Everything is slowing down and businesses are likely to struggle over the coming months but as with any crisis there are opportunities there.
What the recent lockdowns have shown is that more and more people are reliant on online business and support.
Whether it’s ordering supplies or keeping in touch, online platforms have been hugely important in connecting people and giving them access to vital products and services.
If your business is struggling or you are looking at developing it then here are a few suggestions from StudioRav:
Can you sell online?
Make it easy for people to order your products and services online.
If you give your customers the ability to order from home then at least they have the option.
Your online store can showcase your latest products and prices, and customers can easily see what’s on offer and in stock.
Whether it’s online deliveries of your food and drink, or taking advance orders of important products there are always ways you can encourage sales.
Make your business more visible online
Not every business has a product or service you can sell online – for example if it’s very expensive or bespoke.
For those people online marketing is the way to go.
People are at home, many of them will be infront of their computers and tablets.
Use this time to remind them you exist and capture their attention.
Ideas include social media marketing, email marketing and developing your website with blog posts and articles.
Good marketing now will really help you retain your key audience and it will provide a solid base for the future.
How can your staff do more online?
Remote working is growing day by day and most people will have access to email and social media.
But if you want to streamline your work even more there are countless apps and online tools to help manage projects and facilitate team work.
From video conferencing apps like Zoom to project management tools like Trello there are many ways you can keep things moving along without spending a lot.
By using the time now to make your time more flexible and less reliant on your office you are setting good foundations in case anything like this happens again.
Could an app make life easier for your customers or staff?
Practically everyone has a smartphone so what about a custom app for your business?
Well designed apps for Android and iOS are much easier to develop and there are even things like hybrid apps and progressive web applications (PWA) which can further reduce costs and development times.
By removing obstacles through clever use of existing technology it will really help your business come through in these difficult times.
Custom plugins and apps can connect to your suppliers and service providers and in turn provide a great way for you to interact with your customers.
Time to update / refresh your website?
Many companies will be pushing their websites further down the list of priorities.
If you take time to look at your website now then by the time things get better you may be in a stronger position.
Updates done now will eventually get indexed and help you rank better in searches and drive more customers to your business.
Whether it’s fixing pages or updating your list of services, it’s worth getting it done now when things are quiet.
So to wrap up the important thing is to use the time you have now wisely.
The world has not ended, it has merely gone into hibernation and when things return to normal people will be eager to do business with each other once again.
For any kind of online help and support please get in touch with us and we will be happy to advise further.
Take care and stay safe,