This sucks.
No matter what your business or where you are, things suck right now, and there is so much that is beyond our control. So what do great business owners and salespeople do? Focus on the things you can control.
Right now your business is either dying, surviving or thriving. For many, the doors are already closed and may never reopen. The ones who survive, or even thrive have already pivoted to new or modified products and services, either as a short-term survival strategy, or a long-term change. The good news: it’s not too late to pivot.
The key to pivoting is to focus on what you do best that brings in cash flow, developing new product or service mixes around those strengths and be relentless about abandoning things that aren’t going to help in the near term. Many of our clients have already pivoted and are aggressively marketing and selling new services – the moving company that now offers drive-way or curbside junk removal; the office furniture company offering home office furniture packages, including delivery and setup; and the window company emphasizing 24-hour repairs and drive-up windows.
In Baltimore, Words With Boards — a custom cutting board company — partnered with two other companies to make reusable face masks for the public. In two weeks they pivoted to use their in-house laser to cut fabrics that the other companies assemble. Poof – a new business that provides a product to the public, freeing up single-use masks for the medical field. In our area a local diner is only selling one item from their menu – a $10 Ruben sandwich, to go. Cash only, drive up to a table in the parking lot. The lines have been so long traffic is backed up for blocks. Ironically in front of other restaurants with empty parking lots.
Pivoting isn’t easy. But right now it may be necessary to survive, and it could be the key to thriving in a rapidly changing world. You can’t control a lot of what’s happening right now, but you can control how you respond.
No matter where you are in business, we hope you, your families and your employees are safe and healthy.
PS – This week’s video tip is an older one, but particularly relevant for any business or salesperson struggling to find leads right now.
