Corona is a crisis for local retailers, while platforms such as Amazon are making huge profits. This is another reason why we are supporting the #supportyourlocals campaign with free hosting for portals that digitally connect local businesses. One example of this is Rheinkreishelden. We spoke to initiator Alexander Rottels about the project.
How did you come up with the idea of Rheinkreishelden? And how specifically do you support companies from the region in strengthening their local online marketing?
Basically, two points were decisive for the idea: firstly, we wanted to show solidarity with the local economy and help with our expertise in local and regional online marketing. Secondly, we noticed that the various offers for delivery and pick-up services and the resulting advertising - on social media and in flyers - had created a "confusion". This made it difficult for the customer to see through.
Together, these two factors gave us the idea of developing a platform on which all companies in the Rhine district of Neuss can clearly present their offers. So that the customer has a good and simple overview of the offers during the Corona crisis.
Corona help for customers of Raidboxes
Alternatives to Amazon & Co.
What can each and every one of us do to prevent local retailers from having to close their stores? At home, but also as a team in a company?
Of course, we should once again rely more on local retailers and shop there. As a team in the company or as a family, use the numerous delivery and pick-up services offered by restaurateurs, who continue to suffer immense liquidity losses despite the temporary easing of restrictions. Irrespective of this, reviews and recommendations help companies.
Due to the coronavirus crisis in particular, even more people are using Google search or social media channels to find up-to-date information about local retailers. Good and numerous reviews can then really be decisive for the purchase decision. However, recommendations or advertising by customers also help companies to remain known and boost sales again. This can be done, for example, with a "Support small businesses" sticker for the story on Instagram.
Your own online store
Does every store and every restaurant now need its own online store? For whom is such a shop suitable?
It would be advisable in every respect for "brick & mortar" companies (where customer contact does not take place online, but in stores and salesrooms) to consider this. Firstly, as part of an omni-channel strategy, which is becoming increasingly popular and is also being used more and more by small and medium-sized companies. But also as part of their own digitalization strategy to automate manual activities. For example, taking orders by phone or email.
Sometimes, however, a small form that you can quickly set up in your WordPress site with Contact Form 7 is enough. Or the "social stores" on Facebook or Instagram. The big advantage of a webshop is that companies can offer their customers the opportunity to shop outside of regular opening hours - and thus generate sales at any time. Especially in times of hard lockdowns, a web store can be vital for survival.
Online store to retail store
Successful omni-channel marketing
What other ways can you recommend to be present online?
The website is certainly still one of the easiest ways to have an online presence. However, entries in online business directories, review portals and social media are also important for success in order to offer customers and interested parties as many different ways as possible to find the company. However, it is essential that the same and correct information is available everywhere. If the customer is faced with a closed door because the opening hours have been entered incorrectly, this can quickly lead to a negative reputation.
I often hear the argument "Amazon is so convenient" or "the service there is so much better." What do local retailers perhaps need to do better in order to compete?
It is important to reach all target groups. The classic "stroll" is and remains attractive. In addition, the advantages of buying in local shops must be clearly emphasized. But the advantages of online shopping for customers must also be addressed and packaged in a strategy. I think that the future lies in operating multiple sales channels, so-called omni-channel marketing.
The right network & WordPress hosting
What financial and other support did you receive to realize the Rheinkreishelden?
We first put the idea to the Mayor of Neuss, Reiner Breuer, who offered us his support and established contacts with the business development agencies in the Rhine district of Neuss and the city of Neuss. Neuss Marketing, Sparkasse Neuss and various retailer and SME associations were also involved.
Your Raidboxes team supported us with hosting, the marketing agency Z Plus M with social media, and the lawyers Markus Jansen, Joachim Schwarz and Jens Schulte-Bromby(jusra.de) from Neuss with all legal matters.
Funding for WordPress projects
WordPress plugin for regional directories
What WordPress plugins or themes can you recommend if someone wants to set up a similar initiative for other regions? Or have you developed a lot yourself?
The platform is based on the GeoDirectory plugin, which we have developed independently and adapted to our needs. We have built a custom theme for this purpose. It's not the best solution for building a directory of this kind, as you quickly reach the limits of any plugin or theme. But in the short time available, it was the best and quickest option. In principle, we can also recommend this method. We offer to make our platform available for other projects of this kind.
A few words about you and your company stadtbekannt? How are you dealing with Corona?
I founded the company stadtbekannt in 2016. Our vision was to create a whitelabel platform that helps multipliers such as advertising agencies, web agencies, web hosts, etc. to expand their portfolio with products such as presence and reputation management. So that they can offer their customers really important and helpful services in the field of online marketing. At the same time, our mission is to help consumers alleviate the pain caused by a series of incorrect contact details and opening hours. And where they are usually faced with closed doors. I think everyone knows this situation, especially in a foreign city.
Since we do not sell the stadtbekannt software exclusively as a white label, but also distribute it ourselves, our other mission is to help companies in 6 countries with this tedious and time-consuming basic work: to take care of the maintenance of entries in online business directories, rating portals and social media. So that they can concentrate on their core competencies.
As we work with many SMEs in the local and regional area, we had to deal with the corona crisis early on. Nevertheless, we also saw this as an opportunity from the outset, as companies realized how important a good online presence is. And that it can really make them known in the city. With the Rheinkreishelden.de platform, we hope to have made a small contribution to making this difficult time a little easier for everyone.
As our team consists of trained remote workers, the crisis has not really affected or changed our work processes much. But of course, the personal encounters with employees and customers are sorely missed.
