms to keep your customers informed of changing hours, new products and other useful pieces of information. There are many automation options for text messaging and emailing for your business.
Your website is often the first place a customer or potential customer will go when trying to find information about your business. If your website is outdated and doesn’t clearly portray your company’s response to COVID-19, people will miss out on very valuable information. If this information varies by location for your business, such as a restaurant chain who’s doors can be open in one city or state but not another, using a tool like GeoFli could be a great option. We easily and seamlessly personalize your website content based on your visitor’s location to help you share relevant information.
Even if you are communicating via text and email and have an updated website, you don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to communicate with your customers and potential customers through social media. Using Facebook, Twitter and other forms of social media allows you to connect with these people on a personal level. Try asking your customers questions within your Instagram Stories or sharing helpful, branded tips on Tik Tok.
From extended shipping times to being unable to offer a previously performed service, there are a million ways your business may have been affected by the pandemic. Your customers deserve to know how things have changed for you. Regardless of the method you use to communicate with your customers and potential customers, it is important to be open and honest about the state of your company and how the pandemic has impacted it. Ultimately, communicating clearly and honestly with your customers throughout this difficult time will not only encourage them to continue purchasing throughout 2020. It will also establish long-living brand loyalty, causing your customers to stay with you year after year.
