There is no denying that we have all been through a very difficult time right now. Your business may have had to temporarily close, you may have worked from home, or you simply diversified and made some big changes. But, we all face a new uncertain period in our lives, and it means that we need to face the facts. There is a new normal to deal with, and that also concerns your business as well as personally.
You may be thinking about improving or progressing your small business, but wonder how that might look in the future. There are things that you can do, actions you can take, and changes that you can make that could help to progress and enhance your small business. With that in mind, here are some of the things that you can consider.
Making your business covid safe
One of the first things that you may need to consider doing is making your business covid safe. You might have to consider thinking about your retail premises, if you have one, and ensuring that staff and customers feel safe and secure in using your business. It could mean that you need to think about social distancing, and also how that might look in your shop layout. You might need to add hand sanitising stations, use masks and gloves, and also add up clear screens as extra protection. The more you can do to your business to make it covid safe, the more you will continue to operate in this new normal we all face.
Embracing working from home
You may not have worked from home before, but the global pandemic has forced you to do it as an only option to continue business. Maybe it is time to embrace it. Working from home could save you money on leases, but it could also be a great opportunity to streamline your business further. Thanks to zoom and Skype, communication is still possible, and it could be a new way of flexible working that suits everyone.
Finding a new office space
However, not everyone wants to work from home, and often some businesses need that office or business location in order to continue to operate. So it may be time to start looking for a new office space that works for your business. Perhaps now you can consider somewhere a little more off the high street because it is quieter, which could reduce your costs. A new office space could be a great step in expansion for you as a business as well.
Improving your website
Another thing that you can do would be to improve your website in any way that you can. So many more people are using the internet to buy things and place orders, so it may be time to start looking at how you can improve your website to stand out against competition. This is when focusing on the content, improving SEO and also making sure that the ecommerce side of things is up to date. It could be an opportunity for a rebrand, where you focus on how your logo and brand can work better digitally.
Invest in creating a logo that is easily identifiable and works both digitally and in print. A fluid, yet well-designed logo that is easily identifiable to your company and brand can help raise awareness and visibility. Choose a banner maker to help you add your logo to various applications and assess suitability before committing to one design.
Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box when creating a new logo or updating one you already have. Keep it clear, consistent and avoid overly complicated designs with too many clashing colors or styles.
Diversifying in a different way
The sign of the times is that many businesses have had to diversify and make changes to their plans, but this could be a golden opportunity for you. It might be time to start thinking about how you can diversify, if you haven’t already. Maybe there’s options of delivery, postage methods or subscription services that you can incorporate into your business. If you have already diversified, then don’t stop the changes you have made if they have become successful. It may be a new direction, but it is one to explore. The more you diversify in these uncertain times, the more options you have and plates to spin to keep your business going.
You may also look at other ways of diversifying in the sense of making it easier for customers to find you. You can do this by utilising social media, increasing your marketing efforts, or even using something like smart numbers to create a business phone number that’s easy for people to remember.
A cash and paperless enterprise
Finally, this could be the opportunity in which your business can be more eco friendly. There is a lot of focus to become cashless and paperless and with covid regulations and guidance, it could be the perfect opportunity to incorporate this into your business. Using online payment platforms or ensuring that you can take card details or payments. Using digital elements for software and date, online invoicing and accounting software can also ensure that you become a paperless business. The less people have to handle things with your business the more covid secure you are for the future.
Let’s hope these tips help you when it comes to progressing your small business.
