Apr 28, 2020
Many of our behaviors will change, one way or the other, once the world starts normalizing after the pandemic:
“ But what lingers most after a pandemic, or any large-scale catastrophe, is a pervasive sense that the world is fundamentally unpredictable — that life feels more fragile than it once did. The prospect theory of behavior, popular among behavioral scientists and economists, states that we often give more weight to potential losses than gains in making a decision, and that we tend to overestimate the chances of an unlikely event like dying of a certain disease. Following a disaster, the tendency to believe that a threat is imminent may be magnified in some people. ” —Elizabeth Svoboda, How The COVID-19 Pandemic Will Change the Way We Live
Businesses, particularly those that depend on brick-and-mortar stores for their income, have been relying heavily on deliveries and their social media channels to make ends meet during this quarantine. Delivery services from Angkas and Grab are more in-demand than ever, along with services like Gcash and PayMaya that provide alternatives to physical bank transactions.
The value of online, non-physical channels is increasing, and consumers’ preferences for such channels may be a trend that grows well after the world begins recovering from the pandemic.
Many brands may change the way they do business, embracing digital more and more as the quarantine continues to demonstrate its viability. For businesses looking to explore digital, here are some ways you can get started.
Start a Social Media Presence
The golden standard of modern advertising. What makes social media so effective is being able to reach potential customers where they spend most of their day. It’s also more practical than traditional advertising—you can’t control who sees print ads, for example, while social media ads appear only to the people who will be most likely interested in your product.
But while pretty much anyone can post content on their social media pages, creating an effective presence on social media that actually leads to results is where the challenge lies. It takes careful strategizing, a creative eye, and possibly a long period of time before your page finally sees results.
Caveat: Social media doesn’t necessarily work for every brand, nor is it necessarily the only way to successfully market your business. For instance, social media won’t work for a brand whose main audience doesn’t frequent social media in the first place.
Create a Website
Think of your website as one of the best first impressions you need to make as a brand. Believe it or not, the quality of your website’s visuals, copy, navigation, and ease of use can make or break your sales.
Imagine this: someone who visits your website is met with a visually unappealing design. What would that person think of the quality of your business? The customer then attempts to buy something from your website, but because your website isn’t structured properly and the buying process involves numerous confusing, impractical steps, he eventually gives up and finds another alternative.
Your website’s job isn’t just to look pretty and represent your brand’s personality. It needs to guide visitors to a goal as smoothly as possible. If your website contains information about your products, that information needs to be presented in a clear, comprehensible way that won’t confuse your visitors. If customers order through your website, the ordering process should be clear, and never leave customers scratching their heads wondering what to do next.
Caveat: Creating a website doesn’t necessarily mean people will start visiting it as soon as it’s up. You need to find ways to send people to your website, such as your social media channels or email campaigns.
Start Selling Online
There’s a huge potential for Ecommerce businesses to grow, or perhaps grow in popularity, once the Covid-19 pandemic ends. Because of the quarantine, businesses that were limited to their physical stores have had difficulty reaching their customers and making sales, while those that had a means to continue business online were able to adapt (albeit with some difficulty).
Small businesses typically start with social media as their Ecommerce platform, accepting online orders and arranging deliveries independently. Brands who want to get serious with Ecommerce can also sell their products through existing Ecommerce platforms like Lazada or Shopee, or build their own Ecommerce website.
Caveat: Again, don’t expect customers to start flooding into your online store once you’ve set it up. You need to build their trust and nurture their interest first before they will be willing to make a purchase from you.
Join Facebook Groups
One of your goals on social media is to provide value to your audience. Besides posting regular content on their pages, some brands also go for a hands-on approach: marketing their product on Facebook groups related to their business’ niche.
Usually, it isn’t enough to simply join a group, start talking about how amazing your product is, and sit back while those juicy sales roll in. People need a reason to trust you and be interested in your product, and the best way to do that is by giving them something of value first: providing helpful responses when people ask questions on the group, posting educational content, or reaching out to people who seem like they may be having a problem that your product can solve.
When you start providing value and establishing your credibility and sincerity to help, then you can start finding opportunities to market your product, increase your conversions, and drive likes to your social media pages.
Caveat: This strategy requires a lot of dedication, patience, and a willingness to help and reach out to people. Done right, however, and you can establish a more personal connection with your audience and community.
Having Trouble Getting Started?
If this is your first time venturing into digital, don’t feel discouraged if you’ve been struggling to see results! Creating a successful digital presence is a long, gradual, and challenging process, especially if you’re also running your own business.
Our agency, Dot Digital PH, can help you get started with your transition into digital, whether it’s social media, creating your website, or helping you set up your Ecommerce store. Contact us here and schedule a call with us to find out how we can help you!
Dot Digital PH is a digital marketing agency based in the Philippines. We offer social media marketing, web design and development, content creation, pay-per-click ads management, and digital marketing strategy and consultancy.