You might find yourself in the position in the coming days, weeks, or months to transition your business online. With more and more people choosing to stay at home it only means that you have to be a little more creative in how you offer your services. Moving your business to an online platform and managing priorities might seem scary and overwhelming, but do not worry. We are here to help!
But, where do you start? Good question. Knowing where to start when transitioning your business online can be one of the most difficult things to do. You might have a million ideas running through your head of creative, new ways to market your business – or maybe you don’t have any ideas at all. No matter where you are at right now we are here to help guide you organizing all of those ideas – or lack of ideas – into one killer, online business.
Review Your Budget
When moving your business online you need to figure out your budget. Do you have employees? Are you paying for online marketing? What are your current expenses? While it might be tempting to “just go for it” – you need to restrain. Come up with a feasible plan about how much extra money you have every month and how much of that can be put into your online business.
You do not want to spread yourself too thin or put yourself in a situation where your business is not making as much money as you are putting into it. While you have to act fast to get your business online, make sure you are staying conscious of your profit margin. You never want to put yourself in a position that you cannot pay your bills.
Take the Time to Rebrand
If you own a restaurant that was based solely on people dining in, you might want to take the time to create new marketing materials that advertise how you now offer curbside delivery or takeout options. Get creative and get people to notice your business. This is also a good time to review your current target audience and see how it can be broadened.
You have a “normal” type of customer that uses your business – but how can you expand that? If you are an Italian restaurant you could advertise how you have other things besides carbs and gluten. Maybe you introduce a new, gluten-free menu or reduced-calorie options. Now, with different options, you are catering to a completely different audience as well as your current one.
Maintain Customer Service
To say this is a time of uncertainty and confusion is an understatement. How can you offer a little bit of peace of mind or be a positive part of someone’s day to counteract that confusion and uncertainty? Whether you are your own employee or you have hundreds, it is important to maintain an open line of communication as to what your customer service standards are.
Reward employees who receive comments from the public about their attitude or positivity. Offer an incentive – if possible – or simply take a moment to recognize them and tell them they are doing a good job. Counteracting all of the negative going on in the world with positive could create a positive work environment – and encourage people to come back to your business in the future.
Keep Organized
One of the most challenging things to combat when moving your business online might simply be staying organized. You might have to talk to employees over different teleconferencing apps, such as Zoom, or you might have to create to-do lists in Asana or Trello. If you are unfamiliar with the online world it will seem overwhelming. Take it one day at a time. Do not try to cram all of your business transition into one day.
While time is of the essence – and you have to act fast – taking the time to do it right will pay off in the long run. Step back, take a breath, and know that you got this. You might need to start delegating more tasks to your staff, so you can take the time to get more organized. That is okay. If you are a one-person show then it might be time to look into hiring someone else to relieve some of the stress.
These are challenging times for all of us and the unknown of the next couple of weeks or months may seem scary. But, with a little bit of creativity and hustle, you can transition your business online and focus on managing your priorities successfully. If you need someone to delegate your tasks to or help you understand the world of online business – reach out to Monkey VA today. We would love to help you out on this new journey for your business!
