Lockdown has sparked a surge in home improvement as people trapped at home work their way through the list of tasks that have been lingering for years. Paintwork is refreshed, broken fences fixed and areas of chaotic clutter streamlined and organised. In business too, this can be a good time to tackle those all important pieces of work that too easily slip off the list while everyone’s caught up in the demands of the day to day.
Of course, some sectors are firefighting in the face of disaster, and some, such as supermarkets, are busier than ever. But for companies whose activities have been slowed or suspended by this crisis, this is a great time to look at the big picture and tackle business improvement with renewed focus. Here are our five top tasks to do during any time out afforded by the current crisis.
1) Preen your presentations
As a business, you may have just developed a succinct brand Powerpoint presentation that beautifully summarises your vision, purpose and strategy. Or alternatively, your key deck has been amended and added to over many months so that you’re looking at a 120-slide unwieldy divergent messaging monster. Now is a good time to update, trim and harmonise it, so that it serves your company as it should.
2) Hone your brand guidelines
Do your brand guidelines really help everyone who works for your company sing from the same song sheet? Reworking this crucial document can be the catalyst for positive change in brand consistency, sales and employee engagement. Perhaps your logo is being a little too creatively interpreted in different contexts, or your tone of voice has multiple personality disorder. Refreshed brand guidelines provide the opportunity for a reset and collective reorientation towards your business goals.
3) Run an audit of your website
Taking a good look at how your website is performing can easily drop off the list when everyone’s busy running the business. But spare capacity could be put to good use right now by running an audit to improve your site’s efficiency and visibility. It could be time to consider that restructure you’ve been putting off or archive unviewed pages and content. Start by gathering insights from Google Analytics, and use this to inform your content strategy to make sure UX and messaging are smoothly aligned.
4) Set up a CRM system
Many companies’ sales activities have slowed or been suspended due to the COVID-19 crisis. But many businesses are finding ways to nurture the relationship with their customers beyond the transactional, such as sharing helpful tools and information, or reporting on how you’ve leveraged your network for good causes. With a renewed focus on the customer, now is a good time to set up or revisit your CRM system, to help manage your interactions with current and potential clients. This can help you stay connected to customers, streamline processes, and improve profitability. Perhaps your email template could be refreshed or redesigned, ready for the next phase of enhanced client engagement.
5) Take a fresh look at your content strategy
Figure out what’s needed to maintain connection with your existing audience and reach out to new ones, or pivot towards entirely new markets. What do you have to say that will resonate with these groups right now and show how you can offer value? Then take a big step back, assess your current strategy and be honest about what’s working. Is your company blog a dead zone, or packed with too much content that is not relevant to the people you are trying to reach? Do you really need to be on four social channels or would you do better to devote resources on your most relevant one or two? Measure engagement and use this to inform your plan going forward. Perhaps it’s time to get creative with a new format or platform?
If you’d like to chat about refreshing your materials, processes or strategy, so that you’re primed and ready for what comes next, drop us a line on jasmin.gerrard@thisisembrace.com