Finishing Touches, Operations, Sales & Marketing, V6I3

How to Grow When Business is Anything but Usual

(Photo courtesy of Ivan Bertolazzi from Pexels)

Without a doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting quarantine and business closures are having a ripple effect throughout the economy. Small businesses throughout the country have seen a sharp decline in sales, including restaurants, retailers, and service businesses. 

Within the outdoor living industry, things are looking a little more positive. As spring and summer hit, people are wanting to spend more time outdoors instead of the home they’ve been cooped inside for weeks. 

Plus, as people are less likely to be booking cruises, beach vacations, or trips to Disney, they will look to their backyard for entertainment and relaxation. This means that there is a great opportunity for shed builders over the next few months. 

Here’s some advice on how to sustain and even grow your business in 2020. 

SHIFT YOUR MESSAGE

Things are no longer what they were back in 2019; your marketing and advertising message needs to adjust accordingly. 

What may have worked in the past may come across as callous, profiteering, or tone-deaf. Brands with empathetic messages and that genuinely want to connect with their audience will do better. 

Here are some ways to adjust your messaging: 

  • Embrace “staycation” and similar language in your marketing to appeal to people who might be disappointed they aren’t going away over the summer.
  • Consider how your structures may align with Work from Home or Workout from Home trends that people have developed (e.g., using a shed as a home office or gym)
  • Show empathy and care for your customers and community in your messaging. 
  • Avoid the appearance of opportunism in your advertising. 

FOCUS ON YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY

Throughout this pandemic, we’ve seen communities all across the United States rally to support their own, including local small businesses. If you are a local manufacturer or dealer, make sure you are actively serving your local community. 

Here are a few ways you can support your local community:

  • Offer a steep discount or giveaway for healthcare workers. 
  • Donate a portion of your sales to a local nonprofit organization. 
  • Organize a food collection at your sales lot for a local food bank. 
  • Hold a contest and give away gift cards to local restaurants. 

HIGHLIGHT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS YOU’RE TAKING

Even as restrictions are slowly lifted, the general public will still be sensitive to going out in public. Many of your customers will be evaluating your business not just on price and quality, but also on what precautions you are taking to ensure their safety. 

This crisis has changed many activities that were once considered social norms: handshakes, close face-to-face conversations, and crowded spaces will all go through a significant decline in use. 

Consumers now value virtual conversations, contactless delivery, and curbside pickup. We think these trends will continue as more people see the benefits of dealing with a local business virtually. 

Every outdoor structure builder should be highlighting the precautions they are taking to keep their customers and employees safe. Provide more information in your sales lot—including brochures or QR codes—so people can browse without your sales staff in person. 

If you don’t have a 3D shed builder app, you can train your sales staff to conduct video calls to discuss options and provide a quote. And if you offer delivery of your structures, you may want to think of how much interaction you need with the customer. They may be more open to contactless or low-contact delivery. 

BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY ONLINE

While families are isolated from others, it creates a real desire for social interaction and community. How can your business do your part to create a community online? 

Here are a few ideas: 

  • Connect with your past customers and ask them to share a photo or video of their structure. Find out how they are using them. Post the results on your website or social media. 
  • Create a poll on social media with some of your structures, asking people to vote for their favorite. 
  • Create a contest on your social account asking for people to build their dream structure in your 3D builder software and post how they would use it. 
  • Have your local community nominate healthcare professionals and give away a gift card to a local restaurant to the winners. 

INVEST IN YOUR BRAND TO GROW IN 2020

While stay-at-home orders and business restrictions may be temporary, the decisions you make in 2020 will have a long-term impact on your business. 

Your current and potential customers will remember the way you made them feel, the way you treated your employees, and even the marketing message you put out. 

Make sure that everything you do during the next few months will give customers a positive experience. That way, you can come out of this uncertain time with a stronger brand for the future.

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