The pandemic has caused countless changes in the way we live and work. Virtually no business has gone unaffected by COVID-19, and many brands have been forced to completely overhaul their business model to adjust to the new normal. If your company has had to shut down or pull back during the pandemic, you may be preparing now for relaunching. This could be a great opportunity for your business to reconnect with old customers and gain a new audience, but it’s important to go about your relaunch strategically. The world is still dealing with COVID-19, and the model you once used may not be appropriate anymore.

Here Are Seven Tips for Relaunching a Brand after the Pandemic

1. Connect with Your Customers

Everyone has been through an ordeal in the last year, and many people are still stressed and confused. Compassion and empathy should be at the forefront of your communications as you reach out to your existing customers. People look for stability during crisis, so they appreciate brands that are straightforward and organized yet understanding.

Think about the concerns that may be most common among your customers as you relaunch. Are your customers worried about social distancing in your store, or will financial issues make it difficult for your usual shoppers to engage with your business? Your customer base may be facing new problems or worries, and you should be prepared to address them when you’re relaunching.

Use social media as you plan your relaunch strategy. Check out what your target demographic is saying on social media to get an understanding of their main concerns regarding the pandemic. You could also set up a virtual conference to hear questions and suggestions directly from your customers.

2. Talk about Health and Safety Measures

Consumers tend to be wary of brands with questionable health and safety protocols. Even as we near the end of the pandemic, it’s still important for businesses to take precautions. To help your customers feel at ease, be open and honest about the measures you’re taking to protect both your employees and your shoppers.

Before relaunching, release a statement on your website and on your social channels explaining your health and safety protocols. Talk about your standards for employee testing, sanitation, and social distancing. Be realistic about what your business can offer, and avoid promising measures that you’re not able to put in place.

3. Find New Ways to Offer Your Product or Service

Although options like indoor dining and shopping are becoming more available, the pandemic has led to the popularization of some other business models. Systems like curbside pickup, delivery, and online shopping aren’t entirely new, but they’ve become much more widely used in the last year. Many shoppers prefer these low-contact, convenient options, and they may continue to use these methods even after the end of the pandemic.

If your business primarily offers in-person shopping or services, think of ways to make it even easier for customers to patronize your company. Even once it’s no longer necessary, these options will likely still be popular.

4. Offer Something Exciting

Relaunching is a big event, and this is a great opportunity for your business to celebrate. If possible, offer something special to mark the occasion. You could host an outdoor event if you have the means to maintain social distancing recommendations, or you could set up an online launch party.

Another option is to offer a new product to celebrate your reopening, which will give you a chance to further advertise your business. You could give a discount or promotional offer to your returning customers, too. Many brands are relaunching with some financial uncertainty, so offering a steep discount may not be possible. However, your company will get more attention if you give your customers something to talk about.

5. Strengthen Your Customer Support

An efficient, helpful customer support system has been the key to success for many businesses throughout the pandemic. Whenever there’s uncertainty, customers will look to brands with responsive and available customer support. Relaunching also requires strong customer service because your customers may be unclear about what has changed or what they should expect from you.

Most likely, a good deal of your customer support will now happen remotely. If you plan to have employees working with customers through email or phone calls, make sure they’re equipped with the right technology to reduce errors or delays. Consider investing in an AI chatbot to offer customer support, too. Chatbots are available 24/7, so your customers won’t have to wait until business hours to get a response.

6. Set Objectives

It may feel difficult to set specific and measurable objectives when planning your relaunch strategy. Many businesses have been in survival mode for the last year, and no one has known what to expect in the future. However, objectives are essential for measuring the success of your relaunch.

Each objective should include which metric you plan to change, how much you plan for it to change, and when you plan to achieve this goal. The purpose of your objectives is to become specific and methodical with your relaunch strategy and to determine whether or not your business had made progress. Don’t panic if your brand doesn’t reach an objective, though. It’s still hard to predict what the future looks like, so you may need to adjust your objectives along the way.

7. Market and Publicize Your Relaunch

This step may seem obvious, but you should never underestimate the importance of marketing. Even if your business was thriving before the pandemic, you may have lost some momentum when you had to close down. Unfortunately, it will probably take some time and effort to build up your customer base again.

Do everything within your power to publicize your company’s relaunching. Post frequently on social media, and put signs or banners outside of your storefront. Send announcements to your email list detailing your plan to relaunch. Some of your customers may simply need a reminder that your brand exists, and they’ll be excited to see that you’re reopening.

If you have the budget to invest in marketing, consider launching a paid search campaign with Google or other search engines. Paid search targets people who are actively searching for your product or service, so it almost always delivers excellent results. Another option is paid social media marketing, which delivers your ads on social platforms to people within your target audience.

Relaunching after COVID-19 may seem daunting. You might be unsure of how your customers’ needs have changed or how people will interact with your business post-pandemic. Remember that everyone else is facing this uncertainty, too. Although you can’t be sure of what the future will bring, you can research and plan for what’s happening today. Most importantly, be honest, clear, and compassionate with your customers. The last year has been immensely challenging, but brands that focus on togetherness will bring the security and stability that people crave.