The economy is not doing well. It’s been a rough couple of years, and many people struggle to keep their businesses afloat. In the past two weeks alone, we’ve seen several markets worldwide either close down or have significant restrictions put in place due to threats from terrorism, natural disasters, and pandemics. So how do you thrive as an entrepreneur during a lockdown? Here are tips to get you started.
Lay Off Your Employees and Close Down
Laying off your employees and closing down your business are tough decisions to make, but it may be the best thing for both you and them. First, give yourself some time to grieve the situation, and then start thinking about how you can keep in touch with your employees during their unemployment. For example, you may want to set up a job board or social media group to post their resumes and stay connected.
If you decide to close down, remember to file for unemployment benefits on your employees’ behalf. It’s also important to cancel all subscriptions and memberships your company has so that you’re not wasting money while you’re closed. You can, therefore, save time and money by closing your company temporarily.
Be Adaptable and Innovative in Your Industry
Being innovative is an essential aspect of surviving through a lockdown. Often, the best ideas come from your employees and key stakeholders during these challenging times. These are their livelihoods on the line, so they will be more motivated to find creative strategies that work for you. Utilize this motivation by allowing them time outside official business hours to brainstorm innovative solutions with other internal team members or external professionals who may have industry experience in similar situations.
On top of being adaptable within your company walls, it is also essential to look externally at how industries operate under shutdown conditions–and then apply those learnings into new processes for yourself wherever possible. Thus, being adaptive means thinking laterally about what has happened in related professions/industries before a shutdown hits yours and how they have adapted to continue operating.
Network With Purpose and Execute Virtual Omnipresence
Networking is an integral part of the business. However, it is even more important to network with a goal and complete virtual omnipresence during a lockdown.
Make sure you constantly promote yourself on every social media platform so people know who you are when the time comes for trade to resume. This means your content should be distributed across all channels to increase visibility during this period of reduced connectivity. Also, do not neglect email marketing as many users may have deleted emails or frozen accounts due to the disruption – make sure you pop up regardless.
Collaborate
Collaborating can be beneficial at any given point, but collaboration is critical under these circumstances. Consider collaborating with other businesses that complement yours and share similar target markets; this helps strengthen both brands and broaden awareness. In addition, collaboration is a great way to exchange ideas and build new networks during challenging times.
Conclusion
Thriving in business during lockdown doesn’t have to be complicated. You need to be adaptable and innovative in your industry, lay off employees and close down if necessary, network with purpose and execute virtual omnipresence, collaborate, and shift your perspective from money-oriented to process-oriented. If you can do these things, you will get through this challenging time and come out stronger on the other side.