It’s crazy how certain unforeseen circumstances can essentially change the landscape for business. Take, for instance, the coronavirus pandemic the world is presently dealing with. Governments set requirements like stay at home orders, social distancing, and the closing down of non-essential businesses and activities to gain control of the spread. While some products and services have seen a surge in sales as a result of current times, others are struggling to survive. 

The fear, uncertainty, and realities of current times prompted many citizens to spend money on certain items while eliminating others. Consumers are spending more money than ever on things like groceries, health and wellness products/services, and home improvement items while things like takeout, clothes, shoes, and toys are eliminated from their budget. 

If you happen to be in one of the industries that’s suffering from these dramatic changes, you may be wondering how you can remain afloat during these difficult times. Keep in mind that money may be tight and there may be bumps in the road, but there are effective steps you can take to keep retail sales up during the pandemic. 

Switch to Digital Space

It would seem that brick and mortar locations are suffering the most. Without foot traffic in their businesses, they don’t get as many sales as they’re used to. In order to remain afloat during the coronavirus pandemic, it will be necessary for brick and mortar businesses to switch to digital space. While you may still want to hold onto your physical location, creating an online presence and selecting a platform to sell your products and services virtually is ideal. 

Online sales are up and continue to climb. Brick and mortar locations should start working on developing a website and an eStore that allows them to market and sell their merchandise to their target audience. This will include selecting the best web host and eStore software, identifying vendors and shipping carriers, and deciding on a safe and efficient way for customers/clients to make online payments. 

Get Personal on Social Media

A company website and eStore isn’t the only digital space you need to be taking advantage of. Social media should also be leveraged to boost sales during the pandemic. With more time on their hands than ever, many people find social media to be a place for connection, entertainment, education, and more. Meeting your target audience where they are and creating a safe and relatable environment during the coronavirus pandemic can cultivate a strong relationship which leads to increased sales. 

For example, Made in Cookware is a company that sells quality products for efficient cooking. With more people cooking at home as a way to save money and improve their health, they can connect with their audience by providing cooking videos on their Social Media pages. These videos educate their audiences on how to prepare delicious meals at home (serving a key purpose during the pandemic) and they also get to see firsthand how the company’s products work to ease the cooking experience (which boosts sales). Made In’s Pinterest also provides followers with visuals of their products. 

Provide Security While Fulfilling a Need

There’s still so much uncertainty when it comes to the coronavirus and when this will all end. This has created a level of fear and panic in consumers that makes them skeptical of making certain purchases. If you want to boost your sales during the pandemic, your brand must effectively learn how to provide their customers with a sense of security while also displaying how your products/services fulfill a need. 

Companies are collectively doing this by providing a detailed response to how their organization is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Think about what you’re doing to keep your employees, community, and customers safe. Whether you decontaminate and sanitize your facilities more frequently, provide staff with personal protection equipment, or offer contactless delivery, you want to make this known to your audience to provide security. 

Once you’ve created a sense of security, you can then focus on marketing your products/services in a way that fulfills a need during the pandemic. Maybe women don’t need to purchase work clothes at the moment, but if your retail store also sells athleisure clothing, you might want to focus your attention on marketing how they can still look great while working from home. If you sell children’s toys and games, perhaps talk about how your toys can encourage less screen time, outdoor play, and quality family time during the pandemic. 

It’s unfortunate that certain industries and businesses have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. While it may seem nearly impossible to remain in business during these trying times, there are effective solutions to maintain sales. Try creating an online presence, connecting on social media, providing security, and fulfilling a need, and see how valuable it can be in helping your brand to withstand the storm.