Las Vegas, NV, June 03, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The pandemic played havoc on many businesses on both ends of the financial spectrum. While some companies flourished, many more failed. According to a study by economists at the Federal Reserve, the pandemic resulted in the permanent closure of roughly 200,000 U.S. establishments above historical levels during the first year of the viral outbreak.
The pandemic brought a parade of headline-making Chapter 11 filings from historic department stores, apparel outlets, restaurants, and others – including Brooks Brothers, Chuck E Cheese, and Hertz.
Other companies thrived, in large part because of the tremendous uptick in digital engagement marketing and sales. Consumers spent $861.12 billion online with U.S. retailers in 2020, up 44.0% from $598.02 billion in 2019, according to the latest Digital Commerce 360 analysis. COVID-19-related boosts in online shopping resulted in an additional $174.87 billion in e-commerce revenue in 2020, Digital Commerce 360 estimates.
Some of the nation’s largest companies – most notably Amazon and Walmart – posted record earnings in 2020. Comparatively speaking, on the lower end of the financial spectrum, Engaged Nation, a small but emerging leader in digital engagement, experienced its most successful year in history during the pandemic. At the outset of COVID 19, it was touch and go with Engaged Nation. As with so many companies who had to make difficult decisions when the pandemic hit, Engaged Nation’s viability was far from certain.
Following a brief internal discussion about furloughing its team, the company quickly pivoted and developed several new products and go-to-market systems.
“We had to weigh many variables before we could decide on our future,” said Engaged Nation CEO Jerry Epstein. “On a Friday just after the shutdowns, we were leaning towards suspending operations, but with some weekend brainstorming and a revised business strategy, we were committed to moving forward.”
Engaged Nation quickly learned that their specialty – digital engagement – was taking on new meaning.
“We advised our existing and prospective clients not to cease their digital customer outreach even though they might be closed or were experiencing a significant decrease in traffic and sales,” said Epstein. “We emphasized that they would be in a better position than their competition during this difficult period if they kept their brand top-of-mind with our platform. We then built a Welcome Back web portal and eventually a Wish you Were Here site with our fun and rewarding customized activities and games to keep customers connected. We knew time would tell if we could keep people engaged and ultimately drive them back to our clients’ land-based locations and products.”
In reality, no one could have predicted that it would be nearly a year before society would begin re-opening. During that time, digital engagement blossomed. That’s because the pandemic caused changes in consumer behavior that would not have happened at such a quick pace otherwise. A Digital 2020 report – published in partnership with We Are Social and Hootsuite – shows that digital, mobile, and social media have become an indispensable part of everyday life for people worldwide.
Specifically, in 2020, US adults consumed 7 hours, 50 minutes of digital media per day – more than the average they sleep daily. This is up 15.0% from 6:49 in 2019, the most significant increase since 2012.
This digital boon fueled Engaged Nation’s growth. Last year the Las Vegas-based company posted record earnings – nearly the total of its two previous years combined. Although confidentiality agreements prohibit Engaged from divulging many on its client list, the company confirmed that its roster not only significantly expanded, but the names on its roster now include some of the country’s largest and most respected brands.
“Most importantly, we saw results that exceeded all expectations,” commented Epstein. “On average, our proprietary system generated 17 times online return for our clients. Additionally, we helped drive up to 64% in product sales increases for our clients.”
“With retail traffic decreasing during the pandemic, we needed to increase our digital engagement with shoppers. Engaged Nation has been instrumental in introducing a rich gamified marketing experience delivering measurable results against all KPIs beyond our expectations,” said Jonathan Richman, Senior Executive at Advantage Marketing Partners in Dallas. Advantage is the agency of record for some of the nation’s top brands and works with such retailers as Speedway, 7-11, and Albertsons.
“They have been a true partner and act as an extension of our marketing team, always bringing us new ideas and digital solutions,” added Richman.
The 2021 prospects for Engaged Nation’s growth are equally, if not more, encouraging than last year. The company is on track to post more than a 100% sales increase.
“It has been a wild ride,” added Epstein. “From nearly closing to posting record numbers, our company today is much bigger, stronger, and more relevant than ever before. We look forward to continuing our meteoric growth. But this time, we are excited to do it in a healthy, thriving environment.”
About Engaged Nation
Engaged Nation (EN) is an award-winning digital engagement marketing firm. Its interactive "clicks-to-bricks" and "click-to-clicks" web-based incentive programs engage users online with its proprietary REACH platform to deliver a measurable desired outcome. REACH™ is one of the most advanced interactive customer acquisition and loyalty engagement platforms available today. It offers unparalleled versatility as it measurably increases the ROI of any online or land-based promotion and digital marketing campaign. All customized programs align with each client's business needs, from a single short-term goal of driving a brick & mortar or web-based retail visit to enhancing lifetime customer value. Visit www.EngagedNation.com to learn more.