Marketing strategies to adopt for your bakery business during COVID-19
Baked foods are one of the highly sought-after meals in the UK, making it a profitable venture to explore if you’re fond of baking. This allows you to earn money while doing something that you love. However, with many bakeries springing up, you’ll need to effectively promote your brand to attract customers and keep them loyal to you.
Bakeries in the UK have increased by a whopping 48% due to the influence of shows such as the Great British Bake Off, making the market a competitive one. But you don’t have to throw in the towel; you need to map out strategies that will distinguish your bakery business from the rest. Here are some tips to guide you.
1. Take advantage of social media
Social media is a huge platform for you to gather many potential customers and interact with them, giving them a more personalised service, especially in the COVID-19 period. A survey conducted by marketing agency MGH revealed that over 74% of consumers are likely to patronise food businesses that they follow and engage with on social media. This is why you should get active on various social media platforms.
WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook are great platforms to market your goods. Facebook has also introduced an online marketplace to help you reach a large audience base easier and faster. You need to keep your social media accounts very active and post many appealing pictures of your pastries, especially on Facebook and Instagram. It’ll also be a plus to make videos of your goods on YouTube as well. Additionally, you can post different baking recipes to keep your audience hooked to your social media platforms.
2. Deliver excellent customer service
Customer service is essential in promoting your brand. News spread fast by word of mouth, and a good recommendation from a client is likely to draw more customers to your bakery business. This is why you need to serve your customers and treat them with the utmost respect. Top-notch customer service makes them feel special and valued, which keeps them loyal to your brand.
You can start by paying attention to the little details, such as giving a genuine smile when attending to your customers and thanking them when they’ve finished their purchase. You should also pay attention to their requirements and be eager to serve them. Empathising with them when they’re not satisfied with your services, apologising, and fixing the problem also goes a long way to show that they’re your priority. It’ll also help if you ask for their feedback on your products and ways to improve your services. Practising these things goes a long way in retaining your customers and attracting new ones.
3. Invest in your website
Just like social media platforms, potential customers will get to know your bakery through your website, as it serves as the window to your brand and shows people what you have to offer. 93% of people prefer to visit the internet to search for what they need due to their busy schedules and the ease that search engines provide. You can also showcase your various baked foods on your website and engage your audience with informative blog posts, calls-to-action, etc. Therefore, it’ll be best for you to get your website ready if you don’t already have one.
If you’re looking to boost your already existing website’s efficiency, you can opt for software development to improve your customers’ user-experience. You must ensure that your website is easy for people to navigate and make it interesting by posting different pictures of your baked foods. It’ll also help if you operate a blog that enlightens people on various foods they can try at home.
4. Get involved in your community
Getting involved in communal activities is sure to put your bakery in a good light. People are beginning to give more importance to businesses that engage themselves in contributing to their communities. For example, you can take care of refreshments at a local talent show or sports events. In these times where the COVID-19 pandemic has affected many people, you can extend a helping hand to them by giving out some of your baked foods.
It’ll also be a great idea to contribute to feeding essential workers such as doctors and nurses. You can even organise fundraising for orphanages and other children’s homes in your community to make a difference. People appreciate helpers and will be loyal to your brand if you keep on contributing to your community.
Your bakery business can stand out from your competition. These strategies are by no means exhaustive but combining them with your tasty recipes will set you on the right path of acquiring loyal customers.
