Rotem Gal — April 23, 2020 It’s no secret customers are a business’ most valuable asset. It is also well known that getting and retaining customers is no piece of cake. When you introduce a world pandemic into the mix, the job gets even harder.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss 5 strategies that will help you convert consumers during the Coronavirus pandemic.
So, let’s get started.
Collect reviews and turn passive customers to promoters
Perhaps the most important thing you can do to help your business during the Coronavirus Pandemic is to increase sales. And creating and cultivating a loyal clientele can definitely help.
When looking to gauge the loyalty and satisfaction of their customers, many businesses check their customer feedback. One of the most popular methods brands use is sentiment analysis, the automated process of analyzing, interpreting, and classifying customer statements as positive, negative, and neutral.
Analyzing customer feedback allows brands to later classify their customers into three categories – ‘Detractors’, ‘Passives’, and ‘Promoters’.
Whilst ‘Detractors’ might harm a business by spreading negative word-of-mouth, and ‘Promoters’ can help a brand by, well, promoting it, ‘Passives’ are neutral. They’re right in the middle. They are not risky for business or brand image, and following up with them has great potential for positive results.
Monitoring and understanding consumer reviews give brands priceless insight into customer experience and attitudes, and enables them to turn those undeceive “passives” into active and loyal “promoters”.
Based on what you find, you’ll be able to identify features your customers missed, show them how to better use the product or service in their advantage, or even tell them how you plan to improve your brand to suit their needs and wants.
A well-informed and data-driven follow up will make customers feel heard and might inspire them to engage with your brand, turning them from idle ‘Passives’ to active ‘Promoters’ – even in these complicated times.
Adjusting websites to promote items that are in stock and in demand
Another major way brands can turn in consumers is an updated website. But we’re not talking about the obvious advantages a good website can have on a business’ sales cycle.
The spread of the Coronavirus has brought on new challenges – especially when it comes to managing supplies and inventories.
Governments all over the world have instructed their citizens to practice social distancing, placed entire cities under lockdown and closed off schools. So, consumers around the world have had to change their shopping habits, with more people turning to online shopping and delivery services.
However, it seems suppliers are struggling to keep up with demand. Not even eCommerce giants like Amazon.
These supply chain problems are most likely due to the fact that Chinese factories are responsible for manufacturing just about everything – from shoes and clothing to makeup and electronics.
Since there isn’t much that businesses in the U.S. can do about factories in China, the next best thing is making sure to promote items that are still in stock and in high demand.
Pushing and optimizing marketing focused on products that are available and are in high demand will attract consumers to your business, increasing their interest and engagement with your brand. People will appreciate a direct approach, enabling them to reach coveted items and products easily and simply.
Utilizing welcome programs for first-time shoppers that recognize the impact of the Coronavirus
Welcome programs are an email marketing tool, responsible for automatically sending a welcome email to new online store subscribers.
A welcome email is usually a part of a series of onboarding emails, and is often the very first communication brands have with a customer. These emails can be anything from a subscription confirmation or a post-purchase email.
The welcome email will set the tone for the rest of the communications with a new customer. Apart from being a friendly reception, welcome email can help in various goals – from securing the first purchase, setting customer expectations, and encouraging subscribers to connect with the brand on other channels (like social media), to Making a strong and remarkable first impression.
Nowadays, as the novel Coronavirus spreads across the world, both consumers and businesses are forced to dramatically change their commercial behaviors. People are afraid and worried not only for their health, but for their jobs and saving. These financial concerns have resulted in major emotional and economical shifts and changes.
In order to weather the COVID19 storm, businesses need to show a level of sympathy and empathy to the unprecedented situation their customers face.
According to Harvard Business Review, customers appreciate knowing what is being done behind the scenes to provide them with the service or product. Giving new customers insight into how you are handling this situation will generate consumer confidence and loyalty that will only work in your advantage. So, don’t be afraid to communicate and describe the steps you’re taking to handle the risk and difficulties of this current crisis.
Revise buy-online-pickup-in-store policies now that stores are closed
As we mentioned, people are staying home these days. Not only that, they are instructed to maintain social distancing practices when going shopping – so businesses had to adjust accordingly.
In order to limit potential exposure to the Coronavirus for both consumers and employees, a growing number of businesses are using the same technology that has helped with crowd control during holiday shopping.
As reported by USAToday, demand for stores to implement crowd control practices such as Buy-online-pickup-in-store and curbside pickup jumped by 87% between late February and late March 2020.
Implementing these methods and informing consumers about it will attract people to your business. Knowing it is safe for them to use your services and get your product will make your brand very attractive for current and potential customers alike.
Protect your website
You might be surprised, but it seems that while causing unpleasant health problems, the Coronavirus is also impacting our cybersecurity.
Hackers and cybercriminals are seizing the day and taking advantage of the opportunities this global crisis has presented them with. As more and more activities are transferred to the internet, from online meetings and finance to virtual workouts and shopping, hackers have been busy looking for new entry points to be exploited.
Moreover, with the move to remote work, businesses are using less secure devices and loosening up security controls, exposing themselves and their customers to greater risks. For example, brands trying to keep up with rising online traffic might depend on outsourced tools, potentially resulting in exposure of sensitive data.
This means you need to make sure your website is secure – and now more than ever.
There are several basic steps you can take to improve your site security. You might want to
use a password manager to create strong passwords, get a two-factor authentication (2FA), or use a reliable VPN service.
Conclusion
Like anything else with business, there are no guarantees. Let alone in these troubled and tumultuous times.
However, doing your best to better understand, communicate, and serve your customers can only work in your favor. So, go ahead and give one or several of the above-mentioned strategies a go. Even COVID-19 won’t stand between you and your loyal customers.
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