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The global retail industry is facing unprecedented challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic. Almost all countries implement various urgent measures like lockdowns and physical distancing to cut the chain on infection and prevent its spread. Most businesses in the SME sector, especially those that deal with non-essential items, are either experiencing a massive drop in sales or closing down as thousands of companies have done. With the focus on protecting the health of workers, closing the stores is the only option.
Not businesses alone, customers, and consumers also face severe challenges as they struggle to cope with the new way of life under quarantine, lockdowns, and physical distancing that force them to stay indoors for an extended time. This is the time when businesses need their customers the most than at any other time. As the consumers who are stuck at home for weeks start feeling the strain of practicing physical distancing and staying indoors for long stretches, they find little relief from the loosening of restrictions ta some places. Their concerns are many from their children’s education to family health. This is the time for businesses to seize the opportunity to strengthen the bonds and focus on connecting closely with customers.
Buy followers on Instagram to accelerate the process of new customer acquisition
Instagram is the chosen social media platform for many. It can help to maintain a close connection with customers and provide tremendous opportunities in marketing and business promotion in a different way that strikes the right chords with customers. Besides connecting with your existing customers and developing new followers organically, you can buy followers on Instagram to accelerate your target of acquiring new customers. More and more businesses that are reeling under the blow from pandemic are looking for cost-effective channels to keep in touch with customers and take to Instagram that provides not only marketing support but also a platform for selling products. But more than selling products, reinforcing customer relationships is the bigger goal for businesses now.
Make customers feel connected
Just as businesses are feeling the need to stay actively in touch with customers to maintain their association with the business and brand, customers too are eager to connect to the outside world beyond their known circles to feel refreshed as they stay holed up at their homes. Keep your customers attached to your business, use the communication at your disposal, and remain active on Instagram to share varied information and insights about what your business is doing to stay afloat amid the pandemic. Besides, you can use the time to educate your customers and help sustain their interest in your business. You can host online panel discussions, conferences, meet and greet sessions by using some video conferencing app, and taking to IGTV on Instagram that allows real-time video streaming.
Using some video conferencing tool, you can plan an event in the mold of ‘coffee and conversation’ to find out how your customers are doing and helping them with some tips and tricks that can be useful to combat the crisis. Bring some industry colleagues together to talk to your target audience about issues they are facing and find ways to resolve them.
Be personal
This is the time to connect with your customers at a personal level with ample opportunities of discussing some of the particular issues that they are facing due to the health crisis and suggesting ways of resolving it. Being personal helps foster a genuine connection as you can use the visual powers of Instagram Stories to narrate stories of courage and hope that can relieve their mental stress. Go through your CRM (Customer Relationship Management) data, you can gain insights about the customer’s location and buying habits that should help craft the right messages and stories with a personal touch. Knowing the location will help to share some local updates about information related to the pandemic that can be useful for them. You can even send birthday wishes and wish them on their wedding anniversary Pubfilm. Or you can ask them how they are doing and whether you could help them in some way.
Show your helpful attitude
During the pandemic, your customers might need some help, and you might have something to offer. Customers might be interested in some home improvement products and services, or they might need some assistance to find some home cleaning products to maintain hygiene at home, and you can help them with some leads. Follow your customers carefully on Instagram’s social media channel to identify what they are searching for and what is trending so that you can pick up the cues for selecting suitable topics for creating appropriate content.
The kind of response you provide to your customers determines the amount of faith they would have in your business and brand.
