Social media has been absolutely crucial for businesses in the past few months. Supermarkets have been able to update their customers on developments in stock availability, vital medical updates from the WHO have been signal-boosted over multiple networks, world leaders have been able to address nations, and (perhaps most importantly), each of us has had the ability to remain in contact with loved ones internationally.
Social isolation might be a physical reality, but accessibility to social media means it doesn’t have to be a virtual one.
In fact, while stocks might be plummetting hither and yon, internet providers are seeing sweet profitability through this trying time. Now, more than ever, it is essential to have a confident online presence as physical storefronts become quieter amid pending self-isolation situations.
Be they Facebook, Instagram or anything in between, here are just a few ways that your business profiles will keep you afloat during potentially quiet seasons ahead.
Keep your customers/clients informed
Use your professional social media profiles to keep your customers and client base informed in all matters. During these unique and unpredictable times, people are turning to social media for answers. If a customer wants to know whether or not your shop stocks an item, they’ll likely start by checking your Facebook page or website rather than visiting your physical store. If clients have any questions about your services, they’ll also start with your socials or website, sending private messages or reviewing previous posts to find the latest news about your business.
We’ve bulleted the most important reasons why clients and customers will be turning to your social media pages and website in the coming months, based on the response we’ve monitored among our own clients since the initial outbreak of the virus:
- Updates on stock (depletion, restocking and expected timeframes for shipping)
- Store hours and availability
- Cancellations or date-shifts for important events
- Changes your store will be making to promote hygienic, safe transactions and services
Instant messenger
As we’ve seen around the world, it doesn’t take long for a lot of people to suddenly find themselves self-isolating. Big events are cancelled. Tourism is all but out of the question. To monitor their situations at a safe distance, people have turned to social media to communicate with businesses. If you want to keep in contact with your client base or customers, both old and new, your best hope of instant and constant contact is social media.
Establish a Facebook instant messaging system with automatic answers to frequently asked questions, and offer an auto-response to customers who get in contact after hours so that they know their message has been received, and when to expect an official reply. Make your contact details readily known and forefront on your website, and invest in services that maintain and manage this online presence so that your business can be prepared no matter how quiet things get on the physical storefront.
Stay relevant (in the customer/client’s conscious)
In addition to being available when your audience needs you, posting regularly on social media also keeps you in the consciousness of your client base and customers. With regular, relevant posts that show a confident online presence, it’ll be hard for your audience not to notice you as they spend increasing amounts of time online. As people scroll through their socials, ensure that you’re reaching out and securing the attention of your clients and customers. Let everyone know that, despite this increasingly dire situation, you’re still here, and you’re still ready to provide top-quality products and services to see them through!