The total Coronavirus death toll in the U.S. has now hit the 1,000,000 mark. This saddening state of affairs comes in the wake of recent talks about reopening the economy. While it’s clear that COVID-19 will be with us for longer, Americans must still find ways to go on with life.
Has your business stalled since the stay-home-orders came into effect? You aren’t alone. More than 7.5 million small businesses currently stand the risk of shutting down due to the pandemic.
You need to consider new ways of managing your business if you are going to stay afloat. While the restrictions are still in effect, your business can function remotely.
Are you wondering how to ensure normal business operations amid the quarantine? Here are seven critical tips to help you manage your business during this season.
1. Update Your Working Hours
Most of your repeat clients are used to your business operating within specific hours. But with the current situation, your business may be changing business hours, offering limited services, or only offering delivery services. The irregular operational hours may confuse or even lead to lost business.
It would be best if you considered updating your local business hours to keep your clients on the loop. Whether you’re introducing special hours or serving customers on requests, you need to keep your customer -base aware.
If your business ranks in Google’s search engine, ensure that it’s not marked as permanently closed. You can update the working hours on such search engines as often. The move will give your customers reliable information on your hours of operation and help you manage your business better.
2. Maintain Communication With Clients and Staff
Whether you offer essential services or other products, keeping tabs with your customers is vital. It would help to ensure your brand remains responsive during this pandemic. It’s frustrating to start from scratch with market penetration once things ease up due to lost customers.
Your company needs to keep monitoring and responding to reviews, customer queries, and complaints.
Are you wondering how to go about managing your business while in quarantine? Communicating with staff and clients through emails, text and phone calls can help keep you keep in touch.
Keeping your communication with customers and staff active can have a significant impact on enhancing retention.
3. Double Your Online Presence
E-commerce spending went up by 30% from the beginning of March. The trend is notable as Americans shift to ordering almost everything online.
Are you wondering how to proceed with managing your business during the current period? It would help if you increase your visibility online. The best way to target your customers currently is to invest in ensuring a robust online presence.
You may invest in Facebook ads, pay per click adverts, or YouTube videos. You only need reliable internet and a social media team to keep your brand visible online. You might also consider marketing agencies to enhance online visibility.
4. Set Up a Virtual Store
Most modern businesses are now adopting the virtual shop model in their operations. With the onset of COVID-19, the click and mortar business model is the only option that can guarantee survival in the market. If you want to better manage your business affairs, it makes sense to set up a virtual shop.
Customers can order products online then wait for you to provide delivery options. With a virtual store, managing your business from home will be more effective. However, communicating with staff and customers is essential to ensure the safe delivery of products.
5. Reconsider Your Marketing Strategy
Businesses must always have a winning marketing strategy. How have you been reaching your clients in the past? With the current situation, most potential and repeat clients are stuck at home.
Most traditional marketing options might become temporarily useless. This is a perfect time to consider a new digital marketing strategy. You might need to move your business platforms to the cloud, especially if you have many employees.
Adjusting your marketing strategy to capture the millions of potential clients has a dual effect. First, your market reach will expand two-fold. Two, you'll be able to adjust to this new spectrum of marketing with a keen focus on long-term solutions.
6. Improvising Will Help in Managing Your Business
As you adjust to the new normal, getting things done will become a significant challenge. This is especially so for professionals who depend so much on the outdoors. Such professions include outdoor photography.
Are you a photographer and wondering how to work your way around the current restrictions? You may need to improvise your way around your job. This will ensure that you manage your business better while on quarantine.
Keeping things in balance means that you might need to use presets to provide diffused light. You can learn how to add presets to Lightroom Mobile as you improvise your way around indoor photography.
Most businesses are now finding ad-libbing as a solution to many would-be limitations during this period. This may be the best time to rely on your wits.
7. Automate Your Workflow
The Corona pandemic has been a learning curve for many business owners. If you’re wondering how to go about managing your business in the wake of the virus, it might be time to consider automation.
Well, you might argue that it’s imprudent to commit a budget at this time. However, if automation will help save your business from imminent collapse, then it’s worth every dime. You can begin by automating tasks you have to do frequently.
One of the best things about automation is that you'll get an immediate reprieve if you’re understaffed. During this period paying salaries and wages may be a tall order. Even without regular employees, automation can help you remain on top of operations.
Finding Your Footing is Important During This Pandemic
Most businesses adopt the going concern model, given the intention to survive beyond underlying calamities. The Coronavirus will continue to ravage the globe, as the stay-home-orders become the new normal. However, as a business owner managing your business is imperative to guarantee continuity post-COVID -19.
With these seven tips, you have the assurance that your venture will not nosedive during the Coronavirus lockdown. Don’t let this passing pandemic cripple your business, manage your company remotely like a boss.
