Pent up demand could be coming your way. After weeks of enduring the stay at home guidelines, economists and publications are predicting a strong surge in demand in the coming weeks. This is a chance to start making up for lost time. Are you ready?
Reopening after such as long shutdown won’t be easy: discussions of customer and employee safety are the headlines. But once you clear these hurdles, you’ve got to take the right steps for the survival of your company. That’s important, because CNBC predicts that
- up to 7.5 million small businesses are at risk of failing in the coming five months
- up to 3.5 million small businesses might fail in the next two months
What you do in the next few weeks could make the difference for your company
Pent Up Demand: what will you do to benefit
Are you ready for reopening? Here are steps to take now.
- If you haven’t already, communicate with your existing customers. Communicate every way you can, on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media, in blog posts and on your website. If you have a storefront use signage. If most customers call you, create a special edition of your phone greetings and messages on hold.
After the shutdown, old loyalties and habits may have changed so…- remind customers why they loved you
- let them know what your plans are
- let them know what you’re doing to keep them safe
- How will you handle the surge? It’s too risky to hire extra workers, so plan on making your current resources work better. Customers will start by contacting you by phone (restaurants report 10 times the number of phone calls as before the shutdown). Callers will be asked to wait on hold, so make sure they hear about your business with informative messages on hold.
- Give customers a reason to come back: even a small promotion will go a long way towards bringing them back to your business.
- Start a “Reopening Marketing Campaign.” Who are your customers? If they’re local, consider EDDM direct mail, and “Geofencing” ads online. If they’re outside your local area, consider Facebook or LinkedIn advertising, targeted at your typical client
- Don’t forget “social proof.” It’s just as easy for your competition to lose customers. 88% of all consumers research businesses online first. How are your reviews? We trust online reviews as much as a referral from our best friends. Ask customers for reviews, or for a more efficient approach, ask the ReviewsHelpDesk.com.
June 24 Update: Now that you’re open
CDC guidelines help keep your customers safe. You’re investing time and money into safeguarding their health. But customers are still hesitant…still wondering “is it safe?”
Reassure your customers every chance you get: with indoor signage, messages on hold, emails, and on your website. Customers want to come back. Help them understand that it’s safe.
Start right now.
There’s no time to be lost. Reopening your business, ready to provide the best service during the Surge will help you make up for lost time, and help you survive. Now’s the time to prepare for pent up demand.
