Small business lessons to implement in 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced businesses to modify their day-to-day operations and adapt to start doing business primarily online. Those one-time “nice-to-dos” when it comes to online marketing are now a necessity, as digital channels are often the only way to stay in contact with customers.

As COVID continues to push people outside their comfort zones, businesses that are pivoting to a digital-first marketing strategy have been able to survive and even thrive, in a transformed marketplace.

We have spent the year working with small businesses to help them make the smartest use of digital marketing tools, so their businesses could thrive in 2020 and beyond. In this guide, we are going to share with you the top six lessons that small businesses have learned as they navigated an uncertain year.

1. Do not be afraid to try something new.

2. Stay in touch and top of mind.

3. Do more business online

4. Collect and act on customer data.

5. Build your brand with storytelling.

6. Prepare for uncertainty.

Do not be afraid to try something new

Most small businesses start out light and agile. However, once business picks up and there is a ton of stuff on your plate every day, it is easy to get stuck in the same old routine. It is the “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” syndrome.

In 2020, the pandemic took away the option of staying in familiar routines that had been working in the past. Adapting to changes in health and safety protocols became a necessary part of life and everyone was forced out of their comfort zone. This resulted in small business owners around the world becoming more creative and inventive in how they did business.

For many, this “forced restructuring” resulted in finding new ways to conduct business that will benefit them outside of the pandemic situation. So, while you are getting used to how things have changed, be aware that they are still changing, and do not settle into a “new” routine. Instead, keep exploring new ideas, trying new things, and innovating creative ways that you can do business.

Look at what is in front of you

You do not have to sit in your office night-after-night trying to think of things to try next. There is plenty of information that can lead you to your next experiment.

Your customers are a fantastic source of information. They know what they like about your business and the way it is now, and they also know what they would like to see that you do not currently offer.

Ever had a customer asked you if you deliver? Offer curbside pickup? Gift baskets? Business swag? These are great clues as to what you might want to try next.

Another great source of information is the data created from your marketing efforts. When you own a business, looking at graphs, charts, and numbers all day can seem like the last thing you want to do. However, those reporting tools can tell you what is working and what is not — so do not ignore them.

If you are not sure what all those graphs and charts are trying to tell you, think about asking one of your staff members — you never know which unassuming high school student might be a wiz at understanding graphs and charts. If you do not have someone in your immediate circle who can help, you can always reach out to our Marketing Advisors.

Start small

The key to trying new things is to do it on a small scale. You do not have to completely revamp your business (although it might have felt that way in 2020). What you do need to do is think about what things you are doing now that you could potentially expand upon, how you can do those things better, and what new things you can potentially try out on a small, manageable scale. When trying new things, start small. If it works, expand… slowly. If it does not work, either try it a different way or try something else.

Actions you can take

Conduct a survey. Send your customers an email survey asking what you are doing well and what they would like to see you add or change. And do not stop at just one survey. Think about adding a small survey section, with one or two questions, into your regular newsletter. That way you can receive regular feedback from your most loyal customers.

Try new tools. If you have never used it before, and you think it might fit with your business, try it out. Think about trying things like live video. You can “go live” with your staff as they unbox new merchandise, create a new dish, walk through a new real estate listing, fix a pipe… basically, you can go live with anything you do at your business that might be interesting to your target market.

Pivot

Take a cue from restaurants around the globe who, in 2020, tapered down their menus, added options for delivery and takeout, and moved indoor dining outside — just to name a few of the creative ways they pivoted their day-to-day way of conducting business. Think about what you are doing now that could be slightly modified to adapt and respond to shifting demands and requirements.

Stay in touch and top of mind

One of the biggest benefits of online marketing tools is that they give you the ability to stay in touch and top of mind.

When the pandemic hit, everything changed. Communicating online became more important than ever before. And due to all the changes, small businesses learned they needed to keep their customers informed more frequently.

Communicating clearly and often is important in 2021 and beyond. You will want to keep customers informed of additional changes, how you are meeting their needs, and how you are making them feel safe. Of course, you will also want to keep them engaged and interested in your products or services.

Use the following tips to ensure you are effectively staying in touch and top of mind this year.

Update all communication channels

When it comes to communication for your business, you want to use a variety of marketing channels to push the word out.

No matter the change, it is important to ensure that anyone can find it no matter where they may be looking. That means updating the information on your:

Website

Listing and review sites

Emails

Social media channels

The idea is to keep your customers informed and help you stay on top of their minds, so they will be more likely to do business with you.

And with social media, you want to be on the platforms your current and potential customers are already using. Think about the demographics of your audience, their age, and interests to determine which platforms are best.

It is important to remember, however, that social media channels use algorithms to selectively serve users with content, which means that not every follower will see all your posts. You will want to consider using a mix of paid social media and organic (non-paid) social media to have the best shot at reaching your full audience.

It is ok to communicate more frequently on social media and email.

Even before the pandemic, one of the most common questions we received was about how often small businesses should be communicating with their audiences.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach as there are a variety of factors to determine how often you should communicate with your audience: their demographics, age, lifestyle, as well as the type of business you are running, etc.

If you are not communicating enough, you are likely missing out on sales and getting your audience to do business with you. And if you are over-communicating, you run the chance of turning them off.

The thing is — your audience is busy and may get distracted. On social media, they may not even see your message, depending on how the platform you are using works and whether you paid to promote your post. And remember — most social channels move quickly. So, in many cases, it is ok to communicate more frequently.

With social media, you do not want to overwhelm yourself. Communicate at a cadence that is doable for you. Ensure you are sharing information that is important and valuable to your followers. And keep in mind, each social platform is different.

When it comes to email, you want to communicate on a regular basis, so your customers begin to expect it from you — at least once a month. If you really want them to take a specific action, it is ideal to send multiple emails reminding them. Just make sure you are sending relevant information to the right people.

Your email and social media stats provide a lot of insight into whether you are communicating at the right frequency.

The actions or inactions your subscribers and followers take will clue you in. Pay attention to when you get the most opens, clicks, or engagements from your audience to see whether your communication frequency is appropriate. Look at your unsubscribe report to understand why people unsubscribed as well.

Actions you can take

Update all communication channels, more frequently than you think. Do not just post an update on one channel and expect everyone to see it.

Watch your stats to see how people react to your frequency.

Reach customers where they are. Use a variety of channels to communicate with customers and communicate when you need to.

Do more business online

2020 brought many challenges that forced us all to think differently about how we live, interact, and do business. For small businesses, surviving meant a shift in how you operate and meet the needs of your customers. With ongoing concerns about the health and general well-being of friends and families, customers continue to look for safer ways to get the products and services they need.

It is time to take your business online. Having an online presence has always been important, but now it is critical. And it starts with having a mobile-responsive website. This is a place you own and can direct people to so they can learn more about who you are and what problem you are solving for them.

Do you own a brick-and-mortar business? What products and services do you offer to customers in person? Start selling and offering them on your website with an online store or with a shoppable landing page.

Taking your business online does not just preserve your ability to do business with your existing customers. It also opens your business up to new potential customers that may not have been reachable in the past.

Use email and social media to drive business

Once you get your business online, you need to drive people to your website to start generating revenue. That means using other channels like email and social media to connect with your existing customers to drive repeat business and gain new customers.

Email marketing is one of the most effective ways you can build relationships and stay top of mind with your audience. It gives you that one-to-one communication with your customers provides opportunities to educate them on new products and services, and drives them to ultimately make a purchase. In fact, 66 percent of consumers have made a purchase because of an email marketing message.

Social media marketing is an excellent way to reach new customers by getting your business’s name out there. And brand awareness and recognition are an important part of growing your business and generating revenue.

Any business can benefit from using social media but that does not mean you have to be on every social media platform. We recommend starting with one. The social platform you start with should be where your customers are.

For example, if you are a business that provides services to other businesses (B2B), you will probably want to start with LinkedIn as opposed to Instagram.

Using social media marketing will help you connect with new and existing customers, showcase your business’s personality, and help drive traffic back to your website or landing page where they can act like make a purchase or connect with you directly.

Pivot offline activities to online

Every year, our team takes some time to plan out the next year. We revisit and refine this plan many times throughout the year to adjust to what is happening now. Let us face it, it is impossible to know what the future holds, but it is possible to take a step back and evaluate the present.

And that is exactly what every small business should do when it comes to the experience, services, and overall care you give your customers. Are there things you are currently doing or providing only to those customers you see and interact with in-person? Are there activities that you have had to pause because of the pandemic?

Get creative with how you adapt those offline activities to an online format. Use imagery and video to show customers what that might look like. The important thing is to keep the customer’s needs at the forefront of all you do.

Collect and act on customer data

If there is one thing the experts can agree on, it is that customer data plays a key role in your success. As you have likely heard the phrase, “the money is in the list,” 2020 highlighted the importance of being able to reach your customers directly — especially as many business owners found themselves needing to communicate changes made to day-to-day operations.

Those businesses that had email addresses, for example, were able to get updates to their customers without worrying about algorithms on social media platforms limiting their reach.

Secondly, using data like interests, demographics, and past behaviors allowed them to dig deeper to highlight existing products and the availability of new offerings to the right people at the right time.

As you journey through 2021 and beyond, you will want to continue your focus on collecting contact information and then acting on what you learn from the data.

Understand that not every contact is the same

Today, people expect the messages they receive from you to feel timely and relevant to them. The better you can group your contacts based on things like interests, demographics, and actions, also known as segmentation, the better you can create more relevant messages for those groups.

You can even use features like click segmentation to group contacts based on links they click in an email. You can also automatically create segments based on certain criteria such as contact activity, list membership, contact details, and tags.

Build your brand with storytelling

As small businesses moved their marketing and operations online, they joined a new, vast digital marketplace. With that shift came opportunities like new customers and new ways to sell goods and services, but it also came with hefty competition.

In a digital world, customers have virtually infinite options available to them. So how does a small business compete with retail giants like Amazon and Walmart?

Small businesses can compete in a vast digital marketplace with strong branding.

You might be surprised to learn that small businesses have a leg-up on the big retailers. That is because consumers want to shop small, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Your main advantage when it comes to competing with the major retailers is your identity as a small business, which should be a prominent aspect of your brand.

You can capitalize on consumers’ existing desire to shop small by leaning into your own story — your identity as a small business — in your branding. When we talk about “brand,” we simply mean your reputation — the impression that your business gives others through online communication, as well as in-person interactions. Your brand story goes a little further and speaks to your identity as a small business.

Define (or refine) your brand story.

The first step in using your brand’s story to find more customers is defining it. In general, your brand story is who you are. It is a combination of:

The people behind your business and their values

The purpose of your business or the problem you are trying to solve for customers.

Your relationship with your customers and how you communicate with them.

Learn how to make sure you have a strong brand identity.

These identity points come together to form your brand story, which should play out in all your communications, from the About page on your website to every email you send.

Make sure your digital marketing reflects your brand story.

Remember — it is important to emphasize your identity as a small business in all your branding. Do not be afraid to pull back the curtain and show the real people behind your business. Keep your communications more personal.

For example, you could experiment with sending out your email communications from the business owner or manager, rather than from your business name. Let them write a personal greeting to start your email and highlight the real people who are the hustlers behind your business. You will find that people want to support you.

People want to hear your story. Share with them why you founded a business or consider posting an update about how it is going or how friends and family are pitching in to help. These stories help motivate people to become customers. For existing customers, these stories might motivate a repeat purchase, or even better — they might share your content with their networks, exposing you to a whole new batch of potential customers.

And as always, make sure your brand identity is reflected in every customer interaction you have. If you portray yourself as warm, friendly, and personable, then that is exactly how the customer experience should be. Otherwise, you risk appearing inauthentic or unreliable, which could hurt your brand reputation (and your sales).

Prepare for uncertainty

These days, it seems like the only thing certain about the future is that it is uncertain, so it is important to prepare for that. It might seem impossible to plan for the unexpected, but there are some important concrete steps you can take now to make your business more prepared for anything that might come your way.

Now is the time to assess, reorganize, re-prioritize, and re-imagine critical business infrastructure, crisis plans, and resources to ensure you are set up for success, whatever comes next.

Assess the efficiency of your “normal” operations.

First, you will want to make sure that your normal business operations are running as smoothly as possible. You do not want to be establishing your initial online presence, catching up on payroll paperwork, or making sure your business is adequately staffed at the same time you are trying to adapt.

When COVID-19 hit, business owners that had their day-to-day operations running like a well-oiled machine had more time to problem solve and take full advantage of the resources available to help them power on through the pandemic.

Do your best to anticipate anything in your business operations that could gum up the works and pull your focus, should you need to lead your business through a rapid change.

Take stock of the resources available to you.

Another critical element of preparing for uncertainty is making sure you have a good grasp of the resources available to you when you are navigating an uncertain situation. Remember — you do not have to go it alone, so take some time now to familiarize yourself with the resources at your disposal.

As you do so, you will also want to look for gaps in resources — things you might need that you do not currently have access to.