The pandemic along with numerous lockdowns has created a number of changes in the grand scheme of things and has especially thrown a spanner in the “business works” for many.
Co-vid-19 has presented businesses with unprecedented challenges, and as a result, most of us need to modify, change and reinvent the way we do business. But the takeaway from this experience is that we now the opportunity to learn and grow!
To help you rethink the way you do business post the lockdown we’ve put together a list of some essential tips that business leaders and entrepreneurs can focus on.
1. Online presence is KEY
The pandemic has revealed a massive change in consumer behaviour – everyone is now online. There has been a rapid migration to the online world – from the online shopping sprees, to social media use at an all time high, to the endless zoom calls and google hangout meetings.
It’s important for business to take advantage of this opportunity and rethink how they engage with consumers and potential clients in the online world.
Some ways that you can do this is firstly, investing in a good website that is both user friendly and unique to your brand. Hiring a web designer could save you time and energy, but there are also plenty of premium website builders like WordPress, WIX and Web.com that provide basic and easy – to – use templates.
If you already have an online business, it could be worthwhile to review your existing website and investigate whether your content needs to be updated or if you need to fix technical errors like load time, which could greatly impact audience response to CTA (call to action) buttons. Another crucial reason to re-examine your website is to improve your SEO (search engine optimisation). Google, for instance, constantly adjusts its algorithms to catch unethical SEO practices and improve user search experience. Hence, taking the time to adjust your website accordingly, can bring more users to the site and improve your google rankings.
2. Invest in content and online advertising
Moving your entire operation online includes changing your advertising strategy as well, and here’s how:
- Create engaging content: Creating content for your brand can mostly be done free of charge and you can get creative with it! It’s important however, to first research on SEO & keywords so that you curate content accordingly. A really good content building platform is Jasper or Canva for graphics, posters and social media.
- Google ads: Google Ads is Google’s online advertising program that help businesses reach their desired audiences at the right place at the right time, and generate valuable leads. The model runs on pay-per-click (PPC) advertising which means you pay for every visitor who clicks on your ad. With google ads, you can control how much money you spend on ads and adjust ad campaigns based on whether they do well or not, so it is very flexible.
With google ads, you can actively measure success – who clicked on your ads, what time are most of your audience clicking, who downloaded your app etc. This also be a great way to learn about your customers shopping habits.
3. Build your online reviews:
A lot of companies don’t consider how much value customer reviews hold – it’s sometimes the first thing that customers look for before they try or buy a product or service.
Reviews help you get noticed, lead to more sales, improve search engine rankings, inform your business, and convince customers to pick up the phone and call you.
Positive reviews tell prospective clients what you’re doing right. But more importantly, they reflect that your business is trustworthy and will be more eager to support your organisation.
So start building those reviews!
4. Reach out for help
No one likes to fail, especially budding entrepreneurs. But the pandemic has caused many unexpected turns for businesses, most being not in their favour. Loss of staff, funds and an unsteady bottom line are just some of the outcomes for many companies post-pandemic.
In instances like this, it’s always worthwhile to ASK FOR HELP. You never know know what can come of it.
What a lot of businesses need to understand is that there is never shame in reaching out for help. Especially during these trying times, there is always support available.
There are a number ways where businesses can get financial and professional guidance:
- Their government
- Their local community
- Networking partners.
- Their local chamber of commerce.
- Professional associations.
- Trusted advisors.
- Professional consultants and analysts.
