Local small business says digital tools helped drive significant growth during COVID-19
Digitally advanced Florida business, Touchland, a hand-sanitizer brand based out of Miami, shared their story and discussed how they’ve leaned on digital and social platforms to connect consumers with their valuable products.
According to Founder and CEO Andrea Lisbona, Touchland saw over 1,200 percent growth in 2020 and struggled to keep up with production. They moved to a pre-order model to better manage demand, using Google Analytics and Google Ads to stay in step with customer demand and began donating five percent of all production to healthcare workers.
“Looking forward, we’re excited to lead with our brand in [ad] creatives and display search campaigns, use technology to sustain our growth and production, and connect more with our customers,” said Touchland’s Head of Growth, Ned MacPherson.
The success Touchland is seeing is reflected in the Connected Commerce Council’s (3C) new report Digitally Driven: 2021, which shows that digitally advanced small businesses are thriving. The success rate between the most digitally aggressive and the digitally skeptical small businesses is widening, exposing a skills gap that could leave behind small businesses struggling with digital tool adoption, according to the research. Surveying more than 2,000 small businesses nationwide, the study found that “Digitally Advanced” businesses that adopted technology before COVID-19 continued to integrate new digital tools during the pandemic.
Moreover, “Digitally Uncertain” businesses are seeing their more advanced counterparts achieve greater success. Digitally Advanced businesses earned twice as much revenue and hired twice as many employees during COVID-19 than Digitally Uncertain small businesses.
“The Digital Safety Net saved millions of small businesses and softened the blow for millions more during the pandemic,” said Jake Ward, President of the Connected Commerce Council. “Social media, digital advertising, financial and operational management, and online marketplaces all giveDigitally Advanced businesses a leg up. As businesses and the economy look toward recovery, we should work to stop Digitally Uncertain businesses from falling further behind and through the Digital Safety Net,” said Ward.
Digitally Driven: 2021 found that 82% of advanced businesses credited Digital Safety Net tools with helping them succeed during the pandemic, compared to only 26% of uncertain businesses. Also, nearly 97% of advanced small businesses adopted new digital tools during the pandemic compared to 51% of uncertain small businesses.
The report also found:
- During COVID-19, advanced businesses had 5X better retention of existing customers and 20X better acquisition of new customers compared to uncertain businesses
- Advanced businesses adopted tools for hiring, training, collaborating, and e-commerce at a rate of 14X higher than uncertain businesses
- Advanced businesses are more optimistic about the future as 88% are confident they will be making new hires this year compared to only 36%of uncertain businesses
- Digitally Uncertain small businesses cite cost concerns and lack of knowledge as reasons for not embracing digital tools.
“Digital tools are affordable, secure, and scalable. Ensuring small businesses can access digital tools is the secret ingredient to their success. Policymakers must work hand-in-hand with private industry and educational institutions to make access to digital tools training easier and empower small business’ future success,” added Ward.
The study was conducted by Greenberg in partnership with 3C and Google.
About 3C:
The Connected Commerce Council is a non-profit membership organization with a single goal: to promote small businesses’ access to essential digital technologies and tools. 3C provides small businesses with access to the market’s most effective digital tools available, provides coaching to optimize growth and efficiency, and cultivates a policy environment that considers and respects the interests of today’s small businesses.
