It’s become a game of survival. The pandemic has changed how a lot of business is being conducted and maybe for good. It’s time to adapt, reshape and retool. It’s time to quickly evolve. At Kingdom Branding, we’re passionate about leveraging technology and creativity to solve problems and fuel client growth and we’ve put together a survivalist plan for your business. So get ready, let’s go.
If you’re a business owner, here are eight tips to stay relevant during this pandemic:
1. Don’t panic:
We can’t stress this enough. A lot of businesses end up entering panic mode, and this can lead to poor executions and bad decisions. As a business owner, you’ve probably had situations where you felt a complete downturn or lost customers, although not to this level. Andy Stanley, the author of Next Generation Leader, outlines five major characteristics of a leader, and surprisingly “clarity” is one of them. The author emphasizes the need for a leader in maintaining a level head even in times of uncertainty. Let your employees see that you can lead them even in turbulent times.
2. Communicate
This period would be a true test of brand communication. Social media has become the primary means of communication. There is a tendency for businesses to either disappear instantly or bombard their customers with a lot of information. Your customers don’t want to be talked at; they want to be talked with. Your brand needs to feel human.
Don’t bombard your audience with sales pitches; this may affect your customer retention rate. Instead of pushing for more sales, decide to be a good listener. A lot of brands talk a lot, but very few listen. “Be quick to listen and slow to speak.” And when you communicate, focus on effectiveness.
3. Optimize your current content:
Contrary to what a lot of people think, there is now an infinite need for great content. People are sitting in their homes, and they want to learn something new or get entertained. Dean Granozi says, “There is a demand for relevant content that is not COVID related. For now, don’t focus on sales, but focus on engagement. People will learn from you, listen to you, love you, buy from you and hire you when they feel understood, not when they understand.”
Use your content as a means of marketing your products/services for the future. Remember, “the №1 rule of content marketing is adding value.”
4. Build your online presence:
This has become very crucial. If you don’t have a website (and some still don’t), you’re missing out on building your online presence and getting an audience. Now is the time to build great SEO (Search Engine Optimization). As you create content, it would be easier for your audience to find you on the internet. Be a part of the ongoing conversations that are happening in your industry.
Sales may have gone down, but your online engagement should not. Use this time to build organic traffic on your website.
5. Plan events online:
A lot of businesses have had to cancel conferences and events that involve face-to-face contact. If you had an event planned but had to cancel the event as a result of the pandemic, don’t feel stuck. You can take advantage of live streaming on Facebook & Instagram Live, Zoom, Google Hangouts, or Skype. You can host webinars or online courses on Udemy, Skillshare, Youtube, Vimeo, etc.
Who knows, you may just rediscover/reinvent your brand’s purpose during this period.
6. Increase customer loyalty:
If you have an e-commerce store, focus on adding value to your customers by offering them discount offers/codes. We’ve seen a couple of companies and organizations offer free/discounted courses like Havard, Moma, TheFutur, just to name a few. As a business, you can also provide online services like gift cards, free/discounted shipping, or free delivery.
7. Be Creative:
It’s time to put on your creative hat. There is room for a lot of experimentation. You can do this by changing your business strategy.
Start by re-developing your customer personas or critical segments of your target audience. Customers buy into your products/services because you are offering a solution to a specific need. Always remember that you are a problem solver. Welcome the creative juices that pour out during this period. Don’t wait till the end of the quarantine, think of creative ways to engage and add value to the lives of your audience.
We’ve seen teens start food delivery services; musicians organize Instagram & Facebook live concerts; designers create masks (3D printed and fabric), beauty consultants offer moisturizing care packages to healthcare professionals, digital artists offer coloring templates for mass audiences and many more.
Ask yourself this question, “How can I solve a problem that is alignment with my brand’s purpose?”
8. Feed into your curiosities:
Use this time wisely. Besides, when will you ever get the time to develop personally. Feed into your curiosities. Learn things about your industry, but don’t be limited in learning. Learn about other industries, as well. You may be inspired to create something new. Feel free to post in the comments section, something you learned that you never understood before the quarantine. Change your mindset while you’re at home. See this as an opportunity to grow (personally and professionally) and use this same mentality to empower your employees.
At Kingdom Branding, we are keeping track of the problems our customers face and embracing them as opportunities to serve our clients & customers better. Following the words of Winston Churchill, “The pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”
Seize this opportunity to learn, and we hope that you come out of this quarantine stronger and more resourceful than ever. Your audience is counting on you.
Remember to stay home and stay safe.
