Are you one of the many brick-and-mortar business owners that have suddenly found themselves making the leap to online business? It may not have been a part of your original business plan, but our current situation doesn’t leave you with a lot of other options. You may not have planned it, but that doesn’t mean you need to be anxious or intimidated. Embrace it as an exciting new journey for your business! Here are some things to keep in mind to make this transition easier for everyone.

Your Customers

Whether your business was merchandise or service-based, online business is a whole new ballgame for you and your customers. The best thing you can do to keep their trust and loyalty during this transitional phase is keep them informed.

• Step Up Your Social Media

This is a great way to keep your customers in the know and keep your business on their minds. Share updates, photos, announcements and anecdotes – anything that keeps your connections with your customers strong.

• Offer Incentives

This is a great time to offer discounts and special deals to your customers. It rewards their ongoing loyalty to your brand and gives them the chance to see that your products and services will maintain the same high-quality standards they’ve always counted on.

• Keep It Real

Anytime you pursue a new path, you might encounter obstacles. There could be shipping issues, production might briefly fall behind – but this doesn’t have to cost you customers. If you share your struggles as well as your triumphs through your social media posts and stories, your customers will appreciate your authenticity. After all, everyone is going through some major changes and facing obstacles of their own. Keep it real, and you’ll be amazed at how understanding your customers are.

Your Team

Keeping everyone working together when they’re all working remotely can be challenging. Luckily, it’s easier than ever to keep everyone connected. It might take some getting used to, but before you know it, you’ll have your team working online together like a well-oiled machine!

• Stay Connected

It wasn’t hard to keep everyone in the loop when you were all working in the same building. Now that everyone is working remotely, it’s a lot easier for information to fall through the cracks. Frequent check-ins are the key to avoiding miscommunication or missed deadlines. Schedule daily online meetings and check out collaborative work apps to keep everyone on track.

• Use Your Tools

Speaking of collaborative work apps – you have a huge variety of tools readily available to keep your team working together no matter how far apart they are. Check out Zoom, Skype and Webex for virtual meetings, and Asana or Slack for co-working and communication. They’re easy to use, and they’ll keep your team connected.

• Keep a Positive Attitude

Trying something new can be wonderful, but it can also be frustrating and overwhelming. It’s okay to have those moments where everything seems like a disaster, but it’s important to move past them and stay positive. Your team is counting on you to set the tone, so keep that can-do spirit going!

This is an exciting opportunity for your business (even if it was one you hadn’t planned on). Going online opens up a whole new world of potential and widens your brand’s reach more than you can imagine. The team at SophieZo is ready to help you take your business into this new frontier. Book a call today and let’s talk about how we can make your business bigger and better than ever!