Now is not the time to be sitting back, even though the whole world is currently facing an unprecedented situation and global pandemic which the coronavirus, also known as COVID-2019. The media are scaremongering and some content on social media is inaccurate, so I urge you to focus on the actual statistics and data by credible organizations, rather than the crazy hysteria that surrounds it.
A common psychological response to fear is to become paralyzed to take action. Don’t listen to fear. Remind yourself that fear is just an illusion. It’s essential that we remain calm, take precautions, make contingency plans, and go about our business.
To create opportunities and to get results in a time like this, you will need to step up and take action. Action breeds results.
What do you think your competition are currently doing? I imagine they are leaning back and have taken their foot off the throttle. They are scared. Now is the best time to lean in and dominate your market.
There is a lot of opportunity out there. Despite some markets taking a hit, others have thrived. Video streaming and online communication platforms like Zoom or Blue Jeans users have skyrocketed as remote workers take their meetings virtual. Home delivery services like Amazon have peaked in demand and are encouraging their staff to work overtime.
Other than the toilet paper industry (who knows why people are obsessed with stocking this up?!), here are some industries that I believe will thrive in the current, remote work and stay-at-home, pandemic and environment.
- Digital marketing
- Home services
- Online training courses
- Corporate wellness program
- First aid training
- Cleaning companies
- Medical insurance
- Life and critical cover
- Home delivery services
- Video conferencing platforms
- Pharmaceutical
Get creative and pivot your business model
What were you doing before that can go virtual? If you had planned for an upcoming event, live steam or host an event webinar instead. (Did you see my recently released podcast with paid ad and webinar expert Jon Pemberley?! Listen to it here).
Rather than hold meetings in person, “meet” your prospect online. Now could be the perfect time to reach out to that CEO you’ve been wanting to meet for years as they are also stuck at home.
Use email marketing campaigns to offer your community discount vouchers for your products that they can purchase now and spend with you at a later date.
Technology is constantly evolving; times are continually changing. As leaders we must always be ready to pivot and digitize anyway – or end up like Kodak! Get your team together, brainstorm out-of-the-box ideas and adapt your business. Sometimes it takes a situation like this prepare your business for the future.
Start creating content
Now is your chance to get active on social media. As people are indoors, scrolling through social media and trolling the internet to get the latest updates on COVID-2019, they are spending more time online than before. Create educational or inspirational content through the form of videos, write articles and post pictures to encourage and motivate your target audience. So when all of this dies down, people know who you are and the value that you can bring them. They will trust you and want to buy from you.
Take action
This coronavirus has the ability to destroy you mentally before it destroys you physically. Don’t get paralyzed by the fear. Don’t sit around and wait. Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Rather see this as an opportunity for you to become a great leader and business person, and step up your game. It’s tough times like these that separate the mediocre leaders from the ones that are truly great. Remind yourself that there has been plenty of challenges in your life, and other bad and stressful times, but you got through it. You handled them with way less life experience, and you came out the other end a better and stronger person.
You’ve got this.
In this time, I really want to help my community. I will be creating even more content than I usually do and will be live streaming over the course of this to motivate and encourage you. I want to bring you the most value that I can. So please, comment below any questions you have that you want to learn. You really have got this my friends. Spencer.
