We are in an extraordinary situation. Shops are closed, offices are empty and meetings happen on screens. For many businesses, the digital presence is suddenly not a pleasant extra channel: it is the only channel that works.

This is not a situation to wait out. It is a situation to act in.

When habits change, people search for information. Are you open? Do you deliver? Do you have digital alternatives? What is the current status?

If your website does not answer these questions (if it looks exactly as it did in January with no update) it signals that the business is either closed or not taking the situation seriously.

Minimum action now: Update your homepage or add a clear message about current status. What is open, what has changed, how to get in touch.

Google Business Profile: update it today

Many people search for businesses directly in Google Maps. Opening hours, status and contact information appear there. If these are out of date, you are losing customers who are trying to find you.

Google has added a COVID-19 update feature to Google Business Profile. Use it. Add a short message about operational status and any changes.

Digital alternatives to the physical meeting

Some services cannot be delivered digitally. But a surprising number can, with some adjustment.

  • Consultations and advisory work can happen via Zoom, Teams or Google Meet.
  • Viewings and demonstrations can be done as screen shares or video walkthroughs.
  • Sales and follow-up can happen over email and video without anyone meeting in person.

If you do not have a digital meeting flow in place, now is the time to set one up. Calendly is a free tool that lets clients book meetings directly into your calendar.

E-commerce: the barrier is lower than you think

If you sell physical products but do not have an online shop, you have an opening now. Platforms like Shopify let you get started in days, not weeks. It may not be the long-term solution for everyone, but it is a solution for now.

If you sell services, consider whether there is something you can offer that can be purchased and delivered digitally: a course, a report, a template, a consultation.

Communicate: do not just wait

The biggest mistake many businesses are making right now is waiting for the situation to normalise. Customers want to hear from you. They want to know the business exists, that you are thinking of them and that there is a path forward.

Send an email to your list. Publish an update. Post on social media. Not marketing, just honest communication.

Businesses that communicate well through difficult periods build a loyalty that outlasts the crisis.

This is not a new normal, but it is an acceleration

What is happening now is not that digital presence becomes permanently more important. It is that the transition which was going to happen anyway is occurring faster and more compressed.

Businesses that use this period to strengthen their digital channels will come out the other side better equipped than those that waited.

Need help adapting your website, setting up digital meeting flows or finding quick solutions for the current situation? Get in touch: we will help as quickly as we can.