Staying engaged with your customer base in a lockdown
These are indeed strange times to be living in. If you are a business owner or work for a business that is open during these uncertain and confusing times, then you may have felt the effects of a slowdown in retail trade. If you are quick on your feet, you may already be planning your pivot into a different business model as we change the way we all go about our daily lives.
Panic buying aside (which will eventually stop) the next few months will hold real challenges for all business alike. Still, this time could also be the perfect opportunity to establish a more substantial customer base and make you a more resilient store.
For the time being, pet stores can remain open as an essential part of providing for the needs of our pets across Australia. There may even be a greater focus on our pets as we all stay at home more. We have seen historically in times of an economic downturn; peoples behaviours change from going out to movies and eating out, to staying in more and treating their pets to a new toy, treat or a fresh bed. With kids now at home, why not get them off the screen and start a new hobby/interest in an aquarium? These are not only relaxing but highly educational and engaging.
We have all been given the plan and stimulus measures by the government, guaranteeing wages for companies that have no choice to close, so that they can afford to keep staff working for their businesses. The stimulus measures are certainly reassuring for staff and businesses forced into this position. So how can we leverage our time and our staffs time more effectively when our stores are quieter than usual, and there may seem like there is nothing you can do. Here are some things you and your staff can do to pivot your business to be more resilient during these times and maybe establish them as regular opportunities as times get better?
1. Engage with your customers on social media. Facebook, Instagram, youtube, TikTok, Linkedin to name a few, you don’t have to be a master of all, just establish yourself as a master of one. Over time it will eventually become more comfortable to use and repurpose content across the other platforms. But most importantly start if you have not already, it doesn’t have to be perfect!
2. You are a trusted source of information. Use this to your advantage! Local pet stores have the edge here so start a daily short video on a subject that you are converse in, maybe get your fish guy to review a product, unbox a new product, maybe do a shop walk around. There are so many creative ways that you can establish your store and yourself as an authority on a subject.
3. Innovate, try something new. Deliver pet hampers, setup a dog toy subscription service and post a new toy every month for $X a year. Use this time to engage with your customers on whole new levels, learn the name of their pet, maybe send their pet a birthday card, with a voucher or a gift. Keeping a database of this sort of info is excellent for future-proofing.
4. Film tutorials or virtual workshops. Things like how to scape a tank, how to clean your filter, clipping bird claws correctly, online grooming workshops. All of these sorts of things are another way to establish you as the store to go see when we can be let out into the world again. And if you film too much to post it all, save it and keep creating, you can use the excess content when you get too busy to film this sort of thing. Don’t feel like you can get in front of the camera/phone? Maybe one of your staff would relish at the opportunity to “be the face of the store”.
5. The perfect time to update or start your website is now. As an importer/distributor, we have a vast catalogue of images and excel lists that we try to keep as up to date as possible. Such things can help you with your data maintenance, and to help set up your site with the most up to date images. Now is a great time to reach out to your wholesalers & distributors ask them for the most up to date info on products.
6. Keeping your customers informed. Just letting customers know whether you’re trading is an excellent use of social media or maybe whether they can order online or if you are now offering a delivery service or carpark service, can help keep you trading.
As we are all living in these tough times together, I feel it is essential to share and help others. Some of these may seem obvious to some, but maybe there is something in here that can help you in your business today. If we can be of any help, please reach out and let us know how we can help you and your business get through this challenging time.
