It's crazy how quickly the world was turned on its head when the Coronavirus Pandemic hit the United States earlier this year.
Many companies, especially those in hospitality and foodservice, have been put out of commission, and those still surviving, are having to come up with new plans to stay afloat almost every week.
Can your business adapt to the changing environment?
Whether you run a mom-and-pop style business, a large corporation, a franchise, or a nonprofit, the business world has forever shifted because of the Coronavirus pandemic, and now is the time to adapt if you want to survive and thrive in the new business landscape.
Owning a content strategy consultancy during this time has taught me five valuable lessons about the brands that are weathering the COVID-19 storm and potentially coming out of the pandemic more successful than they were before. Here are five things your company should be doing right now:
Get your products and services online.
If your website is out of date or is not correctly displaying what it is that you're selling, now is the time to make sure that your customers or clients can quickly and easily find your brand and discover what you can do for them -- without having to connect with you in person.
Make sure your content is well written and easy to understand on your website and in your social media posts. And if you can, create a unique banner or landing page to explain to your target audience how they can engage with you in light of the current business climate.
Fine-tune your brand messaging.
There is no time like the present to make sure that your overarching brand messaging is on point. Maybe you launched your business ten years ago and never got around to creating a tagline, or a concise boilerplate. Or perhaps you're just starting a biz, and are realizing that your messaging needs more clear direction. Wherever your company is in the business cycle, the significant shift that is happening in the business market place is causing all companies to rethink their position. What's your differentiator? If you can't answer that question in 30 seconds, then your brand likely needs a messaging overhaul.
Reformat your products or services.
Before the Coronavirus hit, the business world was already evolving at top speed, and then everything was at a stand-still.
Most leaders have wrapped their heads around the fact that reaching consumers may look different for a longer time than expected (see this, and this article). With this knowledge in mind, many business owners also realize that their products or services could use a refresh to be more valuable in a marketplace that is increasingly remote and online.
If you haven't already, it's time to start thinking outside of what you know about your customers and your offerings. A few companies that are already jumping on the opportunity to adapt and evolve include, Trader Joe's (implementing new hours and capacity limits), 3M (adapting to making medical masks), and many others!
Go fully remote.
If you have employees, and your business is one that allows your staff to work at a computer, this is the moment to go fully remote. This solution may be a short term fix, but perhaps your team will find that working remotely (or partially remotely) works for the long term too! If you are looking to get your team into a remote environment that still keeps things connected, check out these two platforms (Basecamp or ProofHub).
Reconsider your business goals.
Not here to tell you what to do or when to do it, but if you feel that the new business scene is just not going to work with your current business, maybe it's time to reconsider your plan. If there's a means for you to pivot, or re-establish yourself and your offerings, excellent, but if not, can you change the course completely? Two great articles on the topic are below:
Advice for New Entrepreneurs Entering the COVID-19 Era
'Staying Nimble': How Small Businesses Can, and Do, Shift Gears
Regardless of how you are approaching your business practices and plans amid the COVID-19 pandemic, know that you are not alone. Many other leaders and business owners are looking for solutions, just like you, and you will find the right path forward—best of luck to you during this time.