Remember all those memes back in March, April and May? You know, the ones that poked fun at how 2020 planners were useless and that pretty much EVERYTHING was cancelled? Well, as funny as these were at the time, they were sadly all-too-right in their predictions – many of us had to press pause on many of our plans this year. So much so that 2020 seems to have been the year of what would’ve, should’ve, could’ve been…
As we look towards the New Year with the promise of a vaccine within our grasp, 2021 looks to be the year of catching up! We all have things that we postponed and/or cancelled due to Covid so imagine a world-wide collective sigh of relief when we can actually DO them! This means that now (more than ever!) your business needs to be ready for the ‘recovery rush’ that many consumer experts are predicting.
Get ready… Go!
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to carry out an audit of your website and marketing materials, this includes looking at things like your homepage, blog content, product listings and checking they are still accurate and working correctly. In today’s competitive marketplace fresh is best and there’s nothing like a broken link, 404 error message or out-of-stock pop-up to turn potential customers away. Asking someone outside your business to audit your channels and materials is highly effective as they often spot things that you might not.
Communicate regularly (and effectively!)
Keeping near the top of your customers’ minds is essential. It is also easier said than done. Your business is now one of many others competing for that sale so you need to be sure you’re communicating effectively. Let your audience know what you’ve been up to and what you’re planning to do – this will help keep them engaged and interested. Having a clear communication plan is one way to do this as it can help map out social media posts and direct email campaigns. Remind your customers you’re there and run things like competitions to grow your audience.
Keep existing customers.
Unless you’re already a super brand, customer loyalty can be a tough nut to crack. Spend some time thinking about what incentive your existing customers would value. For many, this could be a special loyalty discount on their next order, but inviting them to a small re-launch event or secret pre-sale can also be effective techniques. Reach out to your customers, friends and contacts and encourage them to share updates on their pages can also re-ignite interest. Similar schemes can work to attract new customers too, the ‘free consultation’ or ‘discount on your first order’ approaches very often work a treat!
Check contact information and listing.
Many businesses have had to adapt to curfews, lockdowns and numerous other operational challenges throughout 2020. This often meant that key bits of information like opening times, shop locations, temporary closures etc may have been changed to reflect the temporary measures. Make sure your contact information and opening times are correct on external sites like Google – these are often overlooked and are valuable sources of traffic!
While all these things might seem obvious to many, we thought them worthy of a mention as it’s often the details that make the biggest difference. At Wally’s Social, we specialise in helping businesses design and implement social media strategies and related services that are manageable and deliver results. Book your free consultation today!