The last 12 months of COVID-19 haven’t been kind to the vast majority of businesses. Whether it’s a restaurant, a travel company or a beauty salon, almost all businesses have been rocked by the pandemic. Finally, however, as vaccinations are now underway, we can all see that light at the end of the tunnel.

For businesses, that light may culminate in a boom, according to some experts – as people seek to return to their pre-pandemic lives, some industries will see a huge rush in traffic. But in order to capitalize on it, a foundation must be laid – now. Here’s how to make the good news work for your business.

Maintain a customer connection – digitally

Although in-person interaction with businesses obviously came to a halt during the pandemic, digital-savvy brands didn’t just disappear. Instead, they used their online platforms to continue to engage with their customers, offering services such as video tutorials, retail kits to-go and app instruction.

No matter your industry or budget, you can use a wide array of platforms to keep in contact with your customers now and stay on top of their minds so when they feel safe engaging in in-person interaction, you’re one of the first businesses they visit.

Use lead generation to fill the pipeline

Some businesses have been forced to a solid halt due to the pandemic. But that doesn’t mean those businesses should kick up their feet and relax – instead, they should use this time to invest in lead generation to fill their pipelines, so on their first day of service, a line is waiting outside the door.

In order to do this, make sure your business has an optimized website and ranks well in search engine optimization so as customers begin their searches now, your business is the first to call on their list. Also, work to determine where your customers are in the sales funnel and meet them there, whether through video consultations or a live chat feature on your website.

Remind customers what’s waiting for them

As almost all businesses have discovered during the pandemic, it’s not easy to make sales when you can’t interact with customers in-person. However, it’s not all about making sales – it’s also about reminding customers what’s waiting for them from your business once normal life returns.

For example, American Airlines, which saw a drastic loss in revenue due to the pandemic, is now offering an at-home wine experience where customers can purchase wine selected by the airline’s sommelier. It may not make up for the revenue lost during the pandemic – by a long shot. But it will remind customers what high-end services await them from the company once travel resumes.

Next steps

As the end to COVID-19 is finally in sight, we’re all itching to return to our pre-pandemic lives – especially our customers. But that doesn’t mean businesses should sit back and simply let sales roll in.

Instead, coordinate with your marketing team today on how to best use these strategies for your industry to capitalize on post-pandemic sales. To share these tips with your followers, click the ‘Share’ social icons below.