When the pandemic hit the world, it took everyone by surprise. People have lost jobs, businesses have closed, nobody should come in contact with others, etc. It was a difficult two years, and we are required to adjust to all the changes that have happened.
Now, moving forward, businesses are starting to change the way they implement their strategies. Not only do businesses need to think of future possibilities, but to be flexible in adopting changes that may come in the future, even those unanticipated ones.
This post-pandemic we have seen numerous changes in different industries, which businesses need to meet for them to build better strategies that will help them succeed.
Now that the world is starting to open up again, there will come a sudden shift in the way businesses transact with customers and clients. This transformation will help businesses grow.
Useful Post-Pandemic Strategies for 2022
Build Stronger Relationships with Existing Customers
Building strong relationships with your customers can make your business stronger. There are times when new customers are difficult to find, so it is best to nurture those you have.
You can retarget leads and existing customers with services and ad campaigns that will meet their needs. Furthermore, make sure the campaigns will provide them with something they can use and that will bring value to them.
You can also implement strategies that will be more empathetic to your customers. If you consider your customers’ general situation, it will help build trust, brand awareness, and traffic to your website.
Move Online
If there is one thing that the pandemic has taught businesses, it’s that the internet has more power than you can imagine.
With the lockdowns and restrictions during the pandemic, people resolve to watch and make videos and shop online. Since then, there has been an increased number of businesses who have updated their websites, opt for social media campaigns, and invested in software that can grow their business.
Even though people are starting to return to their normal activities, online presence is more likely to stay forever valuable. People will want to have easy access to their needs. They still want food delivered at home, purchase items online, perform online transactions, etc.
With that being said, businesses should move their business online. They can start by building their website, shifting to digital marketing techniques, using software that can help remote employees, and more.
In addition, businesses need to improve how they approach their customers online since it’s different from an in-person perspective. Tools like CRMs can help centralize the way you communicate with your team and customers. Each department will know what a customer needs and be guided to help them throughout their purchase journey.
You can also provide free services or products that can attract new customers to help them with what they need. Free webinars or content will entice more customers to your website.
Welcome a Cookies-less Future
If you have been running your website for a long time, you sometimes use cookies to gather some activities of your customers. But now, it is time to consider letting go of it.
The removal of third-party cookies by Google has been postponed until 2023, giving advertisers an extra year to prepare. So, by 2022, it will be necessary to have a firm grasp on how to collect and use first-party data, as well as develop cookie-free tactics. Start by identifying the areas where data can no longer be collected and tailored adverts can no longer be served.
In addition, becoming genuinely upfront with your customers can work. People will want to know what you’ll be doing with their information, so it is best to tell your customers about it.
Invest in Paid Advertisement
Paid advertisements are as helpful as organic traffic. You can invest in Google ads, social media ads, and more. These advertising platforms can reach out to your target audiences faster, with a higher return on investment (ROI).
However, it is crucial to find which platform works best for your business. You can target multiple platforms if you desire, but paid ads are not cheap. It even depends on the number of people you want to reach.
Exploring Mobile Approach
With over 5.32 billion mobile phone users, there is no doubt that more than half the internet traffic is from this technology. Mobile users are growing each year, and rapidly replacing desktop users for online activities.
This informs businesses to lead a new strategy of campaigns for them to connect better with their audiences or customers. It can also help work on channels that users frequently visit like social media platforms.
Social media platforms are entirely mobile-based, which is why people often also rely on mobile devices rather than desktops. Since their mobile devices are at hand, they also use them for shopping and so on.
You can do so by making your website mobile-friendly, creating an app for your business, and also making your site load faster. Use the Google Mobile-friendly test to check if your website is optimized.
The Mobile-friendly test will show results of what to do so you can optimize your website.
Integration with Chatbots
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become more advanced than it used to be in the past. There it becomes smart enough to help employees manage their mundane tasks.
Chatbots are the best companion for every sales team. It takes away simple tasks out of the employees’ hands and gives them time to work on things that matter.
As people become used to having access 24/7, businesses are required to be ready to give answers to queries and assist customers with what they need. But human agents cannot be available 24/7. That’s why the best way to serve customers is by giving them continuous service.
Anyone who drops to your website can ask a question and get answers quickly. Chatbots can provide quick solutions to simple queries. If there is any complicated task, they can forward it to a human agent.
Provide Deals and Offers
One way people will buy into your store is by providing them with interesting deals and sales promotions. With what happened during the pandemic, people losing jobs and steady income, they want to save up when buying online.
Providing offers and sales on your website can attract the attention of your loyal and new customers. You can share them on social media or through email (newsletters). For those businesses that were hit hard by the pandemic, they can regain by providing sales or vouchers to their shops.
You can even offer free shipping to users when they’ve purchased a certain amount in your store. There are many ways you can draw the attention of customers by giving them something in return.
Multiple Payment Platforms
Whether you have a physical store or online shop, multiple payment options can give you an advantage. It will provide convenience and satisfaction for your customers.
You can choose different popular payment options, so people have something to choose from, from credit cards to digital wallets. Cryptocurrency can also be another monetary value you can accept from your customers. It is cheaper since there is no third-party involved, so no service fee.
Networking with Others
Small business owners can increase their efforts tremendously by networking with other companies rather than expanding alone. Networking allows you to receive leads, referrals, and traffic for new insights. You can also learn from others’ experiences and improve your game. Team up and establish partnerships that motivate and drive each other’s success.
Move to the Cloud
Like moving your business online, it means moving all your data too. Physically storing hundreds or thousands of files can be laborious and expensive. When moving it to the cloud, you can easily retrieve them in a second, and save up money and space.
Another advantage of moving it to the cloud is having to secure files. It can protect from loss, physical disasters, etc. In addition, data on the cloud is backed up so when there is any problem with the server or you lose your copy, you can easily find them on the cloud.
Having backup copies will help in situations like ransomware attacks, which are common in online businesses.
Dive into Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is a trend that businesses should be aware of if they aren’t already. Companies can use online platforms and social media channels to communicate their stories and raise awareness and excitement. Influencers of all sizes (micro-influencers) provide credibility to the business’s products and services.
If you are going to collaborate with influencers, make sure to hire someone who is within your niche. This will ensure that customers can trust the review of the influencer since it is more likely that they have used the product.
Be More Human
Humans are emotional and social creatures. We get attached to things or respond to human connections, emotions, and anything that makes us feel something. Therefore, businesses that know how to tap into their customer’s human side will gain more.
People don’t like companies that only sell products constantly, they want something that they can connect with your brand. That’s why you need to show the human side of your business, and that’s not just the people working from behind.
You can share stories, create meaningful ads, and don’t sound like you are pushing on selling the product. There are plenty of ways to capture your audiences and make them understand your brand.
Conclusion
The pandemic has turned the world upside down in the blink of an eye. It has changed the way people live their lives and businesses take approaches to continue to thrive. Now, while things are returning to normal, there has been a great shift in how business strategies are implemented. These changes are necessary for businesses to grow in this new society.
AUTHOR BIO
VANESSA VENUGOPAL
Vanessa Venugopal is a passionate content writer. With four years of experience, she mastered the art of writing in various styles and topics. She is currently writing for Softvire Australia – the leading software eCommerce company in Australia and Softvire New Zealand.
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