Rethinking your business? Don’t quit now!

How to fight for your business during times of crisis

The world is a confusing place. It feels like everything has been flipped upside down in just a few short weeks. We started 2020 with some goals and a few dreams. Some were personal – vacations we planned, weight we wanted to lose, rooms we wanted to redecorate – and some were business related.

Maybe this was the year you’d launch your new course or finally start doing those online workshops that work for others in your space. You might have planned to expand to a new location, get involved in a new market, or expand your team. Things looked pretty good, right?

Then you started hearing about social distancing and shortages on toilet paper and other essentials. Businesses started to close temporarily. You might even be under an order right now to stay in your home.

If you’re like me, you’re even more dedicated to washing your hands, and you’re wiping everything with alcohol before bringing into your home. You’re navigating distance learning with your children who probably won’t see their school again until September. You’re checking in on loved ones who are elderly or who may have a harder time dealing with the stuff that’s going on. You care about your community, and you’re doing your part to help.

You might also be thinking about your business… and wondering if you should put your plans on hold. Maybe you’re rethinking those dreams and considering just closing your doors (physical or virtual) to wait things out.

Listen, I get it. I know you’re scared and discouraged. But honestly, this is not the time to quit! The world needs YOU right now. This is the time to really FIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESS.

Wondering how? Here are my thoughts.

Make a plan for today.

First things first. You have to deal with today. That means taking a look around you so you can take care of business. Ask yourself the tough questions right now… and do the hard things to make sure you can weather the crisis.

Check out your cash flow.

Do you have enough in the bank to get you through? What about the payments you plan on in the next few weeks? Can you count on those customers to pay you in a timely way?

Peek at your bills and expenses.

What purchases can you put off for a while? How can you cut a few corners to make things last or limit your spending? Do you need to reduce hours for people on your team or shift things around to lower your payroll.

Okay – most of us naturally look at the money, so that part of the planning probably isn’t new to you. However, let’s go a little deeper and look at a few other things too.

What is possible for you now?

Sure, there are negatives to this situation. Not trying to minimize those at all. But there are positives, too. What can you do NOW that you didn’t have time for last month? I’m thinking of things like:

• Finally finishing the course you bought 6 months ago.
• Mapping out the new course you’ve thought about creating.
• Figuring out Asana, Trello, or whatever so you can streamline things.
• Getting your accounting, marketing, or website in order.
• Binge watching the next season of that show on Netflix.

Ok, so maybe that last one isn’t the best idea 😉😂 but I want you to shift your thinking. Stop focusing on the things you can’t do. Stop focusing on the fears, challenges, and disruption of this situation. Instead, turn your mind to what this makes possible… and make a plan to use this time wisely to grow your business.

What do your current customers need?

I think this last one is SUPER IMPORTANT for all of us. Your current customers are dealing with this situation just like you are. They need you to (a) deliver your absolute best work, (b) communicate clearly and openly, and (c) support them as they move forward.

Have you reached out to your customers and just talked to them?
Maybe you should. They’d love to know you care.

Make a plan for the future.

Now that you have the current situation handled as best you can, it’s time to turn your thoughts to the future. Why? Because your business is worth fighting for… and what you do NOW will directly affect the future of your business.

There will be an economic recovery. Make sure you are a part of it.

Here’s what I know to be true… people need what you do. They needed it last week, they need it now, and they will need it in the future. Your work is important. So, let’s get you in the right position to help even more people in the future.

Here’s how we take care of the future:

• Share your message. Get out there and talk about your work. Build up your community, share your thoughts, spread a positive message with the world.
• Find ways to be relevant. How can you help people RIGHT NOW? Maybe you help people deal with stress. Or possibly your products help people stay connected or encouraged. Find a way to align your products and services with what people need right now.
• Advertise and promote. You need to tell people about your business and how they can work with you to meet their needs. Show them how working with you can help them in this time.
• Create a strong online presence. Now more than ever, people are connecting online. We just can’t go out to a store or meet in person, so everything is virtual. Make sure you’re ready!
  • Is your website secure and designed to convert?
  • Can you meet with customers and clients virtually?
  • Can you sell your stuff on your site?
  • Are you ready to offer customer service online?

I believe in you. And I’m here to help.

We need to help each other right now. Maybe you can’t help with the medical needs you see… but you must still do your part. Stay home. Wash your hands. Reach out to your community. THEN » focus on your business. Get ready to take your products and services online. We need what you do… don’t let us down!

Is your business ready to thrive online? Are you determined to fight to give your clients and customers the very best you have to offer? Talk to me about a website audit. Let’s make sure you’re ready for whatever the future holds!