5 Pivots This Entrepreneur Made During COVID-19 That Saved Her Business (And Could Save Yours Too)

It’s no secret that the world has shifted in a way that none of us have ever seen before and if we are honest with ourselves, it has been a little scary at times trying to figure out what’s next. 

A lot of the questions my Agency has been asked to look something like:

• What do I do now?
• How do I stay relevant?
• What should I be offering?
• Am I supposed to be selling right now?
• What is my next best step?

The questions are endless. As a Marketing Coach who has coached thousands of business owners, I understand that now is not the time to buy into the fear and chaos that has seemed to fill conversations, timelines, and airwaves. 

Chances are, you’ve already been affected in some type of way by everything that is going on. It is not the time to be thinking about what you will be doing 5 or 10 years down the line. It is the time to slow down, take a deep breath, and step outside the chaos to come up with a strategy to help you pivot effectively within the next 90 days no matter what state the economy is in.

Here are 5 failsafe ways to prepare:

1. Hone In On Your Creative Genius Factor

Just like a fingerprint that differentiates 7 billion human beings from one another, there should be multiple characteristics that allow you to differentiate yourself from anyone in your niche. I call this your Creative Genius Factor. It consists of:

1. 1. 3 Life-changing experiences that have impacted your life
   2. 3 Skills you possess that not many others possess
   3. 1 Thing that you want to be known for
   4. 3 Abilities that come naturally to you
   5. The biggest transformation you provide for your audience.

2. Focus Building And Deepening The Relationship With Your Audience

I don’t think I need to emphasize the importance of building an audience right now. There are more people online than there ever have been. There are also more people searching for solutions to their problems than ever before. You will need to be able to make a connection at each stage of their unique journey. Communicate more often and frequently check in with your audience each week. Show them you truly care. Their needs will be different, but it is your job to provide them with valuable resources that meet their needs at the awareness, consideration, and decision making stages as quickly and effectively as possible. You are not selling to them. You are serving them with solutions to some of their biggest problems right now. You are the physician of your marketplace and it is your job to be on the frontlines helping people any way you can by being empathetic and offering painkillers that will transform their situation. This is not the time to sell vitamins.

3. Overdeliver

Due to the economic changes, more people are going to be looking to make each dollar stretch. This means that they will be expecting more value for their investment and will be evaluating the importance of your offer and whether or not it is truly a need or if they can do it themselves or go without it. In order to prepare for this shift, make sure you are stacking valuable incentives, bonuses, and rewards with your offers so that your solution is a no-brainer for them.

4. Make Them Lean In Or Lean Out

I’m always stressing the importance of positioning yourself as a leader in your industry. Your message shouldn’t be confusing right now. It should be so clear that in 20 seconds, the right person leans in to learn more about how you can help or leans out because they are not a good fit. It’s essential that you also position your brand story and your best testimonials and case studies so that they can quickly come to a decision about doing business with you. 

5. Renew Your Mind

It is normal to feel fear and uncertainty right now. You’re not alone. Sometimes, the only thing that can help change a situation is the way you perceive it. This is calling for the leader in you to rise up and open your mind to the opportunities that await you. People need your light, your expertise, your product, your services. They just need you to show up and there is no way to do that if your mind is only focused on the wrong things. It’s time for you to decide where you will choose to shift your focus. It is the time to hold on to thoughts that elevate you and help propel you forward and show up in a powerful way as only you can. 

I truly believe that it is possible to come out of this trying time better than before. It may take a while, but Entrepreneurs have always been willing to take risks that allow them to pivot and continue to help shape the world.