EVOLVE Business and Professional Magazine May 2020 | Page 34

10 Tips to Keep Your
Business Strong During
the Covid-19 Pandemic
by Jeanne Coates
These are challenging times. Lots of business owners have closed
their doors, sent employees home and are now wondering how
they can keep business afloat while we wait for our lives to
return to some semblance of normal.
Universal worries include health, finances and a desire to help
take care of family, friends, employees and clients. It is a time to take
stock, but it’s also a time to seize opportunities. The recovery will
come. You want to be ready when it does.
How do you position your business for success? These ideas work
whether your ideal customer is a business or a consumer.
1. Stay in touch with your audience:
a. Virtual Storytime: Send your clients a video of you telling a
story, sharing your expertise, or something that will engage
them. If you can clear a small space in your home, you can
set up a makeshift studio. Your phone or ipad can be used
to record your video. Keep it short, under 15 minutes, and
upload it to YouTube.com. You can then share the video
link with clients and via social media.
b. Write an Article/Start a Blog: Educate your audience
in an easily shareable format. If you are a dentist,
tell your patients what steps to take in a dental
emergency. If you’re a plumber, share tips
on home maintenance, like how to keep
your pipes healthy. This may be a big
opportunity for home improvement
companies, since people are spending
more time in their homes and are
identifying things they would like
to change. No matter what your
business, you can stay in front
of your audience by sharing
your expertise.
c. Virtual entertainment: My
insurance agent recently
posted a video of him
playing the banjo. It made
me smile, and strengthened
our relationship. If you are
an entertainer, this makes perfect
sense, but if you have a talent you don’t
normally share with your audience, this is a
great way to engage them on another level.
”
If you have an email
list, no matter how
small, use it. Let your
subscribers know how
you are handling
the crisis.”
2. Start offering recorded classes/lessons/education: Music stores
and teachers, art lessons, restaurants that can offer cooking lessons,
gyms and trainers, tutors – anything that can be shared over Zoom is
an opportunity. Think about what services you can still provide from
a distance.
| 28 | EVOLVE BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL MAGAZINE