5 Practical Steps to Supercharge Your Business During Shelter-in-Place
This is a scary time for small business owners. For many, there are “shelter in place” and “quarantine” restrictions that have many small business owners staying home. That can seem scary if you let that mindset try to take control. Instead, see the positives of a little more time to supercharge your business.
Here are five things you should do right now to supercharge your business.
#1: Use a Block Calendar!
It is vital to be intentional with your time each and every day. If you are home with kids, block their day too, so that you have a clear schedule with time to work on your business while they are busy with school or other projects. Then, have set times to go outside or stretch or be active. Don’t just sit in one place for 8 hours, get up and move around. Finally, have set times for social interaction. Whether on zoom happy hours, picking up the phone to connect or via social media, do get social.
#2: Work on your Business Plan and your Marketing Plan.
Everything feels better with a plan. Maybe you have a great business plan or perhaps it has perpetually been on your to-do list. Make this the month to get it done. A business plan doesn’t have to look a certain way or contain anything in particular. Basically, it should just spell out in plain English how the business is going to grow into a thriving, profitable business that is self-run with systems. Same for a marketing plan.
For those who want to work on your business plan, here is the link to our How to Write a Business Plan in 60 Minutes Webinar. It comes with an easy workbook and will help you with marketing, sales, management, and financial controls!! https://www.uplevelingyourbusiness.com/amplify-your-2020-growth
#3: Engage Your Clients/ Customers.
A simple phone call can do four important things to engage with your customers and help you grow your business. First, call and touch base with former clients or customers. Ask them what they need help with right now. This can potentially result in more work for you or a referral to gift to someone else! Next, ask if you can confirm their updated information so you can reach out when you have new information. Then, ask them for feedback on working with you. Perhaps even ask what more you or your team could have done to make their life easier. This is called market research, and it is easier to obtain than you think. Finally, ask for a referral. Simply ask, “do you know anyone else that could use my services right now?”
#4: Connect on Social Media:
This is a great time to connect with your community and your ideal clients. While you might be thinking you jump on social media and press the like button plenty, transition your time to truly engage with your audience.
- Take the time to write comments and share your experience while giving kudos to the author.
- Do a book review.
- Write a glowing business recommendation.
- Give kudos or a testimonial about someone’s YouTube channel or other social media platform or group and promote that other person.
- Tag someone that needs to see a post that you think has useful info.
- Private message people you know and check in on them.
The theme here is GIVE, and then you get! Engage with others and be on the lookout to help lots of people, and it will come back to you!
#5: Build the Policies, Procedures, Checklists, and Examples to Build Equity In Your Business.
Another task that business owners always “mean to get to,” but that falls down the priority list, is building out the policies and procedures. I can tell you firsthand, the policies and procedures are the elements that give you your freedom! If you don’t have any written, take the time to work on them. If you like to type, then type them. If you like visual procedures, use an online app to help you create procedures. If you do better talking it thru, then dictate it and have the audio transcribed. If the procedure is how to use an app or a program, use a screencast to record a “how to” video. Regardless of the method, just get started.
Start with the policy, which is the WHY. Explain why you want things done a certain way and explain to the reader, i.e., an employee or virtual staffer or future owner, why doing it this way makes their life better. Next, write out the procedure. Think chronologically and just start writing step 1: do x, step 2, do y, step 3 do z. Soon you will have the procedure roughed out. Now, edit it and add clarity as WHO shall do WHAT by WHEN. Finally, add a checklist or examples or templates to the task so it is super easy for others to follow the exact process you want them to do and so they won’t miss a step.
If you need a final boost of why to take the time to build these out, think of this. Each system you create in writing adds equity to your business. When I sold my business, my policies and procedures alone were a $100,000 bargaining point. Trust me, by taking the time to build these policies, procedures, checklists, and examples, not only will your business start running better, your future team and future self will be thanking you in a multitude of ways.
So, use this time to work on your business and build a stronger foundation that will help you and your team be more productive and more profitable!