Zaheer DodhiaIf nothing else, the COVID-19 pandemic has fast-forwarded many businesses into using digital technology. At the onset of COVID-19, many companies were scrambling to keep their business going and found themselves navigating an uncertain economy worldwide. A year down the line and organizations are finding new ways of doing business and keeping their brands alive.
- Businesses are revising their marketing strategies and converting to online technology where possible.
- They’re devising new frameworks that include actionable steps giving them direction and focus in a pandemic environment.
- The key here is to position your brand so that you’re able to not only survive but thrive post-COVID-19.
Whether you’ve been running your business for years or starting up from scratch, you need to be prepared for the “new” reality of operating in a post-COVID-19 environment. If you’re not already on board with developing coping strategies, then here are some tips to get you started.
1. What do you need to know going forward?
Every business owner knows there are certain elements they need to be aware of in order to keep their company afloat. By asking yourself these questions, you can determine what has shifted for your brand since the pandemic hit our shores:
- What are the benefits of my business?
- What solutions can my business offer my customers?
- Are there opportunities now that my business can tap into?
- What actionable steps can I take now to move forward?
What it means for your brand
Finding the benefits, solutions, opportunities and steps to take now will help you determine what has changed for your business because of COVID-19. To survive this global crisis, adaptability is the name of the game. Adjusting your business accordingly will prepare you for the new “normal” and help you thrive as well.
2. Revise your marketing strategy
If you’re already operating in the digital world, then you know how much business has changed online. If you’re venturing into taking your business online, then you’ll need to revise your marketing strategy even more than you may think. Ask yourself the following questions when revising your marketing strategy::
Does your logo need to change?
Your marketing strategy could include making some changes to your brand’s logo. Your logo is what makes your brand stand out online and the following logo design mistakes could be the reason you’re not being recognized online:
- Incorrect use of colors
- Confusing typography
- Asymmetrical layouts
Does your website need to be updated?
Digital marketers will tell you to look at your brand closely if you want to improve your online presence. Even seemingly small elements of your website can have a huge impact. Your website design is essential if you’re going to make your online presence noticeable in a post-COVID-19 digital world.
What services can you automate?
You’ll need to consider automating all your services and this includes all communication with your customers such as the sending of emails, invoices and more. An effective email campaign can be a powerful way to market your brand. Without automation, you won’t keep up with competitors who send out communication faster and more efficiently than you.
What it means for your brand
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way many businesses operate and they’re moving online more than ever before. Revising your marketing strategy improves your online presence and keeps you at the forefront of your niche market.
3. Keep your team on board
At the beginning of the pandemic, many businesses were forced to shut down. People were retrenched and many jobs were made redundant. Employees have been forced to work from home because of lockdown regulations and managing your team’s morale probably hasn’t been easy.
If you’re fortunate to still have your business up and running, find ways of keeping your team together. This may include decreasing work hours and distributing the workload between different employees. Instead of letting staff go, try and use them in different roles in the company.
Consider registering employees for online courses so they can upskill their capacity to operate in a post-pandemic environment.
What it means for your brand
Maintaining a strong and loyal team will help your brand not only survive but thrive in a new business environment.
4. Engage more with customers
With the economy taking a serious knock from the effects of COVID-19, you may be battling to bring in new customers. This is the time to stay in touch with your existing customers. Their needs will have changed because of the pandemic and you can focus on presenting them with new solutions.
Adapt your communication strategy so you can familiarize yourself with your customers’ needs post-COVID-19. Take advantage of an email survey and ask questions that will highlight your customers’ uncertainties, priorities and desires.
Depending on the type of business you’re running this could include offering refunds or discounts, providing free packages, and more.
What it means for your brand
By engaging with your customers, you can change your branding to suit your clientele and at the same time offer solutions. While this may impact your cash flow initially, your customers will remain loyal and support you post-COVID-19.
5. Take advantage of online ads and social media
With more people staying at home, social media use has picked up exponentially. You can show how your business is adapting to the new way of doing things in a post-COVID-19 world by taking advantage of paid online ads.
If your budget is tight, you’ll still find affordable ways of promoting your brand through online ads. Facebook ads work well for businesses with a limited cash flow. They also allow you to target your audience more specifically, using guidelines such as gender, age group, location and interests.
What it means for your brand
Online ads are a great way of keeping your brand alive online. Online ads give you the opportunity to engage with existing customers, imprinting your brand every time they see it. Consistent marketing through online ads can also increase potential customers as they start to recognize your brand and see how you’re operating in a post-COVID-19 environment.
6. Remake your brand
Whether we like it or not, COVID-19 has changed the way we do business. If you’re a physical store, you know all about social distancing which means fewer customers at any given time in your shop. If your country is facing a national lockdown, you may be forced to work from home and moving your business online.
To survive and thrive in a post-pandemic economy, you may need to consider remaking your brand. The type of questions you could be asking yourself now are:
- What does my business need to do differently while still being financially secure?
- How can I change my brand to still be attractive to my existing customers and bring in new customers?
Learning to operate in an uncertain economy and finding alternative ways of operating will keep your brand at the forefront of all the changes. Examples of remaking your brand could include the following:
- Moving from a dine-in restaurant to a food delivery service.
- Offering online consultations instead of face-to-face sessions.
- Moving from a physical store to an online store.
- Using other online platforms to sell your products and services.
- Turning to online logo design platforms for your branding needs.
A successful brand understands that it’s made up of different components. This includes how your consumers see you, the type of employees you have working for you, and the products or services on offer. A smart brand is able to grow and shift with the changes by developing, expanding, and responding to its customers’ current needs.
What it means for your brand
Remaking your brand means you’re still incorporating all of the different components. This time though, the growth and shifting are being determined not by what you’ve been used to, but by how the world is operating in a post-pandemic environment.
Finally…
From re-designing your brand’s logo to keeping your team on board, your business can survive and thrive post-COVID-19. A successful brand knows how to survive a crisis by asking all the right questions and developing smart coping strategies.
To thrive post-COVID-19, a business will look at what makes its brand stand out. Factors such as good leadership, a strong team in the workplace and engagement all matter.
Whether you’re remaking your brand, going online, or changing the way your brand operates, you can find ways to survive and grow in a world that’s been changed forever because of a virus. Is your brand ready to move into a post-COVID-19 world?
Feature image: Unsplash
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This article was written for Business 2 Community by Zaheer Dodhia.
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