BLT 9/4/20 – How do you prevent your business become static during the lockdown?

Q. How do you prevent your business becoming static during the lockdown?

For the time-being, this is ‘normal networking service’ for BLT: every Thursday for 1 hour, starting at 8:00am, using Zoom video conferencing (contact Helen Isacke if you’re interested in popping in to take a peek).

BLT member thoughts:

1. Intelligent Online Marketing

Marketing is always a bit of a paradox, isn’t it?

When you’re working flat out, you’ve got the money but not the time for it…then when you’re on an enforced go-slow, you’ve got plenty of time but no money. However, in the current lockdown, the majority of businesses (both suppliers and clients) are all in exactly the same position, so there’s little point in trying to sell aggressively.

What is called for is Intelligent Marketing (my term) as evidenced by Helen’s online marketing for her directory of coaches:

“People really appreciate having a structure to look forward to…”

Helen Isacke – Trusted Coach Directory

 

• Schedule of Zoom calls set up for coaches: Monday – Marketing, Wednesday – CPD, Friday – Pot Luck
• Helpful articles from leading coaches on how to cope with isolation under Covid 19:
  • Coaching in anxious times – ‘What if depression is, in fact, a form of grief – for our own lives not being as they should? 
  • Dealing with anxious thoughts and feelings – “Our mind is a ‘thinking engine’…one without an off-switch”

Helen has also become BLT’s self-appointed Zoom expert, hosting and organising the weekly BLT calls.

For more information on Zoom, see blogs on:

• 5 easy ZOOM shortcuts to Conference Call like a Pro
• Breakout Rooms – half the noise, twice the impact

2. ABI – Always Be Innovative

Last week (Motivation – how to keep yourself ‘up’), we noted David Banes’ (Bean & Grain) new sourdough marketing strategy (i.e. a free 20g starter batch of sourdough with every order), which proved (sorry – baking pun there!) a huge success with customers.

As well as sourdough starter orders, this has also led to an exponential demand in requests for flour…which is something of hot topic at present:

Floury issues – a short background

• Only 4% of UK flour is currently sold via shops & supermarkets (in 0.5 – 1.5kg bags) according to National Association of British and Irish Millers (Nabim) [source: Bakery and Snacks.com]
• This means that the vast majority of flour is sold wholesale, either via tankers or in industrial-sized 16- 25kg sacks
• So, despite the industry having ramped up production to record levels, production has been limited by the capacity to pack small (retail-sized) bags
• At the same time, online searches for bread & cake recipes have surged since mid-March as more people have taken up home baking.
• However, this has meant that existing stocks of flour have been quickly diminished; e.g. Nabim estimates that each UK household usually buys a 1.5kg bag of flour every 14 weeks, but the combination of stock piling and increased usage has led to the pronounced retail shortage that we see at present.

3. Learn a new business skill

“I didn’t have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long one.”

Mark Twain

The same is true of learning a new skill – it takes time, thought, and a degree of dedication.

We can usually put this off by proclaiming, “I’d love to, but I just don’t have the time”, conveniently ignoring any lack of thought or dedication on our part. However, nowadays, during Covid 19, we all have the time – so no excuses!

Mark Harris (Enterprise Doctor) is starting up a new podcast shortly – here’s 3 quick tips to get started (if you want more, please feel free to contact Mark)

• www.buzzsprout.com
• Month-to-month contracts, starting from free (2 hours per month but with restrictions) up to $24 per month (12 hours per month, lots of add-ons)
• Comprehensive guide on how to start a podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/how-to-make-a-podcast

4. Expand your geographic reach

Time to think outside the box.

Many firms limit themselves to a geographic area – say a 20-30 mile radius of their office – because it makes practical sense, as it becomes increasingly expensive to service clients outside of this core zone.

However, Covid 19 has forced industries to think outside their traditional physical limitations, and as such, has spawned online solutions.

Eva’s business (Henley Scan):

• Previously limited to a 25-mile radius around Henley
• Now marketing to half the country, from  London to Birmingham
• Photos and albums can be couriered, consultations can be done via video call – yes, it’s easier in person, but necessity is the mother of invention!