What History Taught Us and our 3 Social Media Survival Tips
In just a matter of months, COVID-19 has swept the globe and wreaked havoc on populations around the world. While the true human cost of the pandemic is still to be determined, the virus’ impact on the global economy and the businesses that fuel it is becoming clear.
Here at Utility Bidder, this got us thinking about how some of the world’s most successful brands have modified their corporate strategies and innovated during times of crisis throughout history. With this in mind, we’ve collated some of the most impressive business survival stories from history and the present day.
From existing giants of their respective industries experiencing a rough patch, to future business titans that persevered through a period of great uncertainty when first starting out, the survival stories of these five global brands are enough to remind even the smallest of businesses that anything is possible. Sometimes all you need to do is think outside of the box!
Whether it takes a bold change of direction when it comes to marketing, a brave decision to ignore entrenched industry norms or a full revolution in the way you allow your workforce to operate, in times of crisis it can help to look back at history for some much needed inspiration.
As the economy continues to reel from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, naturally many brands have suffered. In the UK alone, a number of highstreet icons, such as Debenhams and Oasis, have been forced into administration, while dining classics such as Chiquito and Frankie & Benny’s have admitted they may not recover after lockdown.
However, some brands have acted quickly, adapted accordingly and have used the COVID-19 crisis as a catalyst to not only survive, but actually thrive during lockdown. From fashion giants, to eateries, to bookmakers, here are three brands that refused to let the pandemic threaten their existence by adopting a #BusinessSurvivalPlan to successfully navigate an economy in crisis.
We also wanted to highlight a number of easy and effective online techniques to help your business survive – and even thrive – during lockdown. These three social media tips outline the importance of having a strong online presence and can help you cater for the shift in customer behaviour caused by lockdown.
With so many changes and disruptions to normal life, it can be hard for customers to keep up. But despite everything that’s going on, potential customers will still be interested in what your business is up to. Many people are spending more time than ever on social media, and so customers will be taking note of any engaging content you produce and may be more likely to remember your brand, even if they have never used your business before. Regular multiplatform posts are a great way to drive sales by reminding people:
Don’t be afraid to get creative with these updates – after all, with video-based apps like Instagram Live and TikTok having become increasingly popular during lockdown, the more platforms you use, the better. You can also update customers on how you’ve adapted during the pandemic – social distancing, PPE use etc – to help customers feel safe shopping with you.
Whether you’re posting product images and videos or simply updating blogs, customers want the content they see on social media to be as authentic and natural-looking as possible. In the middle of a global pandemic in which many customers will be sitting at home in joggers and a t-shirt, this is more important than ever. People don’t have the patience for extravagant visual content or posts loaded with meaningless jargon. They want to support brands they can relate to.
If you’re running your business from home because of lockdown, share behind-the-scenes photos to show how you’re coping, or if you’re juggling work with home-schooling the kids, post your top tips for fellow parents. Staying connected and appearing relatable can appeal to new customers and help keep existing patrons loyal.
Aside from using social media to keep your customer base updated, taking advantage of the boom in social media usage with entertaining and interactive content can go a long way in ensuring your brand remains visible and boosting sales.
Many people are stuck inside craving home entertainment during lockdown, so give them some! Create competitions, games and campaigns that require interaction using TikTok, Instagram Live, YouTube and Twitch to build an audience and engage them with your brand. These platforms can even replace live events and gatherings that have had to be cancelled due to the outbreak. From live-streaming quizzes with incentives and prizes for the winners to running tutorial webinars for those with more creative interests, interactive content is a priceless tool that all businesses should be utilising during lockdown.
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We’re dedicated to helping businesses like yours save more on energy. That’s why we’ve put together a selection of case studies showcasing exactly what we have achieved for company’s similar to yours.
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Haywards Heath RFC enjoys a strong community presence in Haywards Heath, West Sussex where the club supports a senior rugby team, six youth sides and six mini sides. The Club was established in 1959 and boasts affiliations with the London and South East Division of England Rugby and Sussex Rugby.
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Founded in 2009, with a range of industry accolades to our name, Hayri recognised that Utility Bidder was a well-established and growing business and our five star Trustpilot reviews along with our size and longevity ensured HTC Europe had peace of mind.
“I was impressed with Utility Bidder from the start,” said Hayri. “Nothing was too much trouble for my account manager Rebecca Lau. Professionals recognise fellow professionals and it’s true that one doesn’t buy from a company, one buys from a person and Rebecca is a credit to Utility Bidder.
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Rob says that thanks to the competitive rates secured by Utility Bidder in his studio, it would be cheaper to live there than at home! “We pay about £30 a month for gas during the winter and around £25 a month for electricity – and that’s despite having a lot of energy-guzzling equipment such as studio lights and fan heaters. Our energy bills at home are far more expensive!”
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Sharda Care is contacted frequently by companies within the energy industry, but the desire to work with Utility Bidder was motivated by our bill validation service (and that they hadn’t checked their VAT). Our team have an experienced background in working with businesses of this size and will instinctively scrutinise all utilities to investigate potential savings.
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Utility Bidder saves thousands of pounds on energy expenditure for Midlands business. Cable craft have been supplying cable identification, termination and management products throughout the world for over 20 years servicing a diverse range of industries.
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Thomson Hayes retail has been established for 30 years and specialises in the design and manufacture of high-quality furniture, exhibition stands, museum and store fit-outs.
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