Minimize risk of illness for customers and employees during the COVID-19 pandemic by reducing physical interaction. Provide your customers with online channels of communication. Now that people are weary of face-to-face interactions, it’s time for businesses to adapt and provide ways for customers to communicate with them through online channels. Luckily, there are so many options available for communication without having to meet someone in person. Among these, the most effective are:

Webchat

Customers and potential customers are always looking for more convenient ways to interact with businesses. And now that we are in a pandemic situation, this want has become much stronger. People want to interact with businesses in the safest way possible, while still receiving answers to their questions and in a timely manner. Email messages and contact forms on websites are no longer effective forms of communication from customer to business. Webchat is quickly becoming one of the most popular and valued forms of communication as far as consumers are concerned. 

Social Media Messaging

About 70% of Americans are active on social media. That means there’s a 70% chance that your customers and potential customers are there, so your business should be, too. Being active on social media is now a requirement for business success, and communication there is easy, quick and safe. Responding quickly to messages and feedback your business receives on Facebook, Instagram and even Google reviews is very important. Customers want to talk with you where it’s most convenient for them, and in many cases that is through social media. 

Live Videos

An interesting and innovative way to communicate with your customers is through live videos on your Facebook and/or Instagram business pages. Scheduling a live video on your social pages and letting followers know that it’s coming gives them the opportunity to plan to ask questions and offer feedback. You can respond instantly during your video as you read incoming questions from followers and provide them with answers right away. Focus your live videos on topics that are relevant to your business and answer questions along the way to have that safe, immediate and effective communication with your customers. 

Of course, there are always the options for text messaging, phone call communications. All of these options minimize the risk of passing on any illnesses while we’re still in the middle of a pandemic. Even when the pandemic comes to an end, many consumers will likely still prefer these methods of communication because it’s convenient, quick and the way the world is shifting. 

Keeping your customers and employees safe and healthy is the most important thing as your business opens back up, and shifting communications to online forms will help you reach that goal. 

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!