There was barely any time for small mom and pop shops to catch up when COVID-19 began to cause business closures - in some cases permanently due to the crippling stress and months of disrupted business and income. I saw it first hand as I worked throughout the pandemic and consulted with my customers. You see, I worked at a POS software company as an Account Executive and It was during this time that Ellie Social was reborn.
As more and more businesses closed and our phone lines got inundated, I realized this ginormous gap existed amongst all industries and all cities across North America. As I spoke with my customers it became clear these business owners were desperate to go digital and sell anything online to keep afloat. It was so immobilizing to be completely powerless, unable to solve the woes of these men and women losing their livelihoods. I couldn’t help but think of my own parents and how I would do anything to help them if they were in the same position. Fortunately, I did have a saving grace and was able to help facilitate our eCommerce software to get them a functioning website… but where did that leave the customers after it was set up?
Although I believed so strongly in our product and its value, I saw dozens of lost opportunities - mainly witnessing clients purchase eCommerce only to give up almost immediately and shut their doors for good. It wasn’t because they had the wrong intention. In fact, the willingness to accept a new way of business was inspiring - but it was equally frustrating because I knew in my heart a website alone wasn’t good enough.
To succeed in the digital space takes just as much thought as setting up a brick and mortar. There are behind the scenes systems and structures that need to be put in place to drive traffic to a website just as you would encourage people to enter your shop. There's a common misconception that just by setting up a few pages online, customers will begin trickling in and purchasing from the website.
But just as storefronts are designed to attract customers - So are the website and social media pages. From having a website, to developing a social media presence and the appropriate funnels to connect the two in order to make a marketing strategy function successfully. Thats why Ellie Social was relaunched and rebranded to fit the needs of these people I felt so heartbroken for.
I promised myself from then on I would do what I can to help traditional business models make the switch and flourish within the digital world. My background is in social media branding and design and I have always had a knack for building communities both face-to-face and in a digital demographic.
I knew by pulling from my experience at the tech company along with my previous freelance experience in the industry, we would be able to truly make an impact and help those business owners. That's truly our mission here at Ellie Social. My team and I are so excited to begin this journey and start helping small and pop shops make a name for themselves online and continue to grow as a result of their digital reputation.
Do you know someone in your community that's struggling in business? A small business that's recovering from a rough COVID closure? Maybe it's your mom or dad's business and you want to help. Maybe it's YOU. Send an email to kaylin@elliesocialmedia,com and consult with me directly. I'd love to help.