There isn’t a business in the United States — and probably the world — that hasn’t been affected by COVID-19.
Some businesses are still completely shut down. Or have had to figure out how to operate with a skeleton crew of workers. Others have had to quickly and drastically ramp up services to meet increased demand.
And everyone is trying to figure out ways that they can alter their model to meet people’s needs right now and guess what those needs might be when all of this is over… whenever that might be.
Those, of course, are billion-dollar questions. And for some businesses, it may already be too late.
However, there are all kinds of ways that you can use this crisis to pivot your business in an attempt to survive and hopefully thrive. In this post, we’re going to cover three possible options you might want to consider.
Focus on Projects and Initiatives That Can Be Done Now
Maybe you can’t meet with your clients in person. Or that big conference you’ve been waiting for has been postponed. There are lots of things that you just can’t do right now.
The rest of the world sympathizes.
But that doesn’t mean you should just crawl into your bed and nap the days away. Depending on your specific industry and line of work, there are likely all kinds of things that you can still work on.
Maybe you’ve been struggling to work on your business rather than in it. Well, now seems like the perfect time to flesh out that business plan so you’re more prepared when things finally get closer to normal.
Have you been putting off updating your web page and building your social accounts? Oh-so-slowly developing a product that you just know will be killer? Been meaning to start an email newsletter?
If you’re willing to take a step back and let go of whatever you were working on, you’ll discover plenty that you can do.
Use the (Tech) Tools Available to You
This was already touched on above in mentioning web pages and social accounts and e-newsletters, but regardless of whether or not you can physically reach your customers, it’s still possible to engage with them — and in some cases, actually provide paid services.
One of the big ones here (though certainly not the only one) is video conferencing. A few months ago, regulations were relaxed to allow medical professionals to treat telehealth sessions just like in-person patient visits, and obviously other professions can monetize video conferencing as well.
Those who teach specific skills in person (dance, martial arts, music, and so on) can continue to hold virtual classes with students. Counselors can have sessions with patients from miles — or even cities — away. Same with consultants, beauty pros, and countless others.
And don’t forget that people can still buy from you online if you sell products. All it takes is a website with a shopping cart system. Or you can sign up for a seller account with a site like Amazon.
Worry about Engagement, Not Conversions
Unless you are in a very specific industry right now, chances are good that your company is going to take a revenue hit. That’s tough to swallow for anyone, but it’s the reality right now.
Lots of businesses had the ways that they are able to interact with their customers significantly altered. Additionally, many people are hunkering down and trying not to spend as much money.
That being said, significant portions of the country and the world are stuck home and bored. People want to be engaged. They want to be entertained. They want content.
Because of this, they might be more receptive than usual to useful information that you send their way. They might even be appreciative of it.
And if you play your cards right, you’ll be able to keep your business top-of-mind during the crisis. Perhaps even grow your audience.
To be clear, most of this won’t translate directly to money for many businesses. At least not immediately. But when people are ready to spend again, you’re likely to be one of the first places they consider.
None of this is fair. And none of it is easy. But if you are willing to be flexible and creative during this time, you might just come out of this okay on the other side.
Want to learn more about how? Let us help!
