It’s no secret that businesses and companies have faced an unprecedented amount of challenges in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. With forced closures and a customer base who are less likely to spend money as a result, the next few months are crucial in ensuring a business can stay afloat. One way to better navigate through these difficult days is to ensure that you maintain in contact with your customers and clients. Thankfully, there are numerous ways in which you can do that – even when you can’t meet face to face!
- Newsletter
A great way to stay in touch with your customers is by sending out a monthly newsletter. Although some companies prefer to send more regular updates, this can become tiresome and the client is more likely to ignore them, whereas a monthly update is more appreciated and less demanding. In these emails, you do not have to be overly formal. Treat it like you are chatting to them in person! You can cover a wide range of topics in these emails.
- Business updates
- Information on new product releases
- Product sales/discount codes
- Coronavirus updates (regarding the business, social distancing rules, etc)
- Information regarding job opportunities
- Fun/positive updates or stories that build rapport with clients.
- Virtual Annual Meeting
Many companies hold annual meetings, where staff and clients can come together to find out more about the future of the company. Whether this is designed to boost sales, celebrate industry successes, or complete some market research, they are invaluable in allowing customers and clients to develop a strong relationship. They make customers feel like a valued and integral part of the team.
Whilst these meetings may no longer be possible, you can still hold a virtual annual meeting. In fact, many companies opted to hold their annual meetings and conferences online, ensuring that the safety of all those involved was prioritized. One company that did this successfully was the ASRS (American Society of Retina Specialist), whose online conference included collaboration/networking communities, speeches from professional bodies, and a virtual exhibit.
- Social Media
Whether you are just starting a business or have already established yourself as a key player within your industry, your social media presence is important. In fact, there are many reasons as to why you should spend significant time building a strong social media presence – from keeping in touch with customers to showcasing your products to a wider audience. In addition to your usual posts, why not begin hosting live streams or Q&A sessions on Instagram and Facebook, where clients can ask you any burning questions directly.
You can also use your social media to demonstrate the various ways in which your company or business is adapting to the pandemic. For example, you can take photographs of any social distancing markers, hand sanitizing stations, etc that you have put in place so that a customer is aware that you are taking the situation seriously and operating with their safety in mind. As a result, they are more likely to pop by in person!