Consumer Behavior Online is Changing - How Should Your Small Business Prepare?
The past year has changed our society in a variety of unexpected ways. We have had to adjust and adapt to new ideas and routines due to the relentless and seemingly unending worldwide pandemic. One interesting impact that COVID has had is on Online Consumer Behavior. With more people having to work and attend school from home, there have been many new behaviors and trends emerging in the world of business, which has forced most, if not all, businesses to conform to new standards.
E-commerce orders have skyrocketed since the beginning of the virus and they are showing no signs of stopping for the foreseeable future of business. For small business owners, this means a whole new world of marketing strategies and selling products and services. Small businesses have suffered the most through the pandemic, as more people turned to online ordering for nearly everything, they were all but left in the dust. We have witnessed firsthand the impacts of COVID on our own clients; in light of this, we’re going to share some ways you can prepare for the continued changes ahead of us this year.
Accepting the “New Normal”
The first step, and arguably the most difficult part, is accepting that there is a new precedent set for how businesses are going to function in this new age of an online, remote, world. The pandemic may be on its way out in the future, but it’s effects on the economy and society are not going anywhere anytime soon.
Understanding the Shift
All business owners need to begin to understand the logic behind consumers’ shift to online shopping, whether it’s for products or services. Now, more than ever, consumers are concerned about their health and safety above all. Business owners need to be considerate and sharp with their customer service skills in these wild and unprecedented times. Everyone is suffering in their own way and compassion goes a long way in the world of consumerism. With these increased health concerns, more and more customers are making the shift from in-store shopping to online, which may reveal a lapse in your business’s marketing and call for a shift to eCommerce and higher health and safety standards in your business.
Readjusting Business Strategies
The biggest part of this shift is making sure you remain consistent with your customers and meet them in the middle. Getting more involved in your community efforts against the virus and framing your company as a customer ambassador along with other small businesses through the pandemic will likely bode well for your business in the post-COVID world. Maintaining contact with customers, whether it is through social media, emails, or phone, will prove that you are committed to them and their needs no matter how unforeseen the circumstances are.
Opting for the Right Tools and Strategies
There have been many new technological and practical advancements for businesses to continue functioning effectively and in line with FDA guidelines in the COVID world:
Contactless payment
Thermal temperature readers
PPE and Cleaning Materials
Plexiglass Separators
These are certainly unfavorable circumstances we are living in, but they give us a chance to prove how outstanding our services are for our customers and our local communities. Be the change you want to see in these dark days. We wish you the best of luck from Marketing Juice and continue to offer our services to any small businesses who may be in need. Stay safe and go be great!