Even before the current pandemic, a number of trends were already altering the small business landscape. But now those trends are accelerating at a frenetic pace and small business owners are quickly seeing changes, many of which that will forever alter how they interact with and sell to customers.
Providing important updates
As non-essential businesses had to close and essential ones could remain open, albeit with different hours, small businesses needed to quickly communicate with customers. Websites became much more important as a direct source of information.
Although small businesses can edit their info on Google, Yelp, or other online listings there can be limitations especially if there are exceptions or further explanation is needed. Beyond that, there are often inconsistencies across online listings and customers can never fully know which platforms are official and up-to-date.
When a customer wants to find out your new hours or if you offer curbside pickup, they want a quick and easy answer. They don’t want to scroll through your Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter posts or look through Google or Yelp.
Put important information in an easy-to-find location for website visitors, either on your homepage or a relevant page. During store visits, pay special attention to customer questions so you can notice popular requests or trends that might also be addressed on your website. By anticipating customer needs with your website you will create a better shopping experience and drive more business.
Offering in-store or curbside pick-up
Buy-online pick-up in-store (BOPIS) has been a popular trend for many small businesses, especially since shipping directly to customers can be difficult or infeasible. In April 2020, orders placed online grew 208% compared to the same time last year according to Adobe Analytics.
As customers continue to use BOPIS even after the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to provide them with options for BOPIS and curbside pickup. Make sure you communicate the availability of these options through online channels including your social media and website.
Listing products online
Studies have found that customers are becoming much more deliberate in their decisions as their online shopping has increased. As they seek greater value they are spending more time reading product reviews and comparing prices. All of this can influence where they shop.
By offering your full product inventory online you have a better chance of driving customers over small businesses that only offer partial inventory or none at all. For two businesses that offer similar inventories online, then the one that makes their products easier-to-find will win out. This comes down to knowing how your customers prefer to shop and figuring out ways to stay relevant.
Increasing visibility of your website
Amidst all the changes one thing has remained clear for small business, the importance of a website to directly engage with and sell to customers. And driving organic traffic to your website is fundamental to any marketing strategy.
Check out our other posts for tips on SEO, social media, or campaigns. Or reach out for a free SEO evaluation and a demo of our new app.