The Antidote to Lockdown - Positivity!

It’s in the Orphans DNA to think positively and creatively. Priority one is staying healthy. Next, on an individual as well as business level, we have more of the once precious commodity of time, so let’s make the best of this period of unwelcome business interruption. Let’s get the cogs turning and think of how we can survive, re-shape and be on the front foot when a level of normality returns.

We’re already seeing the priorities of our customers changing, and that’s only going to continue as the situation plays out. A lucky few are seeing the demand for their online products increase while others have seen their existing business model become unsustainable for the foreseeable future. Whichever situation a business is in, there are opportunities, perhaps not to thrive, but to adapt a little to better weather the storm. 

• Still make sure you are seen online: Even if you feel you have nothing seemingly relevant to offer right now, it’s important to remain part of your customer’s consciousness and to be transparent about what your business is doing and how you’re affected. It’s also important to strike the right tone; to be seen to be taking the situation seriously but also making the best of things wherever possible. Positivity, if you can manage it, is also good for us all. There’s plenty of bad news in our social feeds, balancing with a little cautious hope can’t hurt.
• Think Outside The Box: Can you switch up a service? Can you deliver? Can you use your skills to offer a new service? We’ve already seen great examples of this in the food industry, where traditionally location-based caterers have started to offer take-away and delivery options. If home delivery isn’t an option, some food businesses have shared their produce with food banks and charities to make sure they did as much as possible to help their community. This brand ‘credit’ is in the bank and customers will be sure to re-pay this positive action in the long term.
• Keep your customers informed. If you are a business who has to radically change then make sure your customers know. Create a pop up for your website, build a new services page, create eye-catching visuals for your social media channels. If your business is operating close to normal then again, make sure your customers know that.  If anything, people will be spending more time online than usual so make sure your loyal customers are clear on how they can carry on supporting you and you are visible to new customers who might not have come across you before. 

Use your new found time wisely: We’ve all got jobs we keep thinking we should get around to, but somehow it’s only the urgent ones that ever get done. The positive part of this current period of uncertainty is that we will come out of it so what can you be doing now to hit the ground running when we do?  Update your website content, simplify processes, investigate better ways of streamlining tasks or create a marketing or content plan. All those jobs you always meant to do but never had the time, well now you have!