Connecting With Your Customers Throughout Covid With Mobile Wallet Technology
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, most businesses have digitised at least some of their brand’s marketing efforts to both protect employees and connect with consumers.
New data from McKinsey suggests that consumer and business digital adoption has jumped five years forward in as little as eight weeks.
As parts of the country slowly begin to reopen and move back to a pre-Covid way of life, organisations need to continue this momentum with digital marketing campaigns that make their brand more relevant than ever.
Going Digital
Digital marketing is essential when so many customers are at home and in-person contact is minimal. But if you’re a small business with limited budgets, an entirely custom branded app probably isn’t feasible. As an effective alternative, many brands are turning their attention to mobile wallet technology.
For those with a pre-existing loyalty program, mobile wallet apps like Apple or Android Pay let you transform plastic loyalty cards into digital files stored safely on a customer’s smartphone. Because these are default apps, customers don’t have to find and download your app.
Users can monitor card balance and points earned any time they like. By putting your loyalty program into a mobile wallet, you’re not just easing your less tech-savvy shoppers into digital, but you’re also creating a direct line of communication with each and every customer.
Staying in the Loop
One of the best features of mobile wallet technology for marketers is the ability to send push notifications to users. Your brand now lives on their phone, giving you the chance to send messages straight to the lock-screen.
In the past, brands were likely to use push notifications to remind shoppers about unclaimed loyalty points or alert shoppers of a special offer. But over the past few weeks, many brands are using push notifications to communicate with customers about rapidly changing conditions. In fact, 56 per cent of push notification content in March was dedicated to coronavirus-related news.
As we transition out of lockdown, you can use notifications to let your customers know that you’re re-opening your physical stores, notifying them of updated shop hours and necessary social distancing measures.
Reactivating Past Customers
Mobile wallet technology is an effective way to stay in touch with your current customer base, but it’s also a valuable resource for re-engaging customers that haven’t shopped with you in quite some time.
Push notifications tend to be most effective when promoting time-sensitive information. As your business begins to return to regular trading, you can send out a special voucher to those who haven’t shopped with you for a while.
Many people are eager to physically reconnect with friends as restrictions ease, so use the opportunity to create a special promotion, such as offering a discounted meal to a customer for them and a group of five friends.
Almost 90 per cent of large multinational businesses have paused their advertising campaigns due to Covid-19, creating the perfect opportunity for smaller brands to connect with their audience. Thankfully, you don’t need a big budget to compete with the big brands, as mobile wallet technology can help you create a cost-effective yet powerful line of communication with each and every shopper.
Effective communication between you and your customers is essential, especially during times like these. For a limited time, we’re waiving all onboarding fees for start-ups and offering small businesses 12 months of free access to the TractionNext platform.