The COVID19 pandemic has had a drastic impact on every industry. Even businesses that had a robust online presence before the pandemic hit struggled. As millions of people lost their jobs and faced economic uncertainty, they significantly cut back on personal spending in an effort to weather the storm. 

Local remodeling businesses were particularly at a disadvantage. A study conducted by MIT found that small business revenue in the United States dropped by almost 40% in March 2020 compared to a year earlier.

These economic considerations ultimately forced governments to try and strike a balance between the urgent need to support businesses and the public health measures required to control the spread. 

A year later, things are finally looking up. Multiple COVID vaccines have been approved by regulators and millions of people, particularly those extremely vulnerable, have already received the jabs. Economic experts are now of the view that rapidly vaccinating the population is key for a return to a more “normal” economy. 

The post-COVID business environment is going to be a lot different. Businesses will need to adapt to these changes if they not only want to survive but thrive. These are the five things that every business should be doing right now in order to increase sales as the world gradually opens up again.

#1 Increase brand awareness for your business

After being in quarantine for the better part of an entire year, you'll need to forgive prospective customers if they no longer remember that your business exists. That is why it's so crucial to increase brand awareness for your business in the post-COVID environment.

As a result of people staying indoors, customers are spending more time on online platforms than ever before. Leverage this to increase brand awareness by advertising on social media networks and through Google Ads. 

Reach your desired audiences through the incredible targeting tools offered by these platforms. Get the word out about your business and increase the chances of getting more prospects in your sales pipeline.

#2 Let sales data guide decisions about new products 

The pandemic has changed customers' spending habits for good. It's quite possible that some of your products may no longer do as well as they did in the past. Informed decisions will thus need to be made before updating the product lineup.

Take a deep dive into the sales data for the past year and a half. This insight will help you realize what your customers no longer want and what they want to purchase now. Adjust your product lineup accordingly. Use this information to make strategic growth decisions on new products.

#3 Invest in improving SEO

Since people remain apprehensive of going outside unless absolutely necessary, investing in improving the SEO for your online presence will help bring in more sales. A lot more people are searching online for information about the products they want to purchase. 

It's a great way to cater to local customers in particular. Consumers are actively looking to support local businesses and are structuring their search queries accordingly. 

This presents a great opportunity for businesses that can quickly capitalize on these changing consumer search behaviors to ensure that their website or online store gets prime position in search results.

#4 Generate goodwill through community support initiatives

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