Living in the world in the time of a global pandemic is scary for many reasons.
Our lives have been impacted on every possible level of existence, from constantly present worry for health to the shifts in the global economy.
Many countries have been in lockdowns and had movement restrictions, closing of borders and that had immense consequences to a large percentage of businesses, especially small ones.
Larger corporations could allow such losses in revenue, but unfortunately, many startups and small businesses all over the world were simply forced to close their doors for good. Or at least, until this period is over.
Our topic for today is therefore extremely relevant for all business owners, let’s talk about rebuilding a business!
Damage evaluation
First of all, you need to have all the facts straight, without any sugar-coating of the revenue losses, damages on your existing clientele number and any importing or exporting needs.
When it comes to both your customer relation and financial aspects, the first step in regaining your pre-pandemic levels is crunching the numbers. This is more than ever relevant for businesses operating within the entertainment or travel industry, as those two were the most affected.
Find the data and statistics from the problematic period in this year to compare it to the same during several previous ones, in order to have a better understanding of the impact.
Next thing you should do after you collect the data is to organize a brainstorm meeting with relevant people from each department and all the stakeholders.
The first item on the agenda should definitely be an evaluation of your response when the COVID-19 crisis hit you. Many business owners went into the panic mode and lost even more than they objectively needed to because of the restrictions. Emphasise during the meeting that this is not a time to be shy to share any piece of constructive criticism!
The situation was simply unprecedented and no matter how you handled it, you ought to be sincere if you want to recover your brand image.
Virtual reality as a priority
Living in the 21st century with the technological advances we have is already making people spend a lot of their time online.
Various screens have become the focus of our fast-paced and on-the-go lives, and you can use the fact to your advantage. During the pandemic period, people were spending even more time online, as many have been in isolation, followed the rules of social distancing and working remotely from their homes.
For this reason, your marketing plan should be all about digital marketing and the latest trends within it. Furthermore, all of the other types of gatherings and meetings should transition to virtual events for safety reasons.
First of all, revise the quality of optimization on your website, as it is one of the crucial factors of your online presence. It must be loading fast, highly recommended in less than six seconds. The visual aspect ought to be clear and well-structured for easy navigation through the website.
On a catalogue page with your products or services listed should always be a price next to each, as numerous surveys have shown the same thing, people find it more trustworthy.
On the other hand, many visitors will be frustrated if they find all the relevant facts about a certain item, and the price is missing. This can largely affect your visitors to buyers conversion rate, and that is the last thing you need now.
If you are not sure how to change and optimize your data, reach out to some experts in the field of digital marketing to help you with the optimization.
Social media and other online presence
Most people nowadays seek for and share information on their social media profiles, and you don’t have a page for your company on Facebook, Instagram and any other relevant networks your target group uses, it should be a priority for you!
It is an amazing opportunity to raise your brand awareness and remind your followers of any promotions, discount offers and any other latest updates free of charge.
Platforms of social media are great for sharing content which doesn’t have to be strictly related to your products or services. If you play this smart, you will be able to attract many new followers within your target group just by sharing interesting articles and videos.
Videos are the most engaging form of content for the last several years, and with the relatively new option of sharing daily stories, there are various doors to be opened and people to be reached!
Behind the scene, videos, tutorials, testimonials and direct messages from the employees can really raise your social media game to another level!
Furthermore, with the smallest investments, you can pay for advertisements on these platforms and be shown in the news feed of many users with the variables you choose, such as the local area or certain age group.
Conclusion
Understanding how our mindsets have been altered will be the best starting point in rebuilding your business. Times are quite unfortunate, and you need to constantly adapt to the needs and expectations of your existing and potential clients.
The key is being flexible and showing your audience you are emphasising with them, and that you understand what they are going through, as you are in the same boat.
We know that this situation has made owning a business more challenging than rewarding, but it is what it is, and we can only try to get the best out of the situation. Try to always learn from your mistakes and get as much feedback from your clients as you can.
Another thing, bear in mind that if you’ve survived this, you will be prepared for any other issue along the way. Good luck!
