So here we are again back into some kind of lockdown. At least with the children still in school, I feel like I have some semblance of normality and routine to my life. I have decided to use the reduction of paid work as a time to REALLY sort out my office. I know I say this all the time but it would be absolutely amazing to see the wood floor at some point this year! I’d love 2020 to be the year I FINALLY started using my office to its full potential. 2 years of dumping stuff in there instead of properly organising and filing. As I have a stand-up desk I can still do some work in there but the clutter and piles of “things” hurt my head!
Anyway back to lockdown if you have stopped trading or slowed down during this time, here are my top 5 things you can do to plan for next month, the Christmas season and keep your business ticking along.
5 Things You Can Do To Move Your Small Business Along During Lockdown:
- Start planning your Black Friday offers: Planning is the BEST way to make the most of Balck Friday. I suggest having a few special offers/discounted products rather than a code for the whole site. Create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) with graphics and limited stock. Read my 5 top tips to get more out of your Black Friday digital marketing in this months The Blackmore Vale Magazine (page 70 ➡️ November Issue)
- Schedule in your social media updates: It goes without saying, that social media is a time suck, you go to do one job and then you get swallowed into a black hole emerging 3 days later! Scheduling your content weeks in advance frees up time and your mind to be more spontaneous with impromptu updates. The best way to do this, I find is to start by writing down all the dates and days then start filling in the obvious ones; Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, etc … Use the weekends for a more personal insight into what you are doing, reading and then fill in the blanks with sales based information, blog content etc … Breaking it down in this way makes the process a lot quicker and less stressful. Or if you are really struggling you can purchase a Holiday Season Graphics and Content Planner
➡️ 5 week content calendar.
➡️ 61 seasonal graphics.
➡️ 3 different packs to choose from.
➡️ Special Offer £15 a pack until Saturday 28th November.
- Send out a newsletter: Let your customers know you are still around, what are your plans, any offers you have coming up.
- Write a blog or two: So many of my small business chums say they don’t have “time” to keep up to date with their blogs well now you have the opportunity to write a few for the next few weeks! Really think about seasonal content (I use my Christmas posts every year, I sometimes do need to edit them a little) and what you want to be known for. When people think about your business what comes to mind? For me, it’s networking and tips for working from home, therefore, I write all my content around getting this information out there, those expert posts form your evergreen content and help you stand out from other small business. Need some ideas? Read 9 Content Ideas To Get You Blogging.
- Network: I know you probably don’t feel like it but building and maintaining relationships during the hard times will help with mental health and productivity. There’s nothing like a chin wag with a small business chum to motivate and get those creative juices flowing. Whilst you can’t meet up face to face in small groups there are still plenty of ways to ensure you network daily, Facebook groups and Twitter Hashtag Hours are perfect and occur daily! Read How Your Small Business Can Continue Networking During Coronavirus.
Hopefully, these 5 suggestions will give you some motivation and help you move your small business forward during this second lockdown.
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