Since the end of 2019 and all the way through 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has been wreaking havoc on the global economy. In 2021, things have finally started to die down and the business world has slowly begun returning to normal. Or should we say, the new normal. Now that the pandemic is slowly subsiding across the globe and that countries are lifting their COVID-19 restrictions, the business leaders are faced with yet another cumbersome challenge – how do you improve sales to ensure steady growth in the new normal?
There is no single answer to this question, but there are some key tactics you can start implementing right now to set your business on the path of long-term success in the post-COVID-19 world. Today, we are talking about the most important steps you need to take to increase sales by combining marketing psychology, omnichannel, the mobile revolution, and more. Here’s what you need to do.
Build omnichannel experiences
To start, you need to understand that the COVID-19 pandemic has blurred the lines between the online and the offline world for companies and customers alike. In the new normal, it’s no longer going to be enough to have a brand presence on several online and offline channels – you will need to have a stellar presence on all of them. Your goal right now should be to start building a thriving presence on all relevant customer touchpoints, in order to boost engagement and create a seamless experience in both realms.
Some of the most successful companies that will continue to grow in the years to come are now delivering true omnichannel experiences to their customers, in order to accommodate their unique needs. If a customer wants to buy something via social media messaging, you can’t hope to land a sale by forcing them to place an order on your website. Likewise, if they want to place an order via email but pick the product up from your store, you need to be able to accommodate that specific need.
Focus heavily on customer experience
Customer experience is the element that can define the future of a company nowadays, and in the new normal it will be even more important to deliver a better CX than ever before, both online and offline. This is not just about responding promptly to messages and emails, or having a fast-loading website with good navigation – it’s having all of that, and much more.
To be more specific, your goal for 2021 and beyond should be to personalize and humanize the customer experience across all the relevant channels you’re using. You need to delve deep into customer research, re-analyze your target demographic, and set new buyer personas and journeys. Use this information to deliver a branded and personalized experience for your customers on your site, social media, direct communication, and on other platforms.
Build a stellar digital presence with SEO
There is no denying that the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the focus of the consumers to the digital world, and that ecommerce and digital services have skyrocketed during the global crisis. People are using the web more and more to find relevant content, products, services, and brands, so one of your top priorities should be to invest in SEO in 2021.
This is already happening in highly competitive regions where online commerce has skyrocketed, like Australia, where business leaders are focusing heavily on local search engine optimization. Growth-oriented companies will work closely with a local Sydney SEO agency that can create a strategy for the brand to improve its presence in the local market where it matters the most.
From there, companies start spreading their online influence and visibility to the rest of the country, and then the world, continuously driving sales and lead generation higher. Make sure to use this to your advantage and invest in local SEO in 2021 to boost your online visibility and create a trustworthy brand image that will generate more conversions.
Use social proof to your advantage
Another way to boost conversions in the new normal is to invest in building social proof. SEO and social proof go hand in hand as two powerful, yet organic ways to inspire customers to buy, but most importantly, to keep coming back for more.
You can build social proof for your brand by nurturing your online reputation, encouraging people to interact with your brand on social media, and by inspiring people to leave positive reviews. Likewise, you can also integrate a social proof tool into your website that will display little notifications to website visitors whenever someone buys something or interacts with your site. The visitor will see that others are already buying from you, and will feel more inclined to follow in their footsteps.
Capitalize on Mcommerce
The new normal will see ecommerce rising to unprecedented heights, as customers continue to buy products online and sign up for services digitally. But have you considered just how much of online commerce will come from mobile devices?
According to Statista, mobile commerce will account for 72.9% of all retail ecommerce throughout 2021, so one of your top priorities should be to optimize your online presence for mobile devices. If you want to boost sales in the new normal, make sure to start catering to the needs of the rising mobile demographic.
The pandemic is finally dying down around the world, but that doesn’t mean that things will return to how they were. The new normal is already here, so make sure to invest in the right tactics that will ensure your business continues to thrive in the years to come.
