Growth Hacking COVID-19 in 2020

From start-ups to the Amazons in business, COVID-19 has been incredibly disruptive but it does not have to be the end of your business.

1. HOW TO MOTIVATE UNMOTIVATED STAFF

We are all motivated by different things, but during times like these where staff are fearing that they too will lose their jobs and that they won't have the money to buy the necessities, they need for their families make motivating them to work a lot harder because of the stress that will be clouding their minds but it is important to remember that money is not the only motivator for your teams.

During difficult times like these staff want to know that they are not just a number on a spreadsheet to your business. They don't want to feel that at any time you will call them to the office and send them packing. You must find ways to make your staff feel like their jobs with you is safe and that you are going to do everything you can to keep them employed and earning a salary.

If salary cuts are essential, start with yours. Speak with your top management and see which of them can take a deeper cut in salary so that other staff can get a reasonable salary. See which staff can take an extra week of unpaid leave. Ask staff to self nominate themselves if they feel that they can take extra days of unpaid leave. Remember to assure your team that you are doing absolutely everything to keep your business open during this period. Allow staff to work from home so that they don't need to pay for a sitter.

Keep in constant communication with your team and find out how they are coping, do they need any additional assistance. Prove to your employees that you really care about them and they too will be willing to go the extra mile for your company.

A team who feels that their boss cares about them will generally be much more motivated than a team who feels that the boss doesn't care.

STAFF THAT FEEL CARED FOR ARE MORE MOTIVATED THAN STAFF WHO FEEL UNCARED FOR

2. ADAPT TO THE MARKET.

The first principle in The Success Principles by Jack Canfield is:

TAKE 100% RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE.

The next highlight from his book is that everything you experience today is the result of the choices you have made in the past.

I have seen so many businesses try and stick to the old ways of doing business and now have closed signs hanging at the door crying about not having a business. The business did not close because of the current market climate but because they didn't make the necessary decisions and then instead of making better decisions they close the company, stay complain and blame the virus.

There is no excuse for not adapting to the times. I have helped a company recently pivot from B2B only to now being direct to consumer business. I have built the company an online store where they can receive orders more easily. Not only that but they have been adding new product ranges to meet consumers needs during this period. Yes, sales have dipped a bit but the fact is that they are still operational and each day they are receiving more orders.

Not only did they do what was needed but they are now looking at this being the new normal meaning that when things go back to "normal" they will not only be a B2B business but a B2C business as well.

Yet some businesses also can make this pivot and introduce a new way of doing business but are complaining about how bad the market is instead.

All that this period is doing is clearing the market. The real entrepreneurs will and are finding ways to pivot and adapt or just start another business more attuned to the current climate. The rest will complain and see their business close.

If you are forced to stay at home and have access to the internet then you don't have any excuses.

3. YOUR CUSTOMERS ONLY CHANGED LOCATIONS.

This pays homage to point 2. Entrepreneurs are like lions. The true kings of the jungle know that their prey migrates and seasonal changes are a constant, some years bring more rain than others and some years, well they throw curveballs. But lions never forget the code they live by; eat or get eaten. When the Wildebeest are away they learn to take down a giraffe, Not enough food in their territory, they go out and expand their territory which means you'll likely face more competition but a true king never settles.