Now that the dust has settled and we’re all starting to get used to the idea of being in self-isolation. It’s time to start thinking about what’s next. It is quite clear to businesses across the world that the economic impact is going to be huge. Shopping habits will change, markets will be reshaped and some businesses will close whilst others will grow. So, what can you do to help your business during quarantine?
First thing first, if you are still operating you need to let your customers know! Your website should be communicating that you are still open for business and any changes that might have happened due to the current climate. Likewise, if you are temporarily closed, please let your customers know this too. Let them know it is not the end and let them know where they can still follow you and engage with you (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube etc).
If you are a Pixertise customer, please email us with your notices and we’ll update your website for you!
As a business owner or self-employed worker, you have a few options over the next few months. In this article, we aim to discuss a few of those options and give as much help and advice as we can to help. It is important to try and be as productive as possible, keep hopeful and most importantly plan your actions. There are a few things that you can be doing from home, which can really add value to your business.
Every business owner will have had sleepless nights thinking over how to proceed during the coming months. Can your business adapt to the new climate we are in? Can you move your business to online ordering? Can you provide your services remotely via the internet? Can you still make money??
If you are considering moving your business online but don’t know where to start and are finding it daunting, don’t panic. It’s probably easier to arrange than you think. There are a few different ways to monetise your business via the internet.
1. Sell products online – There are two types of products, Physical and Virtual. You may run a local greengrocer and have the stock in your shop but no way for customers to order it online. Or you may not even have a product yet but can create one. Virtual products are products that can be downloaded or accessed through the internet that are NOT shipped. Examples of virtual products are eBooks, tuition videos, learning resources, and software.
Can you take a section of your business and create a virtual product to sell for the next few months? Selling virtual products online can easily be achieved and can be a great way to bring in revenue.
Alternatively, you may have stock or in a position to source stock which you would be able to sell online and ship or deliver locally? Setting up an e-commerce can be tough but with some expert help you’ll skip a lot of first-time mistakes and you’ll be running an online shop or takeaway in no time.
2. Sell services online – Can you provide a service online from home? Examples include tuition, webinars, accounting, virtual assistant, copywriting, support, and design. You can showcase and take payments for services online via your website.
Other monetisation options include; advertising revenue, selling for someone else (affiliate programs), being a brand ambassador and more. If you are a professional with a client base, writing an article on your website with links to purchase recommended products via an affiliate scheme can give you a much-needed income stream.
You can also sell gift cards, package deals and preorders online for when you reopen, which can help your immediate cash flow.
We’ve just updated Natural Choice Malvern in Barnards Green to have a new delivery slot booking system to help manage local deliveries! Looking to set up an online shop or online ordering system of your own? We can help!
Now is the perfect time to switch up your digital marketing and in the words of Jean-Luc Picard “Engage”. If I give one piece of advice more than any other it is – “GREAT CONTENT MAKES A GREAT WEBSITE” and now is the perfect time to work on your content. Get your writing hat on and start putting together articles that will appeal to your target market. Putting it as simply as possible, new content on your website means higher rankings in Google. Content that pulls your target market into your website to read more (and hopefully share), does absolute wonders for your SEO and has long term benefits.
Your aim for the next few months is to retain your customer base as much as possible. That means connecting with them, and the easiest way to reach your customers is via social media, most likely Facebook. Produce digital content that they will enjoy and find useful. It all depends on who your target market is, but aim to do the following:
Are you happy with your website, logo, branding and social media pages? Now is the perfect time to give them an update. Bring your look up to modern standards with integrated marketing such as HubSpot, MailChimp and Google Analytics.
Update all your content, proofread and expand on your website. Look to address any questions a potential customer may have. Websites should aim to remove as many barriers to purchase as possible! A potential customer should be able to find all the information they need on your website to assist them in making a purchase decision and ultimately buying from you or booking an appointment.
Get future-ready, move to a website that can quickly adapt if something similar ever happens again. Learn from this experience and have plans in place ready to go.
Plan your relaunch for when you can return to normal. You will want to be trading again as quickly as possible, so plan your promotions and marketing ahead of time. Identify your target market, identify their needs when self-isolation ends and how you can fulfil those needs and tell them about your products and services.
We have been helping small businesses in Malvern and Worcester with their websites and online marketing for the last 5 years. We are here to help, local, easy to contact and always on hand. We are open for business as usual during self-isolation and are just an email away!
If you are looking to update your website or get a new website during the Corona quarantine but won’t be reopening until self-isolation ends that’s no problem. Message us and we’ll discuss building your website ready but holding off launching and any monthly payments until you re-open.
If you’re looking to start selling online ASAP we can help too! We’ve built a number of e-commerce websites and can quickly get you selling online, either for online stores or online delivery / takeaway businesses. We can even discuss a plan to scale your site up or down once everything is back to normal.
