2020 was obviously a difficult year for many small businesses, but rather than dwelling on the setbacks, it’s worth using this time as an opportunity to assess your operations and re-strategise in new directions.
This could take many forms depending on the nature of your business, but adapting to the changing world around us is going to be key to your survival and potentially your growth in the future.
Focus on your online presence
It’s never been more important to have a strong online presence, with remote working at an all-time high. Many of your clients will be turning to the internet for the things they need, whether that’s a physical product or a service you can provide. If your website needs refreshing, now is the time to do it to make your business stand out above your competitors for 2021.
You’ll also want to make sure you appear near the top of search engine results, so it may be worth consulting with a digital marketing agency to build a strong SEO strategy.
"You can’t pay Google to rank your page higher in organic search, so success isn’t based on the amount of money you put in," says Wells Yu, at Search Engine Journal "Also, people tend to trust the organic results more than paid ad results".
It’s no use having excellent customer service representatives or a beautiful shop front or office space when no one can visit you in person to see that side of your business. If no one is seeing your website, or if it doesn’t catch their eye and easily turn clicks into sales, you won’t see their custom.
In addition, if you’re providing a physical product, which you might usually just sell in person, it’s worth making those available online with a nationwide delivery service. Your client base doesn’t need to just be local anymore, and this is a great step to take to help your business grow in 2021 and be seen around the whole country.
Social media is also going to be a vital part of your digital strategy, as more people turn to these sites for their personal social interactions whilst they can’t see their friends and family in person. If you don’t yet have a business page on the most popular networks, like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, it’s time to make one now.
Consider building your following with sponsored ads or boosted posts, and engaging with groups related to your industry. If you’re not sure where to start, it’s probably worth investing in hiring an expert to navigate this territory for you, so you’ll start to see the rewards sooner rather than later.
Give back to your local community
It may feel like you have enough to worry about with keeping your business afloat, but community engagement can make a big difference. If your local community sees you giving back to them at this difficult time, they’ll be more inclined to support you in return. There are easy ways to do this that may not involve large investments of time or money on your part.
A lot of new volunteering opportunities have arisen with people helping out the most vulnerable in our society, so if you have a central location in your town, you could offer to be a drop-off point for a local food bank, or if you’re a restaurant owner finding yourself with leftover food at the end of the day, you could donate it to homeless shelters, care homes, or NHS staff.
Maybe you’re not currently using your premises whilst working from home or closing to customers, but you have a big window that faces the street where you could display art from local artists or school children. Holding an art exhibition or competition is a great way to engage with your community, and bring a smile to people’s faces as they pass by your window, making sure they remember you later when they require your services.
Hiring when you need to
It may feel like you need to be making staff cuts right now in order to save money, but actually your business needs to have the right number of hands on deck, so don’t be afraid to hire if you need to. If you’re interested in developing your business in new directions and adapting to change, it can be a great time to bring in people from diverse backgrounds and different industry sectors, who may be able to bring new ideas to the table.
“We have seen the rewards of having a really inclusive hiring policy,” says Anthony Murphy of Murphy’s Liquidation Furniture, “Not least that we have a team of people with lots of diverse ideas. It brings a real mix of characters together who have a different perspective – and that can be hugely beneficial”.
Providing new services to meet demand in 2021
Since the pandemic started, the economic climate has shifted, and priorities and customer demands have changed significantly. This doesn’t have to be an insurmountable hurdle, as you may be able to alter your offering to provide customers with the things they need.
You may find that you’ve lost clients during Coronavirus and have more time on your hands as a result, or perhaps you’ve had to close completely and spend time on furlough. You can use this time to train and up-skill in new areas so you can provide alternative services that may be more in demand in the current climate.
It may not be what you initially set out to do with your business, but adaptation is key to survival, and gaining a new skill or offering a new service could well continue to be beneficial to your company in 2021 and beyond.
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