6 tips to help you run your business during a pandemic
By Candace Huntly
During a pandemic, there is always so much change and you have to be able to adapt quicker than usual. It is common to feel uncertain when it comes to your business and how to market it and stay on top of the changes so you come out ahead. Here are 6 tips to make sure you are able to stay on top of your business strategy and keep your audience interested during a pandemic.
DON’T COMMUNICATE UNNECESSARILY
There is a lot of unnecessary information out there about the pandemic itself. Everyone is adding their voice to the noise and you don’t want to be “just another email about coronavirus”. If you are sending an email communication, ask yourself whether it is necessary. Perhaps it’s better to share via social media?
I lost count of how many emails I have received in the past week that told me their employees were washing their hands and they were taking extra precautions to clean stores and restaurants. First of all, it makes me question what happens for the rest of the time. But also, I don’t like receiving form letters at the best of times.
It’s OK to take a step back and take a deep breath before you send out an email. During times like these where the situation can change on a moment’s notice, gather all of the information and make an informed decision rather than a knee jerk reaction.
FOCUS ON WHAT YOU DO BEST
During times of uncertainty, it’s best to focus on what you do best – your core business. Now isn’t the time to start thinking about a new side hustle or trying new and untested services. The world around you has moved to essential services thinking and so should you when it comes to marketing your business. Reinforce your messaging about what it is you offer and what makes your business so great.
CREATE CONTENT
Even if your customers can’t buy from you right now, they will eventually. You need to keep them interested in what you have to say so that when they are ready to purchase, your brand will be top of mind. Think about creating your content to serve a purpose, but also think about putting selling on the back burner. Your content could entertain, inform, or even teach something new. Your audience will appreciate the break from sales content – and they will definitely appreciate the fact that you aren’t focusing all of your efforts on reporting on the unfolding situation.
BE SENSITIVE TO DAILY ANNOUNCEMENTS
If you have developed a robust social media strategy, you likely have pre-scheduled social media posts ready to go. Double check your content daily to ensure that it matches to the tone of the daily announcements regarding the pandemic. You might have to adjust your content or change it altogether to be sensitive to the situation.
WFH
It seems like a given, but if you can, work from home (WFH). This will help to stop spread of the virus within your community. As business owners, you should look at this as an opportunity to get creative with how you communicate with your team. During this period where you are either working from home or temporarily closed, make sure you take care of your employees. In all of the useless communications I have received over the past week, one sentiment that stands out is the brands that indicate that they will cover lost wages and their employees are protected.
DON’T PANIC
Your first reaction when it comes to business should never be to panic. If you feel like your business is going to be affected negatively by the pandemic, try to look at your overall business strategy to see if there are things you can do a little bit differently during this time. Figure out how your audience is doing and adjust accordingly.
If you are concerned about how the current pandemic will affect your business success and you don’t know how to change things up, set up a free 20-minute video consultation with us. We’ll help you figure things out.