The data and financial statements that emerged in the post lockdown phase have put Italian companies in front of an essential choice. Here are some practical tips on how to get started and which tools to use!
Just as the pandemic has significantly impacted the health system of our country, in the same way it has almost distorted the socio-economic one. Many Italian companies have suffered more than others that have instead been able to get back on their feet and exploit new business models and technologies that could support them. The lockdown has put many companies at a crossroads: to be overwhelmed by the (unfortunately) irreversible crisis or to stabilize their business, focusing on digital and online. The Restart Italia research has revealed, for example, that on a sample of small companies, 16% have reconverted their business and 24% had to close their activities, adapting to the ministerial decrees.
But one thing is certain and the data speak for themselves! During the lockdown, consumers continued to buy – out of necessity certainly, but not only – on online shops, paying close attention to wallets but above all to the reliability and services offered by retailers. In fact, according to the 14th report by Casaleggio and Associates , in the first four months of this year alone, e-commerce was used for the first time by 2 million Italians against 700,000 in the same period and referring to 2019. Electronic commerce it is continuing its growth at an accelerated pace and is, to date, certainly the most suitable tool to improve the positioning of a company.
We at Worldz therefore asked ourselves: With what tools can a company survive the post-covid crisis today?
# 1 E-commerce
It might seem obvious to talk about the importance of e-commerce but in reality this is not exactly the case. Although many companies, even the most reluctant, are convinced to evolve their business models by embracing online shopping, on the other hand there are those who still remain faithful to the one and only physical store. Maybe not today but in the coming months, those who are not online will have to rethink their positioning and move towards digitization. Consumers who have discovered the benefits of online shopping will find it difficult to replace this new habit. The element that can distinguish you from the multiplicity of e-commerce on the market is personalization. Today there are many platforms that can make it easier to approach online: from plugins such as Woocommerce, linked to the WordPress platform, to Prestashop or Shopify, which allows you to manage everything via the app. The telephone and the computer are essential elements that users cannot do without, and in this way they can offer their services and products and make them just a click away.
# 2 Omnichannel
According to an analysis by DepositPhotos, it will be necessary to move on multiple fronts. One of these is certainly omnichannel, with the sole aim of involving the customer in the best possible way (whether loyal or potential) by integrating multiple sales channels (online and physical) and offering the customer an engaging customer experience. Through omnichannel marketing strategies, a company is able to more easily reach the target of customers interested in its products and compete with the big names in the sector. Let’s talk in more detail about specific tools such as social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest), re-marketing emails and offline communication, all able to engage the user and determine – with greater probability – the increase in purchase conversions. These multi-channel strategies offer the brand the opportunity to create a valuable relationship with the customer. Investing in this direction is certainly the strategic choice for strengthening one’s business but it is advisable to identify the most suitable tools for this purpose.
# 3 UGC
User-generated content is perceived as a spontaneous contribution capable of having a strong impact on the network of contacts it intercepts. The winning element of UCG (USER GENERATED CONTENT) is precisely the public: smaller but more loyal. Therefore, if involved in the production of content, customers can become active players in the sales process, as they voluntarily choose and pay a specific brand or store – for the quality product or service offered – so I express a real preference. The dynamics of customer engagement also offer the opportunity to achieve greater customer loyalty which, through the UGCs shared on their channels, will in turn influence new customers, thus leading to an increase in purchase conversions.
Changing your business model can certainly not be easy at first. At Worldz we have developed software that can support retailers in their transition from offline to online. In fact, thanks to our e-commerce booster you will get multiple features in a single tool that allows you to:
- engage users who are about to leave the site through a behavioral overlay and entice them to conclude the purchase with a personalized discount based on personal social popularity;
- take advantage of a personalized discount by logging into your Facebook or Instagram profile, through the Worldz overlay, and share the shopping experience with your network of contacts. The discount will automatically unlock in the cart;
- Generate leads, through the Worldz overlay, and offer the online shop the possibility of carrying out targeted and strategic marketing campaigns capable of increasing the visibility of the brand and reaching specific targets.
Find out more about Worldz!