610.432.2600Getting Your Business Going After COVID-19
The Coronavirus shutdown has been tough on small businesses, and we’re all looking forward to the economy opening back up. But the truth is that everything isn’t going to magically go back to normal once all is said and done. Once we’re allowed out of quarantine, people are going to be cautious going back out into the world. Many businesses may try to stagger work schedules to help employees practice social distancing. Some stores may continue to provide online shopping and curbside pickups to try to keep their customers safe. We don’t want to treat it like business as usual and open everything back up while there are people who still have the disease. That’s just going to put your employees and customers at risk of getting infected. Even though we’re still not sure when the United States will open back up for business, there are steps you can take now that will help build your company’s future. To help, NuStream put together some tips for getting your business going after COVID-19.
Create a Plan for Reopening after COVID-19
If there was an announcement from the government that we’re opening back up tomorrow, do you know what you would do? You have plenty of free time now. Now is the time to figure all that out, so you and your employees are not caught off guard. You should try to hit the ground running and get a step ahead of your competition. If you were forced to lay people off, you may be able to hire them back now. Additionally, a lot of people filed for unemployment during the Coronavirus outbreak, so the talent pool is deep right now. With some new hires, you may be able to build your dream team.
Look at your business plan now and see if it needs to be altered for the post-Coronavirus world. Clearly define your company’s strengths and weaknesses, so you can adjust and improve. If your business relied on word-of-mouth references and foot traffic, you might not be able to depend on that right away. We could still be a few months away from people walking the streets and interacting face-to-face like everything is normal. Thus, it may be in your best interest to pivot and offer online sales.
Depending on your industry, you may have seen online sales gain traction recently. While the travel and auto parts industries have taken big hits—healthcare, electronics, and home fitness companies are thriving. According to the government, online sales accounted for 11.4% of total retail spending at the end of 2019. That number is expected to increase to 12% in 2020. If you’re interested in developing an easy-to-use E-commerce store, contact the dedicated team at NuStream.
Develop a Digital Marketing Campaign
Many large companies have cut back on advertising during the Coronavirus quarantine. Therefore, it’s a wonderful time for the little guys to reach the top of Google’s rankings and get the most bang for their buck. If you want to try to use SEO to bring in organic traffic, it could take a couple of months to really get your campaign going. So, starting an SEO campaign now can lead to more website visits and conversions once the American economy reopens.
As some people continue to play it safe and work from home after the COVID-19 shutdown, the number of people who are online each day will remain high. According to Global Web index, 70% of people around the world said that they’re on their smartphone more. There are several different tactics you can use to reach out to these people and draw them towards your business. NuStream can help with e-mail marketing as well as YouTube ad production and social media management. Even though a lot of people are on Facebook now during quarantine, the cost-per-impression on Facebook has dropped dramatically. Moreover, this is a terrific platform for expanding your audience and generating new leads.
Many companies are saying goodbye to their PPC campaign during the COVID-19 crisis. If you can hold onto yours, you’ll be ahead of the game once this is all over, propelling your business forward. After quarantine, people will leave their home computers and go back out into the world, utilizing their mobile devices. Thus, you’ll want to adjust your PPC advertising to generate mobile traffic.
Rebuild Sales & Bring in Revenue
If your customers have scaled back during the Coronavirus crisis, you may need to rebuild your sales pipeline. This represents where your potential customers are in the purchasing process. You want to align sales and marketing efforts, allowing you to move from lead generation and nurturing all the way down the sales funnel to closing the deal. According to the Harvard Business Review, there’s an 18% difference in revenue growth between businesses that have a defined sales process and those that don’t.
In today’s marketplace, there are so many choices for consumers. So, they want to take their time and look around for a while before making a purchase. While many salespeople give up after a couple calls, it’s important to keep following up with leads. Conversely, you should identify the best and worst leads. You’ll want to focus in on the high-value leads, while dropping the deadweight that really has no interest in buying from you. Remember that sales techniques that worked before the COVID-19 pandemic might not do the trick today. You’ll want to keep monitoring your sales pipeline, so you can update it as needed. Additionally, after the sale, don’t forget to check back in and ask for referrals.
Create a Contingency Marketing Plan
Part of why the Coronavirus hit U.S. businesses so bad is that the shutdown was very sudden. At the beginning of March, did you see a quarantine coming? Now, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event, but your company will face more problems. The one good thing about COVID-19 is that it can help small businesses prepare for a crisis in the future. Let’s say, if severe weather forces you to shut your physical doors, you should have a plan in place that allows your team to work from home and meet your customers’ needs. Even though you might not see the worst-case scenario, it’s best to be prepared for it. In conclusion, we hope these tips help you when you start getting your business going after COVID-19