2020 has been quite the year for all of us. COVID-19 has affected businesses, large and small, in ways no one could have anticipated, and business operations have drastically changed. Coffee meetings, sales pitches, and networking socials have been replaced with Zoom conference calls, Facebook Lives, and virtual video happy hours.
Supporting our clients in the digital sphere has meant that many already had the tools and resources to be able to continue business as (un)usual. We know that many businesses have not been so lucky. Maybe they don’t have a database and email marketing platform or they have been procrastinating on having a social media presence. Many businesses are feeling disconnected from their current and potential clients and don’t know how they can reach out to them.
Social media has been a life (and business) saver for many. On the Facebook platform alone, you have immediate access to over three billion users; that’s over three billion potential clients! With people working from home and being isolated from their families and friends, they are turning to social media platforms more than ever to make connections. So why not meet them where they are? We have seen more companies leveraging these platforms to connect with new clients the way that trade shows, networking events, and foot traffic has done in the past. Social media platforms are also an excellent social listening tool. Creating easy dialogue with customers on these platforms can be a simple but effective way to gain true insight into how your customers are feeling and what is motivating them. Social listening is so important during stressful times as it helps brands balance their needs with the current situations of their employees and customers, which creates brand trust and loyalty.
Email marketing was once considered an outdated and ineffective business practice. This is no longer the case. In 2019, we saw a huge resurgence of email marketing and discovered that people still live in their inboxes. One of our clients–who had been growing their email database but sending very infrequent email blasts–decided now is the time to utilize that database they had been working so hard to maintain. In the span of seven weeks, we have produced five email blasts for them, and their numbers have spiked. They are seeing an average open rate of 34% when their industry average is 22%, and twice the average number of click-throughs. This form of no-contact contact has become invaluable for many when it comes to keeping up communication efforts with current and potential clients.
Growing your digital footprint can be daunting. The digital world is hard to navigate with GDPR guidelines, new applications that can seem complicated, and it just may not feel authentic to your brand. But sometimes it can be necessary and working with the experts can help you balance those fears with a strategy that works for both you and your customers.
Our question for you.
If you could go back to a year ago, what digital services would you utilize to prepare your business for the 2020 pandemic?
