Lead Generation for Small Business Owners During Coronavirus Outbreak

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As of now, significant changes are occurring in the world, one of which is the Coronavirus pandemic. It’s no secret that it will leave some long-term impacts on the global economy and businesses.

During this time of uncertainty, it’s a struggle to stay calm and focused. However, we must remember that we will come out of this test, stronger and wiser than ever. It’s crucial to remain vigilant and driven so that businesses cannot just survive but thrive in non-favorable conditions.

A few modifications and tweaks in your business strategy can go a long way as long as you’re ready to fully commit to them. Now is the time to start thinking outside of the box and get innovative with lead generation strategies for your business to prosper in the current business atmosphere.

To get you started, we’ve outlined some lead generation strategies that business owners can implement to retain sales in this Coronavirus outbreak situation.

1. Acclimatize To The Current Situation

The pandemic is affecting businesses, which has prompted them to step out of their comfort zone and get creative with how they cater to their clients. You need to find a way to adapt your services to the current conditions that productively market your brand and generate quality leads.

Remember, being flexible and adaptable will help you retain a more permanent spot in the mind of customers. The brands that offer them a memorable experience at a time like this will be the ones customers will be returning to even when the pandemic is over.

Restaurants and food-related stores that are still open for business can offer free delivery or pick-up point services, as well as notify their loyal customers about any special offers that might attract them. Discounted deals, packages, and other incentives can be updated on social media pages or via text, email to help businesses stay at the top of their game.

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2. Promote Your Products With The Coronavirus In Mind

If your products or services can be further enhanced to serve customers during the pandemic, then adjust your marketing efforts to reflect this approach. On top of that, potential customers should know your business is operational, so modify your marketing strategy for online customers.

Many organizations tend to cut down costs by ignoring marketing in a crisis. But this will further affect lead generation and result in minimal to no sales. When marketing your services, offer educational and relevant information to followers, so they’re given some added value.

Showing customers that you are working to serve them better and are empathetic towards their situation will generate positive impressions and boost traffic to your website.

3. Employ SEO Techniques That Will Stay Relevant In The Future

Now more than ever, there is a rise in organic searches carried out by online consumers and buyers. While practicing social distancing and being stuck at home, people are browsing the internet to pass the time, window shop, and purchase products they need.

These are the kind of leads you can’t miss out on, and you must enhance your search engine optimization practices and make your business easily searchable so prospects can find you online.

Do comprehensive research on the kind of searches your target customers are performing on search engines and what their interests are. Then, collect the relevant keywords and phrases that are related to your niche to optimize your website and social media pages for those terms.

Good SEO, paired with posting valuable and quality content, will help boost the ranking of your business pages on search engines resulting in increased exposure and leads. For instance, carpet cleaning businesses that are still operating in London will have to tweak their SEO efforts so that clients that seek professional carpet care can find their company online.

Many small businesses have increased their sales during COVID-19 by generating leads in the healthcare industry. Previously, small businesses did not pay much attention to SEO, but now they don’t have an option. Especially, local SEO and long-tailed keywords have worked wonders for small businesses during the pandemic.

4. Maintain Your Social Media Presence

It’s all about online consumers since people are no longer allowed to physically visit stores. People are looking up their favorite businesses on social media to check for any online presence and hoping to stay connected. Digital marketing is essential for digital presence, and social media is one of the best ways to reach out to prospects and loyal customers online.

It’s quick, efficient, and leaves a good impression on visitors that land on your pages through organic search. Keeping up a positive social media presence has long term benefits on the business; not only is it cost-effective, but it has a much larger audience reach than traditional marketing.

You can retain customer engagement by sharing informative and relevant content, posting updates on any promotional offers and sales, and simply interact with followers on how they’re dealing with the pandemic.

Whether your business is temporarily closed or partially operating, it’s vital to maintain your social media accounts, so customers are in the loop with you. Presenting a transparent front with honest posts and sharing resourceful information will keep your business in front of every customer’s mind.

It’s a great way to keep an eye on your audience and see the kind of content they wish to see and what their preferences are. Such actionable insights can help you strategize an approach that can keep customers engrossed on your pages and get them to share your posts with friends. As a result, there will be an elevation in lead generation and traffic for your enterprise.

5. Use Special Offers and Discounts

What can put your business ahead of the race and stand out from other competitors in the market? Everyone loves seeing the word “SALE” or “Discount” when shopping for their favorite products, and now is the perfect time to use this technique to your advantage.

Businesses that aspire to thrive during the pandemic can offer discounted prices on the in-demand products as a way to generate more leads and revenue. It’s a great way to show support to customers and help them out in times of crisis and ensuring their return while they’re stuck at home.

In the meantime, communicate any delays or other issues with your customers clearly as to maintain transparency. Customers appreciate when they’re frequently notified about the status of their order, even if they have to wait. You will find that prospects would rather wait for a product to be restocked or go back on sale rather than venturing outside to buy it.

6. Share Customer Testimonials

Keep in mind that people are spending more time on the internet than ever before, which means whatever they read online about your business impacts how they engage with your products. They will either stay on your pages or leave to never return.

To retain customers and generate quality leads, businesses can publish customer testimonials on their social media pages and website so prospects can learn what others say about your business. Most consumers rely on others’ opinions to decide whether or not they should invest in a product or service. So what’s said about your business online can either convince or turn away potential customers.

Businesses can dedicate a page to customer reviews, comments, and testimonials or share them on their social pages so visitors can easily find them. Customer testimonials act as relevant proof regarding your products and can add to your credibility in the pool of fake products and online scams.

Several businesses are profiting off of anxious online buyers by selling them fake and faulty products. By including a specified section for customer reviews, you’re allowing first-time visitors to explore and learn about genuine customer experiences with your brand.

Ultimately, it demonstrates that your business is trustworthy and reliable. This helps you gain the confidence of new leads and potentially convert them to sales. Be honest and transparent. You can even share some controversial reviews as it can be helpful for many others who might not entirely benefit from your product.

It’s not just about sales. But fostering leads that are more likely to return due to your honest and genuine online presence. This is a great way to nurture strong relationships and essentially turn them into customers that are inclined to spread the good word about your business to friends and family.

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In a Nutshell

It’s impossible to predict how soon our economy will recover. But, it’s critical to stay prepared with a powerful strategy that can help your business navigate through some turbulent waters. Even if things don’t seem to look promising, giving up is only going to do more damage.

Introducing these approaches into your business strategy can help your enterprise stay afloat; learn to adapt to the situation at hand. Now is the time you can use in your favor; stand out from other businesses that are closing doors to customers. Once they know you’re there for them, you’ll successfully gain their trust and stay at the front of their minds.

This article is written by Nouman Ali. Nouman provides ghostwriting and copywriting services. His educational background in the technical field and business studies helps him in tackling topics ranging from career and business productivity to web development and digital marketing. He occasionally writes articles for Dynamologic Solutions, the software development company in Australia.