The Covid-19 pandemic created huge changes throughout society, some of which we haven’t even realized yet. One of the biggest was how consumers make purchases. Because of stay at home guidelines and general fear of the disease, millions of people ordered goods online and stopped going to restaurants in person. This had a massive effect on small businesses in particular that weren’t set up to offer delivery, curbside, and other convenient shopping models.
Interestingly enough, the shift in consumer behavior has also affected how other consumers view their choices. While large corporations were racking up profits during the pandemic, a section of the population started thinking more about the value of shopping locally.
There are several reasons for this. One is that it is hard to watch small, local businesses struggle and close when other companies are cleaning up. The other is that as the pandemic has worn on, consumers, especially millennials, are starting to shop more with brands that reflect their values, according to a study from Ernst and Young.
As an SMB, it’s crucial for you to take any opportunity you can. That means appealing to the huge millennial demographic that will soon start to shop in brick and mortar stores in big numbers again. Here are some ways that you can be ready for them.
Ask What Is Important to Them
It’s hard to appeal to consumers if you don’t know what it is that they are looking for. However, it’s never been easier to connect and ask them. Put up survey questions on social media and your website. If you want to get even better information, conduct a more formal poll by reaching out via text message or email, or ask them to log in on a survey website. That way your data will be more reliable.
Once you have this information, you can start to craft your marketing messages. On top of that, you can then develop a strategy for showing how you can appeal to the causes your consumers care about. Whatever seems to strike a chord, whether it’s the environment, homelessness, animal cruelty, or possibly a million other things, you can take steps to align yourself with those causes. This will help you connect with consumers, but it will also help to change the world for the better.
Be Visible
It’s one thing to say that you support certain causes. It’s quite another to demonstrate it. Once you’ve identified what’s important to customers, show them how you are working to make change. There are so many ways you can do this. The easy way is to make donations to certain charities or causes. However you can be more creative and show a deeper level of support. Get your staff out of the building and do some volunteering. This will not just help, but it can also encourage team building and boost staff morale.
Are there fun runs or other charity events happening in the near future? Sure, you can sponsor them and get your brand’s name out there. However, if you do sponsor, request to the organizers that you have a booth at the event itself. That way you are not just a faceless brand on a sign. You are real people who are taking the time to support an important initiative and the people who care about it. Connecting with consumers on a personal level will help to build trust and develop loyal customers.
Market The Benefits of Buying Local
Showing the faces behind the brand will help sell customers that you are truly a local brand with employees that come from the area in which your business is located. They are earning their salary and then spending it within the community. You must highlight this fact on social media and in your marketing as much as possible.
There are several benefits to shopping locally that you can leverage. For instance, the money spent at a local business stays local and is spent at other businesses as opposed to going to a corporate conglomerate. Shopping local means more vibrant communities with busy storefronts and walking traffic. Local businesses tend to have less of an environmental impact as well. This will help give consumers more reasons to shop with you instead of ordering online or heading to the nearest big box store.
Form Alliances
Other local businesses don’t have to be your enemies. The big threat to your existence is large big box stores and internet shopping. You can work together with other businesses to create real value for customers. Does one company have infrastructure for deliveries? Get into a partnership with them. Is there a way that your two businesses could leverage each other for discounts? Offer deals such as “purchase a combination meal and get a free movie ticket.” There are several ways that businesses in a community can combine forces to find success.
There’s no doubt that the pandemic has changed retail shopping forever. However, that doesn’t mean that brick and mortar stores can’t compete or that local businesses can’t thrive. By preparing yourself for a growing trend of localization and conscious consumerism, you can find success and build a loyal local customer base.
