How to use Yoco’s online payment suite to keep your business afloat
Our ways of doing business have been fundamentally impacted by COVID-19, and small businesses are in for a tough journey as they try to navigate the new reality we find ourselves in. The Yoco team have worked tirelessly to find real solutions for our merchants to enable them to reignite their cash flow and keep their businesses afloat.
What online payment products does Yoco have?
There are three new ways for merchants to accept payments safely and securely through Yoco.
Each one gives you a different way to accept payment from your customers. These simple but powerful tools put small business owners back in the driving seat. Take a look at these videos to learn more about our new features and how to activate them in your Yoco app:
How do I use online payments if I don’t have an online store?
The best part about our online payment suite is that they were designed and built specifically to help small business owners get cash in without having to set up an online store.
Follow the instructions to activate the Gift Voucher feature in Business Portal or update your app to use Payment Page and Payment Request, and voila! You’re ready to start communicating with your customer base.
Gift Vouchers
Gift Vouchers are the easiest place to start if you sell products or services that can be redeemed once the lockdown lifts and you are able to trade again. Post your gift voucher onto your social media, send it to your network via Whatsapp or email, or even ask friends and family to share it with their networks.
Yoco tip: Want to create beautiful social media content quickly and easily? Take a look at our blog post of the tools we recommend for small business owners moving into online marketing for the first time.
Payment Page
Payment Page is a way to get donations from your customer base to help you keep the lights on for the next few weeks. Your customers can donate any amount they’d like to simply by using your unique link. These donations can be obligation free so if you aren’t comfortable with selling gift vouchers, then this is a great way to kickstart your cash flow.
Payment Request
Payment Request is built for lockdown and beyond. This efficient, simple method of payment allows your customers to pay you remotely using a link. With a little social media marketing, and a quick link sent via chat or email, your customers can shop with you and pick up their purchases after the lockdown.
How do I get my business discovered online?
Your next customer is only a click away. We asked team members from Yoco’s online marketing department to give you a few tips on how to get eyeballs on your business.
- Join the Support Small directory*
Once you’ve activated your Gift Voucher feature, you can also join our Support Small business directory. Create a profile and we’ll spread the word! Shoppers will be able to look up your business and support you through Yoco.
- Connect to your community
A little goes a long way. Join community groups (like Yoco’s small business Facebook group or your local neighbourhood Whatsapp group) and promote your business. If you haven’t done it yet, now is the time to fire up your social media profiles and start connecting with your online community.
Yoco tip: Try the thunderclap method! Once you’ve created a post for people to share, ask 10 of your friends to share your post to their network and challenge 10 of their friends to do the same. Your post could make it onto the feeds of potential customers all around the country.
- Share your story
People respond best to honest, authentic stories. So tell yours! It might seem like no one is interested but sharing your journey helps customers connect and engage with you. And these are the customers far more likely to keep supporting your business with Gift Vouchers and donations even when you aren’t trading.
- Align, adjust, adapt
This is the basic framework for marketing online. You don’t need a fancy strategy or content plan. You just need to commit to doing one thing every day to promote your business. The more you engage with customers, the better you will be able to align, adjust and adapt your business for this new world we find ourselves in.
- Prepare for the beyond
There will be life beyond the lockdown! It might be hard to look to the future because it seems so uncertain but it is still important to be optimistic and work towards a goal. Online payment solutions like Payment Request give you power to pivot your business and come up with innovative solutions to keep your business afloat.
Reach out to the Yoco team if you need guidance or support on how you can best prepare for the coming weeks and months.
*The Yoco Support Small directory will be launching soon. Follow us on social media to find out how to sign up!
