If you work in retail, you’ll know it’s tough out there. But, don’t fear. There’s still lots you can do to make sure you come out of this challenging time stronger than ever. These tips will help you understand your customers better and adapt your business to a different world. Enjoy.

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10-TIPS
RETAILERS DURING COVID-19

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STEPHEN TRENERY
SALUTATIONS
Good day Dreamweaver.
If you work in retail, you’ll know it’s tough out there. But, don’t fear. There’s still lots you can do to make
sure you come out of this challenging time stronger than ever.
These tips will help you understand your customers better and adapt your business for a different world.
Enjoy.

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01
Deepen your customer
insight through research.

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01DEEPEN YOUR CUSTOMER
INSIGHT THROUGH
RESEARCH.
Knowledge of your customers has never been more valuable to your
business. You need to analyse data about your customers’ behaviours
and buying habits on a regular basis to learn what is changing and
what is not.
What new and unmet needs have emerged? What new pain points
have surfaced? What new markets are emerging for your company?

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02
Let customers know if
your business is
operating and how you
are keeping safe.

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02LET CUSTOMERS KNOW IF
YOUR BUSINESS IS
OPERATING AND HOW YOU
ARE KEEPING SAFE.
Let customers know if your business is operating and how you are
keeping them and your employees safe. Many retailers have already
sent emails notifying consumers about new sanitation procedures and
other safety protocols.
At some retailers, business owners are standing outside the store
limiting the number of customers entering and greeting queued-up
customers with a cart they have wiped down with disinfectant. Some
business owners are also offering a delivery service, with the right
amount of PPE to ensure that everyone is keeping safe.

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03
Social distancing means
more people on social
media. Be seen here.

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03SOCIAL DISTANCING MEANS
MORE PEOPLE ON SOCIAL
MEDIA. BE SEEN HERE.
Social distancing has resulted in a huge spike in social media traffic. If
that is where your customers are, that is where you want to be. Many
companies worry that they will appear opportunistic if they engage
with their customers during this difficult time. We think that is a
mistake.
If you have a relationship with your customers, they will want to know
what you are thinking and planning, what is happening with you and
your business, and that you miss them.

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04
Adapt your offering to
the digital world.

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04ADAPT YOUR OFFERING TO
THE DIGITAL WORLD.
Many brick-and-mortar retailers have set up online payment
methods. Those without online stores are emailing customers to
update them on new products in stock. Mail shipments or curb-side
pickups are the new point of transfer.
Others are creating whole new ways to connect, such as local
bookstores setting up digital book clubs, hair salons offering custom
colour kits, and acupuncture clinics running Zoom meetings to teach
patients about remedies and techniques they can use on their own.
Arts organizations are findings ways to provide fans with live-
streamed concerts. Fitness providers have quickly become fully
digital.

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05
You should evaluate your
customer journeys and
plan for a digital-first
world.

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05YOU SHOULD EVALUATE YOUR
CUSTOMER JOURNEYS AND
PLAN FOR A DIGITAL FIRST
WORLD.
You should immediately evaluate your customer journeys and re-
imagine those that could be redesigned for a digital-first/digital-only
world. This includes everything from expanding capacity of your
offering or customer service to putting a pause on certain late
fees/cancellation fees. Do what you can to ensure a positive
experience — and do it quickly because the pain customers will
experience from the pandemic is likely to increase over the coming
weeks and maybe months.

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06
Experiment with
offerings with long-term
potential that might
survive the crisis.

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06EXPERIMENT WITH
OFFERINGS WITH LONG-TERM
POTENTIAL THAT MIGHT
SURVIVE THE CRISIS.
You can use this crisis as an opportunity to experiment with entirely
new offerings that might be sticky — meaning they could survive the
crisis. We have seen examples in the form of a Netflix Party, which
allows consumers to virtually watch movies with friends; breweries
pivoting toward delivery; and restaurants introducing dining bonds,
helping them to keep their businesses alive and giving consumers
access to gift cards that increase in value after investment.

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07
Engage with your brand
community with content
they’ll love.

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07ENGAGE WITH YOUR BRAND
COMMUNITY WITH
CONTENT THEY’LL LOVE.
What can you do to engage with your customers who love your brand
but can’t visit your stores? Here is where you should strive to really be
creative.
• Run contests, giveaways and post incentives.
• Ask your customers to contribute using your products in novel
ways.
These acts engage your customers, but another important benefit is
that they will keep you busy and focused on brand-building during
these rough weeks.

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08
Express empathy and
communicate social
initiatives.

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08EXPRESS EMPATHY AND
COMMUNICATE SOCIAL
INITIATIVES.
If you just push products in this environment will be met with a
backlash. Instead, you need to express empathy and communicate
social initiatives, too. There are lots of great examples of how
businesses are contributing to the fight against COVID-19. Take a
look at what others are doing and ask yourself; is there anything I can
do?

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09
Plan for life after Covid-
19 by changing how you
communicate and sell.

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09PLAN FOR LIFE AFTER
COVID-19 BY CHANGING
HOW YOU COMMUNICATE
AND SELL.
How will COVID-19 change your customers’ habits for the long run
and what are you doing to get ready for this shift? You must display a
sincere desire to watch, listen, and learn. One thing we know already
is that digital experiences are here to stay.
This is a challenging moment for all business owners and
entrepreneurs, but one that also contains a lot of opportunity to come
out the other side of these choppy waters with a more loyal customer
base and stronger business model.

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10
Stay positive and create
opportunity.

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10STAY POSITIVE AND CREATE
OPPORTUNITY.
One thing we have complete control over is how we react as business
owners. We can learn, adapt, test, and learn all over again. What we
do now we help shape our success and allow us to overcome
challenges.
Whether we’re learning about our customers, new skills, developing
new products and services, we must see these challenges as
opportunities.
As human beings, we all need to remain positive, if not for our
business, do it for ourselves.

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10-TIPS
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