It has been a year of business turmoil for many, but that doesn’t mean we all have to hit the brakes on our strategic plans. If anything, we should be doing the opposite. If businesses want to make the most of what’s to come in 2021 then they should be speeding up, getting themselves ready for a new year and keeping their staff as energised as possible. Mark Wilkinson, the health and happiness coach, shares his top tips for businesses to keep up momentum during a pandemic.
Promoting yourself is more important than ever
Many businesses have seen their entire industries completely grind to a halt on more than one occasion this year. However, even if this is the case for you, it is crucial that you keep your foot on the gas when it comes to advertising and promoting your business. It may feel like a catch 22 if you are unable to actually deliver your product or service due to the circumstances, however it’s really ok. The businesses that will survive 2020 will be the ones that ensured their brand did all it could to remain front and centre of their customers’ mind.
You must spend this time thinking up new ideas, new sales strategies, ramp up your marketing, jump head first into PR and engage with your network on social media. Whatever you do, don’t stop moving forward. If you can get these foundations right, then when life returns to some sort of normality , you will be the first brand they think of.
Keep on top of staff morale
For many employees it has been a really uncertain time; furlough changes, working from home, pay cuts or even redundancies, so it is really important to keep all the staff you have fully engaged and on board with where the business is heading. As a business leader it is your responsibility to be upbeat and positive in order to keep your staff full of energy and engaged in their jobs.
Staff are the biggest asset a business will have and if this time has taught us anything, it’s the importance of comradery and communication between teams. Although these have been difficult times, if you are able to handle the situation with care and attention then it will only make your team stronger and foster loyalty, motivation and positive energy. Whether it’s through zoom quizzes, personalised treats to their door, or a simple weekly phone call to check on how each individual is doing; make sure you keep in touch and keep them in the loop. If you can keep a high energy up through lockdown you will reap the rewards when we are all released back into normality.
Share the load
So many of even the most successful leaders struggle to get their head around sharing the pressures and responsibilities within the business. You don’t have to be good at everything and to be honest, you don’t want to be. Make sure you spend your time doing what you are really good at and delegate or outsource other jobs to experts.
This year has allowed many to take some time to think about what they are doing with their career and where they want to take it, it’s time for you to analyse your role too. Leaders often fall into the trap of taking on too much and trying to do too many roles at once. You have a great team for a reason. And if you aren’t using that team effectively then are you really going to be effective in all aspects of your own role? The answer is probably no.
It is time to think about whether you could delegate or outsource aspects of your role to ensure the best person is doing the job. With 2021 just around the corner, there is an opportunity for everyone to think differently about how they manage their own workload and as soon as you relinquish some of the control, you will be able to truly drive the business forward.
So get going!
By following these simple steps, you can turn what has been a difficult time into a real opportunity for business change and growth. 2021 is going to be full of evolution for many industries and if you are getting your tactics right now then your business will be able to head into a new year with a fresh mindset, positive goals and a bright future. It’s time to get strategic and really learn from what 2020 has thrown at us. Those who choose to move forward with this positive mentality will be the ones that drive their businesses forward way past the new year.
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