SMEs - How To Adapt
I just joined the it'seeze marketing webinar where a large group of SME business owners joined to pick up tips and ideas for increasing their online presence as this time. Here at Leading Motion, we use it'seeze websites as part of our offering and are enthused by all of the examples and stories that we just heard about peoples fighting spirit and will to keep going during these extraordinary times.
Online activity is much greater than it was a few months ago and many SMEs are responding to the change in how we trade and do business. Restaurants are running collection and delivery services and cookery schools are offering their courses online. Gyms have gone online with fitness classes and music teachers are offering one to one tuition online. We have even heard of make up artists who have taken their services over to contactless video.
It is interesting as a business owner to look at the problems that you solve. You may run a pub, which on the face of it would be difficult to change and innovate in its physical form. However, if you look at the problems that the pub solves, meeting people, loneliness, and the entertainment that clients like. The pub could take their quiz or band night online and in fact we have heard of establishments doing this. One place then started selling takeaway pizza and beer and sold out on the first night. Why? Because they kept in the front if peoples minds due to the weekly quiz that had made people feel happy and normal again.
So what can you do differently? Ask others who are not as close to the business for ideas. With the numbers increasing online, now is the time to be marketing. We have talked about some adaptation and innovation already but how can you adapt your website? At the moment your website is the face and personality of your business. Make sure that it is up to date, add an announcement and make sure that all forms of contact are available to people. People are not spending their money on the usual pursuits, so think about the fact that some people have money to spend. With this in mind can you create a members area for your classes/PDFs/courses? Add incentives for people to sign up or buy, even a simple 'pay now' button can do the trick.
If you cannot trade at the moment, then you need to keep in the front of peoples minds. Blogging at least once per month will improve your website's online presence. FAQs are also beneficial and Google likes questions and answers. Keep in touch with your audience via social media so share your blog. This is a good chance to join a Facebook community group and through helping answer questions, people recognise your name and you become someone that they remember for the future. If you are not using social media, pick one channel that works for you and do well on that, rather than trying to do them all.
Adapting and changing means a new toolkit. Check out virtual tools, everyone will have their favourite but there are many video meeting providers, so see what works for you. Send emails to clients and use the phone, whether you are checking that they received their order or just phoning as a courtesy, you are keeping in the front of peoples minds. Finally, review your online presence beyond your website. Make sure that your Google My Business listing is up to date and investigate what other sites your competitors are listed on. As always please get in touch for a chat or if we can be of any assistance, we are happy to hold a free video consultation!
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