Top 5 priority tasks for business owners in lockdown
Updated: Jun 25, 2021
Reading time: 3 mins
Time to prioritise the un prioritised.
Whilst pressure and stress are still high, the demand on your time may be slightly lower. Chances are you are not as busy as you once were. However, you need to be!
Sure, enjoy the most out of your new 'flexible' working environment. Actually have a full conversation or meal with your partner or check in with your kids to see how they have gone from toddlers to stroppy teens :) It's a great opportunity to reconnect and get some perspective.
However, don't confuse a better work-life balance with lower productivity! If you stick to your daily and weekly plans (list 3 priorities, 3 nice to have's and 3 for the future) you will not go too far wrong.
I’m sure you already have a long list but here are the Top 5 ‘nice to have’ tasks to prioritise in your weekly plan.
1. Get more leads from your website
What does your website actually achieve? Have you got a brochure site (general product and information) or a lead generation site (designed to convert leads and sales). If it’s the latter, a good rule of thumb is that a high-performance website converts at 2-3%. Where does yours sit? Simple review steps:
Alignment of messaging to audience pains and your product solutions
Review the clarity and impact of your offers and promotions
Review landing page performance (if you haven’t already, add analytics and HotJar to understand user experience, engagement hotspots
Split test key pages to begin to test and learn what drives greater impact
2. Switch on/up a sustainable lead generation program
Call it inbound, ABM, waterfall or nurture campaigns. Content still remains King and in this outrageously competitive time, you need to differentiate and establish an audience built on trust. You can do this with an 'always-on' powerful content program that can be surprisingly light touch. If you already have one in place - it is time to remap to reflect current conditions to demonstrate your understanding of audience needs and circumstance.
Think about what your audience would like to engage with and how this relates to your brand core values, product and services. Shape a theme (remember to be consistent), create value pieces (guides, reports, videos training etc) for people to want to download and opt-in to receive. Then create a realistic content calendar (what will be released and where) and get cracking. Over time you will build an engaged audience that if the value is consistent you can convert into paying customers and brand advocates.
3. Better understand your customers
Speak to your customers, gain feedback on what they need and want, what’s working and what’s not. Then use this invaluable feedback to improve the model.
Your customers will feel as though you are supporting them at a time of need and you can use the feedback to adapt the product, solutions and messaging to be more attuned to your target markets needs.
This will also allow you to pool your strongest advocates to create powerful testimonials, case studies, and even lucrative referral campaigns.
4. Try new things - be bold, brave and creative
Task your teams to bring their ideas to the forefront - use your team’s downtime to inspire creativity - set them a challenge, ask where they would take the next leap or how they would improve the business, product or their productivity, you may be pleasantly surprised by their ideas and this could open new opportunities for your business at a critical time.
Test and learn - train and upskill. Try the things you didn’t get round to 'just yet’. Test new tech and new marketing channels. Take the time to upskill on areas that you and your team feel there is room for improvement. Run a simple 0-10 skills test on critical areas of knowledge and where you are lowest, make these a priority in line with your role and the impact it can bring on your business.
5. Plan for the future
Use this time to reflect and remap the future. There's normally no time to ask the big questions in life - now there is!
Ask yourself, what did you set out to achieve, and what do you want to achieve now? Review your desires and goals and remap these into both your role and business model. Now is the time to aim big and 'Shoot for the stars'.
Summary
We will all emerge from this crisis differently. Hopefully, we will all emerge a little less digitised and ‘plugged in’ with a refreshed appreciation for what is important and a clear pathway to achieve it!
If you need support crystallising your thinking and making the refocused goals a reality book a discovery session with our leading consultants to accelerate positive change for a brighter more balanced future.
In crisis mode? We can help. We are offering 10 strategic 'Phoenix' workshops, complete with a free bespoke marketing plan for FREE to support businesses in their time of need. Find out more about Project Phoenix.
Take-Aways:
Make the most out of your downtime, this opportunity won’t happen again
Review your website to convert at a greater rate
Switch on / adapt your inbound lead generation
Better understand your customers
Plan for the future and make it happen
