During this year we have seen a number of businesses moving their operations online in the wake of lockdown. Some businesses have done this well, others have struggled to grasp what works. This is however something that small businesses will have to get right because this is a trend that looks to continue. Experts in business like William Seegmiller have been discussing the changing face of small businesses during the pandemic, as well as what consumer trends will look like in coming years. What many believe is that there will be an even bigger swing towards online shopping at small businesses.

If you are a small company then here are some tips for your online operations. 

Understanding What Works 

Not every small businesses has to offer a full online service with E-commerce options on their website. It may be that you feel the business will be successful online and that you believe this could be a smart investment, but there are other options which could be considered. For small businesses they can simply switch to taking orders on social media channels such as WhatsApp. This may sound pretty rudimentary but you’ll be surprised at just how much the consumer enjoys being able to simply send a message and receive their goods.

Product Range 

When it comes to getting your products uploaded to the website this can be a big effort so just focus on your biggest sellers and products which are most topical. What you can then do is to have a PDF document that covers all your products. The benefit which you’ll get it working on social media is that you can get the contact information of anyone who has bought from you or shown an interest in your products. Once you have this information you can send that PDF doc or weekly offers directly to the consumer. 

Social Media 

Social media is very much going to be your friend here and this should be where you spend a good amount of your time. Marketing products, posting happy reviews from your customers and even showing the team behind the business, all of this will be a great way to showcase the business and inspire support from those who follow you. It is easy for a consumer to go and buy from a giant like Amazon, but it you are able to remind them what a small business is all about, you can motivate them to buy from a business like yours instead. 

Engaging 

What the very best businesses do online is to engage with those who are commenting on their site or who are commenting on their social media pages. A small business should have that community vibe to it and through engaging with your customers you can really create this sense of being in it together, the perfect sentiment given the times that we are currently living through. 

Follow these tips and you’ll do very well with your business online.