Business Lessons Learned [During Covid]
I think reflecting on ‘Hindsight’ is one of the most useful lessons we can gift ourselves with. I believe in the value so much that I host a podcast called “Hindsight’s 20/20”! [visit on Spotify or Youtube]
This year has given us a shake down that has got many running through the alphabet when it comes to pivoting from Plan ‘A’ to B, C, D etccc!!
But there are those who are finding that their share of the market is actually increasing during the crisis have learned valuable lessons that are supporting their foundation and making other potential clients feel secure in their services.
How can you take their insights and apply it to your own business?
Here are three valuable insights to give you some ideas.
1. KEEP PLAN B, C, OR D IN YOUR BACK POCKET AT ALL TIMES.
There is a saying, “If plan ‘A’ fails, remember, there are 25 more letters.” I have always appreciated that simple quote as a solopreneur myself for the past ten years and business coach to others. Lots of failed attempts at lead generating, marketing and time blocking have revealed the necessity of being able to bounce back from failure with continued optimism!
When your good ideas don’t yield the results you need then try again in a different way. If you have tried an S.E.O. Marketing service that only delivered low quality leads, don’t give up lead generating, just try a different method! Phone calls, invitations for coffee, emails, texts, social media give-aways, joining a community group etc…. There are a hundred ways to market — keep up the good intentions and pivot your method by trying a different angle.
2. POSITION YOUR BUSINESS FOR UNEXPECTED OPPORTUNITIES!
A friend of mine, Tina Varughese is a professional speaker on the subject of ‘Unconscious Bias’, and during the pandemic found herself with all kinds of opportunities to share the message and teach companies and staff about sensitivity in this area.
Her message is polished, and she has research to back it up. Her jokes and humor have been tested and her technical skills were up to date. So, what happened when a big client reached out to hire her? She was prepared and professional! She has seen unprecedented growth because of the political climate around diversity, and she could handle it.
This summer, while I sat on an expert panel of a virtual conference, I heard statistics that in the real estate industry there has been increase across the country and that the top producers have been gaining market share. When the market heats up, are you positioned by your reputation and professional ability to throw out your net and bring in a catch?
Ask yourself and business partners this question, “Are you positioned for immediate growth?” and get prepared! Which brings me to my third point.
3. ALWAYS PREPARE FOR GROWTH.
If I gave you five new potential clients today, could your business handle it? Would you be able to cycle them through an excellent intake process, would your checklists and systems keep all the paperwork and stages in order, would your CRM take care of the details so you don’t ever forget their children’s names?
Don’t wait until you are busy to prepare for growth! Prepare while you wait.
Investigate how you could handle more business! Get serious with your time management, find reliable people you can trust to work with, ensure that your client’s journey will yield satisfaction, referrals and repeat business!
Make sure you can scale your business when opportunities come unexpectedly.
Ask yourself what that would look like — and if you need some hints, email me for a short Quiz that you can take to rate your business. Then you will see where you excel and what areas could use some attention!
Free Quiz — email Sue@SueStyles.com
Perhaps during the last six months you have learned some business lessons of your own that you would like to share, if you have anything to add, send a note to me, I would love to hear what you have found on your own journey to maximized results!