We originally published this blog in 2020 when we’d only been living with Covid-19 for five months (imagine if we knew then what we know now!) We were all so keen to see the back of 2020 and welcome 2021 in with open arms.
2021 has continued to be just as uncertain as 2020, we’re just more educated on the impact of social distancing and businesses have adjusted as best they can… and survived.
But 2021 can still be a great success, and it’s how you use the time now which will determine what that success looks like.
Here’s five key areas we suggest business owners prioritise.
1. Redefine those business goals
Whatever your business, you’ve probably had to pivot what you offer or how you operate to at least soften the blow of Covid-19. At worst, you’ve been paralysed and you’ve had to scale back on costs as much as possible. If 2021 has continued to be much like 2020 and your mindset is full of what’s been lost as opposed to gained, it’s time to draw a line in the sand and revisit your goals. Forget what’s not happened. Give yourself a new focus on what can be achieved in the short few months to the end of the year.
2. Review your target market
If you’ve spent time understanding and personifying your target market, it’s important to look at how Covid-19 may have introduced some new audiences to you. For example, in the gardening sector we have seen an increase in new gardeners and they are typically a younger demographic than our previous market. And they are big online shoppers, not typical garden centre visitors!
3. Check relevancy of your products or services
Check that your products or services are still relevant to the target market you are selling to – it’s important to understand how their needs and wants may have changed as a result of Covid-19. No doubt you’ve seen lots of businesses invest to have their products and services available online, from tea rooms and restaurants to yoga classes. This may or may not be a permanent change but it’s a great way to fulfill demand whilst travel and physical interaction is restricted.
4. Test your message
We’ve moved on from ‘Stay Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives’ to ‘Hands, Face, Space.’ Hopefully you too have kept in tune with what your target customer is looking for from you and you’ve adapted your message accordingly. It’s important, not just when there’s a pandemic, to review, tweak and test your messaging and remain relevant.
5. Review previous campaigns
Take time out to consider and identify what marketing activities and campaigns worked well previously – chances are they will still work now. Remember you do not need to reinvent the wheel because change has happened. Tweaks may be required but overall, if a previous message and its delivery returned a great result for you, it’s because you put the time and research into knowing your target market.
Any business which has navigated the twists and turns of the last 18 months should be extremely proud. You may feel like you’ve been stuck in battle mode and as a result find it hard to refocus and move forward with an element of positivity. Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Our five points above should help you if you’re stuck – sometimes we just need a nudge in the right direction and off we go!
If you have any questions about what we’ve suggested or maybe you recognise that a helping hand from an experienced team would be a great investment, then simply get in touch.
Call Paula now, on 07500 225293 for a no obligation chat on what you can do to make sure your business enters 2022 in the best shape.
