This article was written during the first lockdown in New Zealand.
170,000 small businesses shut doors between 2008 and 2010 in the US during the last recession!
Source:-fiscaltiger.com/
You don’t have to be one of them!
You are a small business, and your business that you’ve put your heart and soul into has been hit hard. You weren’t prepared for this. How do you sell now, when people are facing big problems- losing jobs, losing sanity entertaining bored kids at home, feeling lonely, anxious, separated from their loved ones. At the same time, how do you sustain yourself as a small business and make the income you need for your family. It truly is a challenging situation to be selling right now.
But, you are dedicated to come through this stronger and better. How could you do this?
- Could you tweak your offers, services and products, so people get more value from it?
- Could you rethink your marketing strategy?
- Could you get over the guilt, hesitation and negative self-talks?
- Could you steer your small business towards a new direction?
Yes, You could do them all!
But where do you even start? The to-do and could-do is overwhelming!
So, the first step would be to
GET EXPERT HELP FROM SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS- A Business coach or a Business mentor.
How can a business coach and business mentor help you?
A business coach/mentor can shed a new light on your small business and help you navigate along so you can put out your best offers and create income opportunities while still serving your customers.
Now, when our social media is flooded with sponsored content by business coaches from all over the world selling us their “courses”, how do we even know which ones are genuine. Roll the drums for our local business coaches.
The best part about investing in a local business coach is that you’ll be working with someone who
- understands the local market
- lives in the same time zone as you are in,
- understands what marketing strategies work in your country
- understand the rules and laws of your country and
- you can get out of the Zoom call and go for a coffee for real if you have to.
- Finally, you’ll be supporting a local business.
Many of our local business coaches are registered with the Regional Business Partner Network which means you can receive partial funding on the coaching program fee.
I have collated a list of business coaches that I’ve worked with,I admire and I follow on social media and here, they share their best piece of advice for these uncertain times.
Advice #1
Even in these weird times it is important you turn your knowledge into power. You haven’t been here before and neither has anyone else, trust what you know.
This means putting offers out there, tweaking them, spelling it out clearly for people to remind them of what you do.
And doing it again.
And again.
And….Again.
~Natalie Tolhopf- Business Coach| Mindset motivator, butt-kick facilitator and bad-ass cheerleader.
After growing her own profitable business and spending more than a decade as a business consultant and coach, Natalie knows success is all about mindset, imperfect action and consistency.
Natalie is also an author of her book- Allergic to Perfect.
Natalie teaches women in business how-to drop the self-sabotage and take consistent, imperfect action to grow their biz AND their revenue with confidence.
Procrastinating? Feeling you’re not good enough for this situation. Let Natalie hold your hand while kicking your butt with her service at- https://natalietolhopf.com/
Advice #2
If you can’t work currently on lock down and you feel up to it – do something that is going to have a lasting impact on your business –
Upskill with an online course,
Change a software that you’ve been meaning to get around to,
Bring in a new function like Ecommerce.
~Sarah Davies- Business Marketing Coach at BrandFixation
If that’s too much, just do one thing a day to keep in touch with your business – a facebook post, an email to a customer.
And if that’s too much, that’s ok too. BUT DONT – sit there scrolling, watch your competitors and feel you’re not ‘good’ enough, react too quickly it’s better to wait then respond. Everyone is experiencing this lockdown differently and that’s ok.
| Marketing strategy and accountability to help you see the business success you desire.
With 20 years’ experience in PR and marketing Sarah helps business owners feel confident to forge ahead with the right marketing strategies and get results. Wherever you are in your business Sarah and her team will work on finding marketing strategies that focus on improving and simplifying your business and your life by giving you a plan and accountability to see increased sales and returning customers, to streamline your marketing strategies or get your business ship-shape before selling.
Don’t know how to do marketing when the whole world has bigger problems to deal with right now? Sarah’s service might just open your eyes to a new way to place your offering with her service at https://www.brandfixation.co.nz/services/
Advice #3
Assess your risk!
If your organisation is one that has Insurance for interruption/loss of income, and if that covered pandemic, then you should think very carefully before starting to trade again. Once you start, your insurance will likely no longer cover that interruption and what if your customers are not able to return yet?
If you are moving to online trading, you should think very carefully about what the negatives to this could be. Have you carefully assessed your chain of supply / Does your insurance cover you / Do you have appropriate terms and conditions on your website.
For any organisation in any position right now, they should be (re)assessing their business planning and their emergency management plan.
If face-to-face, they must have contact tracing protocols in place.
By taking some time to consider the risks and plan for these, they will come out stronger and better prepared for their success.
~Sel Leigh- Organisation Development at Leigh Development.
Sel is an organisational development advisor and she specialises in working with purpose-driven organisations – the changemakers of our future. With nearly 20 years experience working across public and private sectors educating businesses and not-for-profit entities, Sel has crafted a career out of supporting people like you to grow and succeed in business.
Her business Leigh Development provides business support solutions and coaching to organisation-,from small business in start-up mode, to an existing social-enterprise as well as charity across Aotearoa to assist them in achieving the kind of impact they want.
If you’re thinking of pivoting your business now, Sel’s services at https://www.leighdevelopment.co.nz/how-it-works/ may be exactly what you need right now.
Advice #4
Don’t give up on something because it looks awful right now!
~Kate Wright- BUSINESS COACHING for rebels| Kill the 9-5 and Get Financial and Lifestyle Freedom Instead
Kate is a business mentor for BMNZ and runs her private business coaching practice at Intentio Business Design. She helps people define a business model that works for their situation, and that aligns with, and showcases, their unique personality.
It is about brand and packaging and positioning and messaging and strategy, all of those biz things, but it’s also about finding your voice and getting confidence to do the scary things. It’s absolutely the best thing to watch people do the work and grow
Kate Wright’s company Intentio Business design can help you develop and improve your existing business, or start a brand spanking shiny new one.
From start-up advice to sales and marketing strategy, Intentio has got you covered.
Need a fresh pair of eyes on your business? Kate might just be the friendly person you need to at Intentio Business.
I’m certain we can all come out of this better and stronger. Reach out for help for your business if you have to.
Kia Kaha all!
Disclamer- This Content is NOT sponsored by any of the businesses mentioned.
