The world has been turned upside down in just a few short months. We unfortunately have to spend the first part of 2020 dealing with a pandemic as COVID-19 spreads to various countries across the globe. Many small business owners are beginning to feel more and more restricted as lockdowns and social distancing are keeping customers at home. One of the keys to keep business open and profiting as usual is to take it online.
If you are not online, or are wanting to ramp up your presence, check out a few tips below to help get you going.
Designing and redesigning your website to make it easy to use is essential. Make sure your menu works and is easy to navigate. Keep images in a format that allows them to be loaded quickly. Use color that is unique to your brand. Create a website that is easy for anyone to use, especially those with disabilities. And, don’t forget to have a great access for online customer service, as many customers and potential customers will be using these modes of contact from now. Get on top of fixing any issues quickly as you can expect more business to come your way.
If you are not on social media yet, get on NOW. Social media is going to be your go-to for marketing. It’s most likely going to be the best way to inform your customers. This is a great time to dust off any design skills you were putting off. Get creative with your images and products. Let customers know about changes to your business’ availability. If you are a mostly a brick-and-mortar store, inform customers how you are working to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 virus.
You can also use your social media to see where your paid adverts are failing to convert viewers to customers. If your reach diminishes or the number of click throughs decrease, this gives you a chance to reach that market in a different way. Since physical business may slow down due to COVID-19, this is a great way to revisit and upgrade a social media strategy.
Knowing the budget for your business can help you avoid the effects of possible decreases in purchases. This is a good time to take a look at where your budget stands, and make cuts where necessary. Keep your business in the green and reorganize where you spend your money. It will definitely give you a piece of mind.
No matter what type of business you have, every entrepreneur can take steps to ensure they keep business as usual. If you do find you need help, we recommend contacting your local Small Business Administration.
What are some things you are doing to increase your online presence during the COVID-19 pandemic? Please share it with us below!
