Over a year into lockdown, the day we have all been looking forward to finally arrived… the 29th March 2021. The day that we are allowed to meet outdoors with six people (or two households).
But with shops still very much closed for business, we thought we’d encourage business owners to think about how their brand compares with the competition.
Easing of National Lockdown Restrictions
With the easing of national lockdown restrictions enabling six individuals or two households to meet up outdoors coming as welcome news for UK citizens today, business owners were anticipating the arrival of April 12th when they can open their doors (and tills) for customers once again.
In conjunction with government easement regarding COVID19 restrictions, it wasn’t just people and the sun out today.
From my lunchtime stroll, it was apparent that there was a genuine sense of hope and anticipation of brighter things to come.
Customer Centric Return On Investment
On a commercial level, consumers are looking forward to revisiting the high streets and returning shops once again. With that in mind, what a great opportunity to give customers something new to discover!
With everyone launching / opening at the same time (12th April 2021), what better time to invest in your brands presence… both on, and off the high street.
Now, although easing of national lockdown measures comes a year after an evident transition in consumer behavior, it was in many instances a transition that was forced upon us.
This change in consumer behavior has meant that customers have altered the way in which they buy and sell goods.
Although this is partly due to physical stores being forced to close, the move from offline-to-online transactions comes as no big shock.
The development of webshops have undoubtedly helped embody trust in consumers and help bridge the gap between the on-offline transition.
That, coupled with the added convenience of fast-tracked same day deliveries from the comfort of your own home, has also contributed to the rise in online purchases, securing a tried and tested means to sell wares, regardless of location or accessibility.
A combination of intuitive technologies and unlimited access has helped keep businesses afloat, even during unprecedented times.
With seamless roll-outs and intuitive tools that have undoubtedly enhanced our online shopping experiences during lockdown, e-commerce has enjoyed accelerated growth from electronics to groceries… and everything in between.
That said, businesses need to start getting creative offline too in order to become a market leader. We can help your company think outside the box when it comes to driving traffic to any business premises.
Most are familiar with the term e-commerce but for those who may not be, e-commerce is ultimately the buying, selling and transaction of goods via the internet.
Shoppers will return to the high streets in their droves
Although a broader demographic are getting to grips with online checkouts and webshops, whether nature or nurture… shoppers will return to the high street in their droves.
That said, the 12th April is nigh, so we thought it was a perfect time to think about preparing your business for opening up doors to them on the eagerly awaited 12th April 2021. This is the date when non-essential shops can legally open their doors to the public.
What does this mean for businesses with a shopfront or popup?
In a similar vein to your website, your shop front should be visually engaging to attract customers through the door.
An unloved, tired shopfront can deter customers from entering a shop and buying from a business.
Aside from a good old fashioned feather duster, shammy leather and a lick of paint, your shopfront is one of the first things that a customer sees (if they haven;t already visited your website, of course).
Deciding whether or not to enter a shop is made in a heartbeat, and a decision’s based on how appealing a store may appear.
With a preempted forecast indicating a dramatic spike in footfall during the summer months, we would encourage business owners to spend the following weeks wisely, and consider where your company sits among competitors… especially in saturated market places like shopping malls and high streets.
With that in mind, we would encourage business owners to take this opportunity to reassess where a business is at, and more importantly… where it is going.
The easing of lockdown will indicate just how busy a business has been during the lockdown period, and demonstrate businesses that have used their time wisely.
Although we appreciate that standing still has been forced upon some businesses (especially ones that rely on a physical premise to operate), we also acknowledge the hours we are not present… can still be productive ones.
Lets get ready!
The good news is that it’s not too late to get ready!
OK, there may be a lot to do, but laying out a roadmap for your business (and not just social activities) will stand you in good stead for when customers come out of hibernation and are ready to spend!
In some instances, simply putting up ‘open for business’ signage outside your premises may suffice.
However, with a business being closed for the past twelve months, like anything that has been left unattended for that long, your brand may have more than a few cobwebs that need dusting down.
Why not take this opportunity to discover how your business can excel both on and offline as we move into a new era, in unprecedented times.
With all the excitement (and good weather looming), we would urge you to keep safe and adhere to government guidelines. An updated version of these guidelines can be found here.
Need help prepring your business for April 12th? Contact us