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How Social Media Saved Retailers And Businesses During A Pandemic.

Social media marketer, Mehar Gulati shares her insight

The pandemic was the hardest time for retailers and organizations—from job cuts to store closures, it created incredible losses and a radical lean period. It even implied that brands could at this point not depend on the in-store shopping experience to give clients extraordinary services. While it created a broad weight on the brands and retailers, the silver lining came in the form of social media! Traditional methods of marketing a brand gave a new space by switching to digital and social media that not only saved the brands but even gave a new life to them! Pandemic even created stress for marketers to convey the genuine business impact that should be more prominent than at any other time. To win new clients and to hold the current ones, brands have begun to adjust with their clients who were investing, the majority of their time while working or staying at home during the pandemic. From what they need, and where they need it from has now become the primary concern which presently is being settled by means of social media.

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As a social media marketer and PR professional, Mehar Gulati found that during this time, social media assumed a pivotal part to save the businesses. At first, retailers and brands rethought that the clients and customers are probably not going to go through hours in stores or shopping centres. Additionally, I saw a couple of brands battling with the sales as they imagined that the customers or shoppers are probably going to spend less. When the pandemic hit, it implied additional time invested on the phone or laptop and significantly less in-person interactions. The adjustment in the working society to remote working took into consideration more opportunity to be spent on the web. It took into account a somewhat more prominent degree to associate with the clients as the brands could comprehend their requirements much better. For brands, existing plans and advertising strategies immediately needed to conform to this new world so that they could exist and excel. This thought helped them cater to an online audience, making sure customers can discover new products and purchase them easily and simply without entering physical shops. Mehar feels that not only is social media a cost-effective and fast alternative to achieve brand awareness, but it has also proved to be the best medium to communicate in the current environment with pictorial representations. Being able to cut through the noise of daily media broadcasts and show that your business is making some sense of the effects of COVID-19 allows businesses to educate potential consumers and prime prospects using a digital platform.

Online platforms have not just demonstrated the importance for large organizations to handle the pandemic crises, but social media has even given an uplift to small brands as well. During this pandemic, we even saw campaigns and trends like #VocalforLocal, #ShopLocal, and #SaveLocalBrands that began arising on social media to assist small companies and brands with enduring the pandemic. This assisted with expanding visibility and awareness to these organizations to capitalise on the growing interest in shopping via the social media platforms.

She says,“I even saw that considering pandemic, social media platforms like Facebook created the 'Business Asset Center' to help those being influenced by the pandemic with an allowed-to-get to the centre point that incorporates a 'flexibility toolbox', which has data about handling business interruptions. Likewise, Instagram additionally delivered another component to help independent and small ventures make deals, which came as gift vouchers, food requests, and small business stickers that brands began sharing on their profile or in stories.”

With customers reluctant to race to the shopping centre, brands began to go to better approaches to acquire the store experience home. For example, garments brands and retailers needed to defeat the test of genuine fitting rooms being shut during the pandemic by offering virtual fitting rooms utilizing expanded reality (A.R.) to show customers what they may resemble in the attire they are thinking about buying. During this time, I even found that influencer marketing ended up being popular as much more individuals invested their energy being live or online on social media. I saw that the brands pivoted towards influencers to profoundly draw in networks to connect with their crowds and create a more genuine story to additionally promote their item or sell their products. Similarly, these influencers tapped on the situation by supporting the brands via engaging campaigns and methods.

From advertisements to paid promotions, brands began to investigate the correct digital tools to attract the correct crowds, with the correct message, at an ideal time. They even began taking orders by means of comments on social media platforms or DM that further saved leads during this critical time. This inventive and exploratory method via social media has opened a road for brands to develop their awareness and bring their business in the motion again. Social media has assumed a significant part in creating relevant awareness and sales which have led to saving a lot of retail businesses and brands which were otherwise on the brink of a shutdown. With the pandemic, we can be certain of one thing: the digital world may be the new spot for brands to sell their items or services. It even methods, that the brands need to centre their marketing endeavours much more on the digital world to excel and grow.

“I would truly recommend brands and retailers to utilize free and simple tools via social media channels that can improve the viability and visibility of the brand by means of reliable marketing endeavours. This invaluable lesson that we all understood during the pandemic must be remembered in the long run that the future is digital. Brands must further streamline and target the branded campaigns on social media more effectively to generate sales, build a strong story and to reach out to the target customers," concludes Mehar.


Text by Mehar Gulati, Founder Scarlet Relations

Mehar GulatiMehar Gulati


About Mehar Gulati
Mehar Gulati, Founder, Scarlet Relations studied Fashion Public Relations and communications at the London College of Fashion. After which she worked with the top agencies in London for Media Relations, Brand development & consultancy-( Branding, Social Media, packaging, Store designs, and much more), and Crisis Communications. After studying Fashion Public Relations and communications, passion translated to the profession for Mehar at an early stage. Her zealous drive and ambition had her managing the outreach strategies of multiple brands globally. Working with over 20 clients in the Luxury sector in her time at different agencies for 3 years + (Fashion, Retail, F&B, Hospitality, Wellness, FMCG) she followed the trend in and out.  Her work as the Founder of Scarlet helps reinforce the primary reason why she opted to join the industry in the first place: the joy of delivering (qualitatively and quantitatively) on the faith that clients place in her. At Scarlet, she adorned the entrepreneurial hat whereby she helps various brands to structure their social media, consult on building the right strategies, and assists in collaborations for sound presence! 



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