Summer is the busiest season for seasonal businesses. The spread of the coronavirus is not slowing down, even though many states have relaxed their restrictions. COVID-19 taught us that all companies need an online presence, even only seasonal ones. Customers need to quickly locate you online, whether you are a manufacturer of linen caftans or run a food booth in a state park.
Why online presence is essential for seasonal businesses
Seasonal businesses are in a hurry. These businesses have a smaller window of profitability and are, therefore, more vulnerable to the effects of the pandemic. Your seasonal business can benefit from an online presence in two different ways. It can boost sales during peak seasons. Depending on your product or service, an internet presence can help you stay profitable all year round. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could rely on something stable in this uncertain time?
An online business can benefit any business, whether a lawn service or a food truck selling funnel cakes.
Updates on service hours and operating hours should be communicated.
To maintain customer satisfaction, it is important to communicate expectations. Many businesses have changed their service offerings or updated their operating hours to adapt to the coronavirus epidemic. Post any updates to your Google listing, Facebook page, and website.
Communicate your safety measures effectively.
The CDC suggests wearing face covers in areas where social distancing is difficult. This includes restaurants, ice cream shops, retail outlets, and other seasonal businesses. Consider adding a section to your homepage or creating a page dedicated to your safety measures. It shows your customers that you take their safety and health seriously. This may also increase customer compliance.
A pool community may, for example, share information on the lack of evidence COVID-19 is spread through water and the steps they are taking to disinfect water with bromine and chlorine. Even though these chemicals are part of pool management, it is essential to communicate health and safety protocols even in the absence of a pandemic situation. Online presences allow you to share safety measures often and early, resulting in a safer environment and better customer service.
Remote services
Businesses are adapting by offering remote services whenever possible. You may have previously provided patio dining, but this year you could offer cocktail kits or picnic takeouts to allow people to continue patronizing your business if they still need to be comfortable returning in person.
Personal trainers can offer remote fitness training with a digital presence. Pet sitters could sell toys and treats or provide remote training. It’s easier than ever to add online sales to your business with the many platforms that let you integrate ecommerce into your site.
Takeout and dine-in online ordering
Many restaurants only offered delivery in the first months after the pandemic began. Diners now choose a combination of takeout and delivery and dining at home. Online ordering is still as vital as it was when the pandemic started.
Services such as Clover online ordering enable restaurants to take advantage of a more extensive customer base without giving up control (or an oversized cut of sales) to delivery apps. Online ordering can be used to improve the safety of your restaurant. Some restaurants allow diners to view the menu on their phone so they do not have to touch it. You can go the extra mile by allowing them to order from their phones when dining in. This will reduce the handling of credit cards and your servers’ time with customers.
When business is slow, you can increase your customer base.
You won’t have as much foot traffic this year as in years past. If you integrate online presence into your business, revenue will stay the same. In mid-March, a 1,000-person survey found that 42% more consumers shop online. You can create a visually appealing website with platforms such as Wix or Squarespace in a few hours or even in one afternoon. You are not restricted by geography and can therefore expand your client base.
Imagine a retail shop in Nantucket that relied heavily on the foot traffic of vacationers. They’ve shifted to ecommerce now that the foot traffic has almost completely dried up. A website designed for online sales allows them to reach a wider audience nationally and internationally.
How to create an online presence for seasonal businesses
You can select what you need for your business – a la carte–or go all-in with a robust presence online.
Website
Your website is your digital storefront. It should be easy to find, easy to use, and ideally match the look and feel of your brand.
It’s time to update your website if you created it more than ten years ago. Google’s ranking algorithm considers a site’s loading speed when determining its rankings. A website refresh can improve this. Your site will not only load faster and appear higher in the search results, but it will also increase conversions and sales if you have a modern and up-to-date look and feel.
You can “click and drag” your way to an attractive new website, whether revamping an existing website or creating one from scratch—Clover partners like BigCommerce and other third-party platforms such as Shopify and WooCommerce.
Shop online or choose delivery options.
The pandemic made us realize the importance of options for online shopping. E-commerce will grow by 18% in 2020. Even consumers over 65 are now making more online purchases, with an increase of 12.2%.
Small business owners no longer have to build their ecommerce platform. Research the available options and select the one that fits your business best. Many web platforms also make integrating online orders into your business easy.
You should stop what you are doing now and ensure your business is listed on Google. Google lets you control your search engine listing, update your business hours and communicate faster with your customers.
Facebook is an excellent alternative if you need help to update your website regularly. Post a short message with updates, changes, promotions, or news. You can find instructions on creating a Facebook page for your business here.
Prepare for the following year.
Wait to start planning for next year or next season. Here are some marketing ideas for seasonal businesses. You can create a blog once you’ve set up your website. Blogs will allow you to stay in touch with your audience, remain relevant, grow your email list, and increase traffic to your site. You’ll be better prepared than ever to reopen your business next year.