The economic assistance provided by the government allowed the economy to recover as it increased the disposable income of the population. The government also provided emergency grants to small businesses to enable them to rehire and retain their employees.
These economic activities helped businesses recover and saw the real gross domestic product increase in the middle of the year after it dipped in the second quarter of 2020. At this point, businesses should focus on increasing sales and work on connecting with their customers.
And one way for them to accomplish this is through technology. Using technology allows businesses to connect with their market. It also makes the sales process efficient and enhances the customer experience. Here are the ways that technology can help businesses with their sales.
Manage Sales Using Customer Relationship Management Software
Using customer relationship management (CRM) software allows businesses to manage their sales teams by allowing easy access to customer data. It also helps business owners to make informed decisions in their sales strategy.
CRM systems facilitate the creation of detailed reports using existing customer data. With this, sales teams will know the target market who will likely buy the products offered by the business. The system also increases the opportunity for the business to grow its customer base.
The system also enhances relationships with customers since it allows businesses to customize their processes to stand out in the market. The customization also helps build rapport with the customers by facilitating personalized conversations with them.
Enhance Customer Experience
One way businesses encourage potential customers to buy from them is to provide them with an unforgettable experience. And technology can facilitate this by letting the customers review the products before they buy them.
In this instance, businesses should look beyond virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). Instead, they should use extended reality (XR). Using captivating XR content enhances the customer experience when people visit the websites of businesses. Since it consists of VR, AR, and mixed reality (MR), the technology improves user engagement and provides customers with a more immersive experience when they explore the website of a business.
Aside from XR, businesses should also automate their email campaigns. These email campaigns allow businesses to reach out to their market whenever they have new promotions or launch new products. Automating the process also will enable businesses to send emails during certain times of the day to increase the chances of the customer opening the email.
Chatbots also help businesses to answer simple questions by customers about their products. It also directs customers to resources available for them to use. Additionally, chatbots can connect customers to the sales team when they are ready to buy the business’s products.
Connect With Customers Through Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms continue to be significant even after Facebook rebranded itself and changed its company name. With around 72 percent of US adults using social media, businesses should leverage these platforms to connect and engage with their customers. Businesses should also share content on their social media pages to elicit reactions from their audience.
While many people use these platforms for socializing online, they also use them to check for recommendations about products they will buy. They also click ads and leave product reviews on the social media pages of businesses.
Thus, businesses should continue using these platforms since they also provide data about the behavior of their customers. These platforms also provide detailed information about the demographics and insights of the audiences of businesses. With this, businesses can adjust their sales strategies to connect with customers interested in their products.
Optimize the Point of Sale
Optimizing the point of sale allows businesses to enhance efficiency in their online and physical stores. Businesses should create a mobile app that will enable customers to see their products in the market. The app should also facilitate the purchase of these products and have the products shipped to the customer’s address.
Aside from increasing sales, the app also allows businesses to collect email addresses where they can send promotions and announcements. And with the pandemic yet to end, the app should also facilitate no-contact payments in case a customer visits the brick-and-mortar location of the business. In this situation, customers will visit the physical store since the business makes sure they remain safe from the virus.
Additionally, setting up self-checkout counters in the store minimizes contact with other people. Businesses should also consider offering free Wi-Fi to optimize the in-store experience of their customers. It also lets the customers feel valued since it facilitates access to the mobile application of the business.
Final Thoughts
Technology offers several opportunities for businesses to increase their sales and broaden their customer reach even during a health crisis. Therefore, technological innovations play a crucial role in their success.
