It’s no secret, 2020 has been a terrible year for almost everyone. Even those relatively unscathed have felt the pressure and strain that the pandemic has had on the world. It’s basically been a write-off.
But for business, Covid-19 has had a particularly unprecedented effect. Although many have sadly had to temporarily (or even permanently) close their doors, many who have thrived.
Clothing retailers have focused on comfortable lounge-wear declaring it the new “work from home wardrobe”.
Food and drink companies have turned to takeout and delivery services to feed the nation from a safe distance.
More than ever, businesses from all sectors have injected more humanity into their content, focusing on mental health and self-care.
In short – companies are reimagining their business models to not just survive during the pandemic, but thrive.
Are You Surviving – Or Thriving?
The post-covid world has already been dubbed the “new normal.” With millennials at the forefront of consumerism, ensuring your business rolls with the changes is vital. In some cases, this is easier said than done. This is especially true if your sector doesn’t lend itself well to the very virtual space most businesses now find themselves.
The good news is though if you want to do more than just keep your head above water during all of this, and for years afterwards, there are some simple steps you can take right now. These go a long way to ensuring you’re doing more than just surviving long after this is all over.
Get on Social Media
We like to think all businesses use social media now. It’s 2020 after all, and marketing over Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat, to name a few, is at the core of most marketing strategies. But, if somehow you don’t yet have a social presence, now is the time to get one – and fast.
For most of the world, staying at home is still the advised move, so we’re all spending more time online than ever before. According to Ofcom, most UK adults are spending over a quarter of their waking day online. That’s a record-breaking number of people consuming online media. So, suppose your brand’s voice isn’t being heard in the online space. In that case, you’re seriously hindering your growth and could potentially even be sealing your own fate.
Talk to Your Customers
Our point about social media fits nicely into our second bit of advice: communicating with your customers. No, we don’t just mean a bi-annual feedback request dropped into their inbox. With limited opportunities for face to face business, your accessibility online is everything. Whether that’s a well-manned social media page or a functioning chatbox on your website, you need to talk and listen, to your customers if you want to get through this period.
Be Open to Change
Covid-19 has changed how we shop. Yes, most of us are doing our business, shopping and browsing online. But more than that, we’re doing it all more cautiously than ever before. Most of us now work from home, the line between work and leisure is a blur, and for many, the sort of content, be it adverts, blogs or social posts, that we want to see is different.
There’s a real demand for authenticity. So if you’ve been keeping it strictly business up until this point, it may be time to show your softer side to better connect with your audience.
Hire a Professional
We get it, times are harder than ever, so spending money on outsourcing your marketing may be the last thing on your mind. But, these are the pros. They eat, sleep and breath creative ways to connect you with your target audience, and they are ahead of the trend in ways that those outside the industry never could be.
The trick is finding the right voice. Find the right creative agency in London to represent you. You may just find that you’re connecting in ways you never thought possible. As a result, business during a pandemic could just boom.
