When Bob Dylan penned the words to The Times They Are A-Changin’, he definitely wasn’t thinking any further ahead that year (1964), but you could easily be forgiven for thinking he was.
2020-21 has been without a doubt a time of change on a global scale. The times have changed and life, as we know it, will again never be the same. We’ve endured so much and as a global community, we have been forced in to changes that we probably never conceived we would have to make.
There is a great saying that goes, “What matters most is how well you walk through the fire.”
Doesn’t that just say it all?!
So, if you are here today, reading these words, still in business, still driving forward every day… then take a few seconds, right now to reflect on what you have done, what you have achieved, and be proud.
Do it… now.
Ok, that’s enough. There will be time for further reflections and celebrations; but as we stand, your job is only half done. What you need is to prepare yourself for the next phase of your business life. You’ve made it this far and the only way is forward from here, but you’re going to need to get ready to … wait for it… Pivot, again!
Pivot? Again? Really?
Yes, really.
Let’s look at this in simple terms of what we know.
We know that governments around the world are now making key decisions to unlock restrictions and drive the economy forward once more. Eight weeks ago, this was a very different outlook. There was much uncertainty and fear. Nobody knew what was to come and when it would arrive, but we are now edging closer and closer and time frames have been set.
So, as a business owner, are you prepared for what is to follow? Do you have a plan in place that allows you to take on whatever might be coming our way? Restrictions are being lifted, our leaders are telling us it’s time to start the process of returning to normal, but will normal really ever be normal again? If you haven’t any plans in place here we recommend talking to your business advisor and laying down some firm goals.
Will History Repeat?
While we are beginning to see vaccination rates rise and our doors open again – unfortunately, history does have a cruel habit of repeating itself.
What doesn’t have to repeat itself is the lack of preparation and understanding that we all had not that long ago. In fact, we should all be well equipped to know exactly what to expect and how to counter. It’s the actions that we were forced into the first time around that will lend to the experience and knowledge of what needs to happen.
It’s time to get smart, time to adapt again. It’s time to pivot!
COVID-19 is your ally
That’s right, I went there. I said it and no I’m not delirious. I’m being dead straight.
For business owners, a post COVID-19 world is going to mean one thing, opportunity.
No, I’m not forecasting a land of milk and honey awaits us all, that is far from the truth. I’ll go as far to say that hard work and commitment is going to be required more than ever. But an opportunity, it will create.
Now is the time for you to be thinking about what changes lie ahead for you in your business. How major or minor are they? What things can you do now to make improvements for the future? There could be dozens, there might be one or two.
No matter what the size of your list is, the one thing you certainly should have near or at the top is the word COMMUNICATION!
Communication is A KEY SUCCESS FACTOR
If we have learned anything through the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the importance of communication. This is something that feeds right through our community from top to bottom.
We live in an age where communication is easier than ever. Consider what a pandemic would feel like without the technological age we exist within. It has been scary enough as it is, but imagine if education and information had not been so readily available. We’d be in this for a much longer run. Scary, right?
I want you now to do a little exercise for me. I want you to score your communication on a business level from 1-10. A score of 1 would mean you have barely communicated, where as a score of 10 would suggest that you have communicated clearly, concisely with relevant and helpful information to your customers and audiences.
What did you score? It’s okay, nobody else is going to know. You don’t even have to say it out loud. Just give an honest assessment of what you believe your score is… and once you have, put yourself in your customer’s shoes and see if you lived up to expectation.
An interesting little exercise, wouldn’t you agree?
It doesn’t have to be difficult
Regardless of whether you scored a 1 or a 10. Communication is something you still have to get right on a regular basis. It’s a key success factor for any business, but it can also be a time consuming one and that’s the truth.
It doesn’t, however, have to be difficult.
Time is a valuable commodity and how you use yours should be spent on your business, not in it. That is why Advantage Agency has been creating marketing programs perfect for any business that is in need of making its next pivot.
If this is something you’d like to learn more about, drop us a line!
