7 Ideas to Use “Found Time” During COVID-19

It’s no longer “business as usual” to say the least. During this COVID-19 pandemic, nothing is as usual.

You may have found yourself working from home – with or without children to care for – or discovering that many of your customers have shut down operations, so you’re wondering what to do with this “found time” in your schedule.

This could be an ideal opportunity to tackle those items on your business “to-do” list that you’ve neglected far too long. Here are 7 ideas to help you take back a bit of control in your business and prepare for when things get back to a new “normal.”

1. Check out the competition.

Go online and “creep” your competitors. What are they doing? What new products and services are they offering? What are they saying?

Obviously, you don’t want to copy what they’re doing or saying – but this can be an ideal time to find out how you can stand apart.

Look at the competition in your area and then see what others are offering in other countries. Then consider what you can do differently or what can you add to your roster that shows you’re a leader in your industry.

2. Review your Website and other marketing materials.

Is it time for an update? Often, creating new or updated content for your business is pushed to the backburner as you bring on new customers or work to deepen relationships with existing clients.

Now’s the time to read through your Website with fresh eyes – the eyes of your customer – and make sure the message you’re sending is the one you want others to read.

For tips for creating conversational content and maximize your impact, check out https://www.susanregier.com/tips.php for more insights.

3. Update all social profiles.

Be sure your profiles share the outcomes that you deliver and don’t read like a job-seeking résumé. And be sure your profile is accurate for where you are today. Share your accomplishments. Share your story.

4. Update your presentations.

If you’re a speaker or trainer, go through all your presentations and give them an in-depth refresh. Stats change. The way we do everything changes. Make sure your presentations reflect your changing industry.

Look at your talks, your slide decks, and your signage. Would a few small tweaks make a significant impact or are they tired-looking and benefit from a complete overhaul? Note, if you’re bored with your presentation, chances are your audience will be as well.

5. Research new prospects.

This can be a great time to research to find new customers. LinkedIn is the ideal platform to find B2B contacts. Please note, this is NOT the time to be selling. If you want to share useful information/insights, then reach out. But creating a list of potential contacts now will make work so much easier when things begin to get back to normal, and you have a ready-to-go list of new connections.

6. Create videos.

You can easily create quality videos using your computer or smartphone. These can be a great way to train customers or staff, offer industry insights and helpful tips, showcase products, or introduce employees to “humanize” your company.

They don’t have to be perfect! I always recommend that you check your background to ensure it’s not distracting. The focus should be on you and not on all the stuff behind you. That being said, Gary Porter, President of Flash Displays, offered this brilliant suggestion to use your tradeshow display (or part of it, if it’s huge) to use as your video backdrop. What a great way to brand your videos! You can then use these videos to send to customers, use on social platforms, Webcasts, etc.

When I create my videos, I like to do several at one sitting and post them over time on a schedule. This makes perfect sense if you’re setting up your display once, shoot several videos, and you’re done.

Also, Gary mentioned that as many tradeshows have been cancelled, you could still set up your booth and video your display and share your presentation, training, or insights about your company.

7. Reach out to current and past customers.

This is an excellent time to pick up the phone and re-connect to find out how others are dealing with this crisis (again, not to sell). These are extraordinary circumstances, and many people are not dealing well with the forced isolation they find themselves in. Your check-in call could be a lifesaver on many levels.