Tackle The New Lockdown Head On With Vooba
While the majority of us have stepped into the New Year with high spirits, it’s understandable that a National Lockdown just a few days into 2021 could dampen them. While the lockdown brings with it many personal and business challenges, it’s more important now than ever to find new ways to defeat them.
Adapt and Overcome
With the lockdown comes various different challenges for businesses across every industry, but there are often alternative ways to operate. While the first lockdown was daunting because we were looking at the unknown, this time around we know a little more of what to expect. There’s more clarity on the rules and therefore more of an opportunity to alter your business plans to adhere to the guidelines and keep some elements of your business running.
Instead of simply closing the doors and falling into a rut, why not look at this as an opportunity to pivot your business. Assess your ongoing strategies and determine where things could be altered or improved. Even if your business has no wiggle room for reopening and it is a case of closed doors, for now, there are other things you could be taking care of to ensure your future success. Remember to...
Re-Think Your Business Model
Take this opportunity to step back and see things from a different perspective. It’s time to be creative. These challenging times call for business owners to think outside of the box and come up with alternative ideas to help their company to grow and succeed.
The options will vary depending on your industry, but identifying these new opportunities with a positive mindset is vital. While they may not be fortune making ideas, they may be enough to help you to keep your head above the water until things reopen again. For example:
Care Packages - We could all do with a bit of TLC right now and with places such as salons closed, many might be wondering how they can achieve this. We know of some salons who are currently selling care packages containing a selection of items that their clients love, which they can use themselves at home while offering facetime consultations too to discuss their needs. This might be your favourite creams, face masks, nail polish for DIY manicures, hair treatments, anything at all.
This might be useful for salons who can currently not carry out any actual appointments, or perhaps even alternative businesses who can offer something similar. Find the products you provide that people love and offer this little ‘pick me up’ to your clients. Packages can easily be posted out or offered via a local delivery service, while still adhering to lockdown rules. You could even include a voucher in the package to increase the value, which can be redeemed at a later date once things reopen.
Takeaway Options - While pubs and restaurants have sadly had to close their doors once more, takeaway services are still operating. Many have adapted their businesses to make this an option, offering tasty dishes delivered to your door which would never before have been an option. While we all do desperately miss popping down to the local pub, perhaps picking up a takeaway meal could be the next best thing - while offering you a source of income too.
Digital Services - Some zoos are offering live streams of their animals, or fun quizzes, for example. Get creative and think of those digital services you can offer which might be useful to clients, while also helping us to remain connected.
Set Up Your Online Shop
If you previously relied on face to face sales, now would be the time to set up an online store! Many have considered 2020 to have been the rise of e-commerce, but if you haven’t yet jumped on the bandwagon then what are you waiting for? By setting up an online shop you’ll not only be enabling customers to make a purchase now, but also work towards future-proofing your business. You might even find yourself reaching a much larger audience, without any travel restrictions, leading to far more success in the years to come.
Continue to communicate
Even if you’re one of those businesses who simply cannot operate at this time, you shouldn’t just hide away in the dark. Take the time now to continue to work on improving your client relationships by building up your online presence. Communicate on social media. Find alternative ways to improve your business - perhaps you need a new website, or to take some new photos? Could your premises do with a cleanup? Are you able to offer any tutorials or information via live streams, i.e. gyms offering personal training sessions over Zoom? Keep in touch with your followers online and update them on any changes to your business. By ensuring your name is appearing regularly at the top of their newsfeeds, you’ll not only help to stay memorable but will also ensure that by the time you do reopen, trust has been built up in your brand.
Be Helpful
Brands who are using their market position to offer help and assistance during their downtime are those which will leave an impression. If you simply cannot operate your business, can you offer your time to others? Perhaps you could be spending time helping to provide for the elderly or vulnerable who are shielding? Could you offer more generic advice? Perhaps even your posts and communication will offer some motivation, a pick me up; which right now, is something we all need. Whatever you can offer, your customers will appreciate it and it’ll be remembered in time to come.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly:
Don’t Accept Defeat
Now is the time to be proactive and, while it’s okay to not feel okay right now, sitting back and simply accepting defeat will only leave your business suffering. No matter which industry you are working in, there will be something you can do to improve the long-term success of the company. We’re here to help you to come up with unique marketing strategies to help you along the way; get in touch with a member of our team today to discuss your needs.
Stay Safe
Please do remember to stay safe and well during these times. Not only must you be taking care of your physical self, adhering to the latest guidelines, but taking care of your overall mental wellbeing too. It’s tough being confined to our homes once more, but remember that we are ‘safe’ inside, not ‘stuck’ inside. We would like to extend our thanks once more to each of our loyal customers and are grateful to have built up so many new relationships over the past year. While our team continues to offer a fantastic marketing service from the safety of our own home offices, we hope to continue to grow and transform many more businesses.
If you have any questions or would like to speak to a member of our team to discuss the options available, get in touch with us today on 01798 667167.
