Small business Coronavirus survival guide

With face to face contact now becoming more and more limited, it seems clear that we will now see an accelerated migration to more people communicating and doing business online. Businesses that can embrace their online communication skills NOW will reach a much wider audience and find their ability to sell more online could save their business.

As someone who is a huge advocate of helping small retailers, leisure businesses and SME’s in general, access our websites, e-commerce, CRM and app systems, I think for some, there could be a silver lining to this huge cloud we are currently sat under.

All kinds of businesses will now be forced to think about how they can trade using tools that limit human contact. This presents a great opportunity for them to catch up with the competition that have already put a digital strategy in place and present their businesses to a much broader audience.

So as we look at even more reasons to become technology savvy and change the way we do business, what tools can you use to help mitigate the carnage the Coronavirus is causing small businesses?

1. Google Meet. As a Google Partner we use Google tools to help improve our efficiency and effectiveness. Google meet is really, REALLY easy to use due to not needing to download any software and working easily through the browser. Online meetings have never been easier!

2. Loom: Record video of you, your staff, your products or your desktop screen really easily and for free so you can engage easily with your customers without sitting face to face.

3. Google drive: This online suite of digital tools is ideal for small businesses as they can all be shared with anyone with an email address. Presentations, documents, images, spreadsheets and more can all be stored and managed easily with your clients and colleagues.

4. AI Website: With more business likely to be conducted online having AI built into your website is now even more important. Generating engagement with visitors with offers, location based messages, number of visits and seasonal messages means your website is working hard for you 24/7/365.

5. Mobile App: With a mobile app keeping your customers engaged and buying repeatedly due to loyalty offers and app specific content, can be done from home. This works for delivery, memberships, app specific videos and information all without the need to be face to face.

6. E-commerce: Following on from an AI Website is the ability to sell your products and services remotely and then deliver them either by carrier or via Google meetings if it’s consultancy or training. Having an easy to use and update intuitive e-commerce solution is key as small businesses can’t afford the time and effort to learn a complicated system in these challenging times.

7. WhatsApp: Nearly all of us use WhatsApp for personal conversations but using it effectively for business can be extremely powerful. WhatsApp is available in many countries around the world and can be used for text, voice or video and with the useful group functionality it means communication for general back and forth messages is instant.

8. CRM and Marketing System: Collecting data for prospects and nurturing them through an email marketing strategy has long been a way for businesses to build trust and authority with an audience. And yet there are still millions of small businesses that don’t leverage these systems to great effect.

9. Social Media Strategy: Finding an audience that engages with your business and sector has never been easier through social media posting and advertising. Combined with the variety of messaging services that accompany these platforms, communication online is easier than it has ever been, if you know how!

10. Google PPC: Driving traffic to your AI website through Google is an ideal way of getting prospects to see your stuff! Managing the campaign though takes expertise, so make sure you are partnering with a team that understands your business and your budget.

To help as much as we can we've put together a short audit to help small businesses review their digital tools and advise the best next steps. It's completely free and takes around 20 minutes via screen share.

You can book on here: