So. What Do We Do Now?

So. What Do We Do Now?

During uncertain times it can be hard to know how to think and what to do. Then, as the dust settles we can be left asking, "Where do we go from here?". Those who can navigate the changing landscape will grow and benefit during this time. And most importantly, they will be in a position to help others in need. These 4 points are what we shared in our staff meeting on Monday March 23rd in the midst of COVID-19, Quarantines, and Nationwide Lockdowns. I hope they help you too. 

1.Look closely at timely resets or tweaks of our core business. Everything is changing before our eyes, and we need to adapt too. In a timely way. This is a delicate balance of being able to know you need to adjust, change, or shift, and being able to see the exact time to do it. Maybe it’s less marketing or more marketing. Maybe it’s shifting a pricing model. Charge more, or charge less. Whatever the case. We need to A) Look closely at our core business and B) If we make a change, do it at the right time. If you act too soon, you cut your feet out from under your core business and if you act too late, you are out of touch.

2.Look for new opportunities that work with where we want to be long-term. Not just new opportunities. 

The first category of this is the edges of what we’re already doing with our core business. Things in the past we’ve said NO too because it was a little too small of a project, or on the edges of what we’re comfortable with, is now a YES. Everything is up for grabs. 

Secondly, there are a lot of new opportunities that are presenting themselves. Specifically, in ways we can help those in need by providing work and growing our business. Look for those opportunities. Be creative! 

One caveat, my temptation when I’m fearful is to go chasing rabbits. There are SO many opportunities that are cousins to where we want to be in a few years. There’s no reason to go off in left field chasing something that won’t make sense in 5 years. 

3.Keep hope, work hard, and smart. 

Some percentage of your competitors and partners are not coming back from this. 

I’m sad about that. Truly. I think this is going to create a pretty big chasm in the market.  

However, This is absolutely NOT the time to take our foot off of the gas. Further, someone reading might say, “ok cool, but I’m gonna wait a few weeks to see what’s going to happen, then I’m going to get after it”. NO! You can’t feel the tides shifting if you’re not in the water. If you’re not knee deep in talking to customers, partners, or vendors, you won’t know what’s happening in real time. Stay active during this time, even if it doesn’t produce results. At the very least you will be able to stay in touch with how everyone is doing and you will have the opportunity to gain the collective knowledge of the group. 

4.Cut fat, get lean, mean, and ready. The answer to the question, "How do we stay healthy/how do we stay alive as a business?".

Be smart and efficient with your time. We really need to concentrate on revenue generating tasks whenever we can. We’re going to need to look closely at everything right now, and anything that generates revenue comes first. It absolutely comes first. If anything looks, smells, or taste like new revenue, we take it. Learn to do some things that aren’t comfortable. Things that feel unfamiliar. We have to do those things to survive and more importantly thrive right now. Last week I made a podcast into a video. I didn’t know how to do it, ha! It was a headache, but it’s done and it helped my client. Lastly, cut what you don’t need. There are so many things that I’ve purchased over the last year that I have to cut out because I never should have purchased them in the first place. 

I think in a lot of ways we’re going to look back at this time as a catalyst for the next season of really interesting and exciting opportunities. We’ve just gotta be willing to take those opportunities. To be brave. Put in the work. And make it happen.