We all learned a big lesson last year in preparedness. In the blink of an eye, businesses had to adapt to major changes and get creative just to stay afloat. Because of that, we also learned what businesses who remained successful were previously doing so they were able to adapt to those unexpected circumstances. 

We’ve compiled a list of 4 ways to help your small business thrive in unexpected circumstances, and adopting these practices will help your business survive when strange or difficult changes arise:

• Practice omni-channel communication. Your customers want to text you. People don’t communicate through phone calls nearly as often as they used to, and being available to your customers in the way they want to reach you is a big key to success in today’s world. Practicing omni-channel communication means that your business is reachable through webchat, text messaging, social media messaging, etc.
• Adapt to new technologies. Are you missing out on customer messages because you are receiving them from more than one inbox? FreshLime’s Message Center gives you the capability to receive all of your messages in one place, no matter where they came from. Using QR codes is becoming increasingly more popular post-pandemic. Why? Because they are easy to use, pretty much anyone can scan one, and you can use them for a million different things. Adapting to new technologies makes it easier for your business to success during stressful times.

• Keep in contact with your customers. The probability of selling to an existing customer is 14 times higher than selling to a new customer. Keeping in contact with your customers regularly builds strong relationships and creates loyal customers. What could be more valuable to a business during tough times than loyal customers who continue to use their business? Keep in contact with your customers on a regular basis through social media, email engagements and text reminders. 
• Focus on the customer journey. 70% of a customer’s experience is determined by how they feel they are being treated by a business. The best way to focus on the customer journey and provide your customers with the experience they want is to make things easier for them. Give your customers the option to text you, use QR codes to schedule appointments with you, reach you 24/7 through webchat, etc. Customer service is king, and nothing is more valuable to a customer than convenience.  

These 4 things are best practices for any and all businesses to be successful. Keeping in mind that customers value convenience even more now than they did before, businesses who deliver on simplicity and convenience will have an easier time adjusting to changes in the future. 

For more insights on marketing strategy that actually works for small business, connect with Jay Bean, Founder of FreshLime and Small Business Marketing Expert on LinkedIn and Twitter. If any of these tips have helped you or if you have anything to add, please comment below. We’d love to hear from you!