COVID-19 and how to become a "buzz worthy" business within your community!

When COVID-19 hit it was apparent to me that the traditional way of conducting business would never be the same. Yes, shops are slowly opening up again and quarantining is starting to let up - but that doesn't mean there isn't a global shift towards a "new normal."

People hate this term "new normal" and it's without doubt because we all have certain fears around change. I truly believe that innovation is fuelled by fear (and the adrenaline and excitement that goes along with it!) If you are anything like me, having this fluttering heartbeat and knot in my stomach actually motivates me and tells me I am doing something right.

We all recognize that fear generates a fight or flight response. As a business owner, are you going to make the choice to innovate and adapt (fight!) or are you going to avoid change and push forward with your previous tried and true operations? To me, continuing operations the same way without making adjustments means running away from the facts (flight).

The good news is that we all have so much amazing opportunity amongst this terrible pandemic. Wouldn't it be incredible to become a buzz worthy business within your community? To be a topic of positive conversation amongst the current global and political turmoil?

So how can you make waves and generate word of mouth amongst your consumer base?

1. ANALYZE current workflows and business operations. Make adjustments to your customer experience strategy. My approach would be to go through each step of your customer interaction in-store from the moment your customer touches the door handle. Consider things like health and safety (use of masks, having hand sanitizer), take a look at how your customers interact with the product and determine how to ease worry when it comes to the spread of bacteria/viruses via mouth, hands, nose and eyes. Considering if things like contactless payments at the register, and whether closing the change rooms or inhibiting trials, will be worth the adjustment. Brainstorm ways to innovate your customer experience in-store and make it worth talking about! Remember how far word of mouth travels anytime a customer is impressed with their experience.

***Be sure to fully commit to the execution and success of these initiatives. Train employees to take new operations seriously with clearly defined processes.

2. GO DIGITAL and develop an online presence. Business closures left so many owners with no stream of income. This awful position could have been avoided if a website had been set up beforehand. Of course no one could have predicted this pandemic however a responsible business owner should have back up plans in place. Instead, businesses lacking a digital presence were left panicked and struggling against the clock to build a website that could make up for lost profits.

***A key piece to this is realizing that a website alone will not magically convert sales. Just like your physical shop, you'll need to drive traffic and visitors to your online shop via marketing.

3. BE SOCIAL and build a community on social media. Another important aspect to your digital presence is having a strong facebook, and/or instagram page. Unfortunately, a lot of business owners don't see the value in developing their social media pages and use a lack of time or resources to excuse their non existent presence. If the pandemic has solidified any beliefs, it's that more and more, consumers are checking out brands on social media before even considering making a purchase. You'll need to educate your online community with posts and content that deliver value, background insights to your businesses core beliefs and that show your products in a beautiful (converting) way! This is the bare minimum.

***Social media=new demographic=expanded reach=converting customers=online website sales=larger community

4. GET CREATIVE with your sales approach both in-store and online! It's truly innovation and creativity in your campaigns that lead to any conception of buzz or excitement amongst your community. A great question to ask is "How can I go above and beyond to entertain and excite my customers." Book a consultation with me to brainstorm how you can create a buzz worthy experience!

Despite the challenges the pandemic has brought to business owners globally, it's also been a catalyst for change and innovation which in my mind provides inspiration for us all to move forward and make change in a positive way. As consumers, we continue to support small and medium sized business as opposed to large chains because of the quality of the EXPERIENCE. This goes for both present and digital interactions! It's time to shift our mindset and realize the value that goes along with futuristic interactions happening online. Plus, who doesn't want the security of continued business for years to come?

Thank you so much for reading this post. Please share it to your own social media pages and be sure to follow the @ellie.social brand on facebook and instagram.

Happy innovating!