While the most severe phase of the COVID-19 pandemic may be behind us, its lasting impact continues to reverberate throughout the business world. Many companies have grappled with unprecedented challenges, some even resorting to significant staff reductions in their struggle to survive.
In the wake of COVID-19, operational efficiency for employers has become an even greater challenge. In this article, we will explore the enduring effects of the pandemic on businesses, examine how some managed to distinguish themselves during these trying times, and extract valuable lessons from their experiences.
Impact of COVID-19
Coined the “Black Swan of the Decade,” COVID-19 disrupted businesses of all industries. How are businesses responding? Going remote. Working-from-home, video conferencing, online collaboration are now the norm for engaging in daily business operations. Events are going digital. Most notably, physical trade shows where businesses connect with each other are put on hold and evolving to online formats.
But is it a complete loss? Maybe not.
The purpose of attending tradeshows for businesses is to make connections with buyers and gain media coverage. Reaching out to media channels and connecting with buyers are achievable online for sustained business growth.
How were businesses able to keep increasing brand awareness during the pandemic?
LinkedIn is essential
If you’re using LinkedIn exclusively for finding jobs and passive profile updates, you’re underutilizing the platform!
It’s not just a job site.
It’s not just for corporations.
It’s for you to make connections that matter.
With more than 706+ million people using the platform, you have unlimited opportunities to connect with people without distance limitations. You have the chance to meet someone who might otherwise be out of local reach. Most fortune 500 decision-makers and executives enjoy browsing on LinkedIn in their spare time. This is your chance to connect directly with decision-makers.
Make and grow your connections on Linkedin
Approach people with a purpose. Narrow down your target prospects based on your ideal customer profiles by maximizing the use of LinkedIn filters. Reach out to them with a tailored message to make an impression. Your goal is to take the conversation off LinkedIn. Build rapport and guide the conversation towards an offline meeting.
Influencer marketing
Another outlet to consider when increasing awareness for your business is influencer marketing.
“Influencer marketing is a marketing style that focuses on using influential people to share a brand’s message with their chosen audience” — Anna-Marie Odubote and Nick Crompton from Social Chain
Influencers can play a significant role in helping to get your business in front of the right audience. We tend to trust recommendations given by other people. Typically people will conduct a quick online search about a product to read reviews before buying it. Products endorsed by influencers automatically gain credibility, helping to boost a product or service’s sales.
Influencers help you localize your content
The greatest advantage of partnering with media influencers is localization.
- Localized content through its language and style.
- Localized audience depending on the influencer’s circle.
- Localized acceptance with the influencer's audience through social proof.
Influencer marketing stands out as one of the most significant and rapidly growing marketing strategies, and its effectiveness is well-established. For compelling statistics on the impact of influencer marketing, check out them from Viralyft's blog below:
- Influencer marketing is projected to reach $21.1 billion.
- Companies mostly use AI/ML for influencer identification (64%) .
- TikTok reigns supreme, with 55.5% of brands using it for influencer marketing in 2023.I thought you would like to hear about this and update your article.
But before you partner with influencers, consider Hootsuite's 3 most important aspects influencer marketing:
- Reach: The size of the influencer’s following and the people you can reach.
- Relevance: Guage how relevant the influencer is to your business’ intended audience. Does the influencer’s audience align with your market?
- Resonance: Potential engagement the influencer can generate with its followers for your brand. Large accounts with huge followings lacking in engagement may not be as effective as micro-influencers with smaller followings but better engagement rates.
Focus on trust. Engagement stems from trust. Likes, comments, shares, and views are all signals of how much followers trust the influencer.
Stand out in your pitch emails
You want to make an impression for people to want to write about you. Here are our top tips to increase responses and engage with your contacts when pitching through email:
- Pitch to the right people to build a connection
Define your target audience. Are you looking for media influencers to write about you? Potential influencers to test your product? Your message to each group will be different based on their interests and goals.
- Use relevant subject lines
Compelling enough to make them read your email. Incite curiosity. Build intrigue. Trial various types of subject lines such as appealing to current trends, highlighting your product’s key features, or personalizing the email to the influencer.
- Keep it brief
Keep it short and concise with only the most relevant information. Summarize the main points. You can always follow-up with supporting information if they ask. Make sure your subject line is short by keeping it under 40 characters or about five to seven words. Such subject lines will boost open rates and get the most engagement.
- Tailor your angles
Introduce yourself and give context about why they should write about you. The purpose of your email is to get the receiver to think about the angle they will write about or the angle you are looking for. You can demonstrate social proof by including businesses you’ve already worked with to boost your credibility. Be sure to leave your contact information for follow-up opportunities and always include a clear call-to-action.
- Send follow-up emails
Sometimes emails get lost in inboxes overflowing with messages. Send a follow-up to check-in. Keep your business top-of-mind.
- Don’t give up!
Building relationships is time-consuming but can result in worthwhile returns.
Business growth doesn’t have to stop in the midst of a pandemic. The workshop hosted by SparkAmify taught us that is it still possible to find success, even if building brand awareness might look different than before. Keep making connections to increase business opportunities.
In conclusion, the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic have left an indelible mark on businesses worldwide, pushing them to adapt and evolve in unforeseen ways. Many companies faced the painful necessity of downsizing in order to weather the storm.
As the business landscape continues to transform, operational efficiency remains a top priority for employers. The resilience and innovative strategies demonstrated by certain businesses during this challenging period serve as a beacon of hope and a source of inspiration. Their experiences offer valuable lessons that can guide companies toward a more robust and adaptable future, ensuring that they not only survive but thrive in a post-pandemic world.