While your stores are closed there is still alot you can do to to assure the survival of your business. Below are some key guidelines that can help you out.
1- Stay connected to your customers
This can be done via emails, website, facebook, instagram or anyother social media channels you are using.
Engage with your customers on a personal level.
Update your customers about your activities. And steps you are taking to ensure safety. For example if you are a retailer who is ready to open soon you would want to show people the protective measures you are taking for the safety of your customers as well as your staff. If you delivery product then what SOPs (standard operational procedures) are you following to ensure safety.
2- Try and sell in the current situation.
Get a website or use phone or WhatsApp or use facebook or instagram business accounts.
If you don’t have an ecommerce website don’t worry add a simple contact number or a WhatsApp number so that people can still find a way to contact you.
Use delivery services like careem or bykea or self deliver if you are small business.
Make your products visible online. Even if people can’t buy online they should still be able to see your collection and choose from it.
Take good pictures!
3- Get used to digital tools to help you with your business.
Slack is a great team management tool for corporate sector. For keeping track of your orders versus deliveries if you don’t have an ecommerce website use Trello. Create a board with “pending orders” , “ready to dispatch” and “delivered” columns.
If you provide consultations use Zoom or Microsoft teams to connect with your customers.
Use Facebook for business and run Ads. With simple tutorials you can run Google Ads as well and can get clicks to your website.
Make creative content use Canva if you don’t have a graphic designer to make good quality graphics for social media.
You always make a website as well its fairly easy and you can use WordPress for it or if you want a really easy solution then go for Shopify
4- Take care of your employees!
I cannot stress this enough but your business stands on your strong employees. Keep them connected in this time. Take their ideas, see what they are willing to do for the business. Let them know they matter and if you can’t pay them get them involved in finding a sustainable solution for your business and for them.
Share your problems with them sometimes its easier to find a solution when more heads work together.
Remember they are like your family and if you take care of them and their safety and their livelihood, they will take care of your business like their own!
