Times are tough for businesses of all shapes and sizes right now. Closures with no end date and the need to run on a reduced workforce is guaranteed to take their toll. And, while businesses like yours are doing whatever they can to survive during lockdown, it’s fair to say that the implications of this hit will be severe and long-lasting. 

In fact, while tax breaks and government assistance are helping companies stay afloat right now, many are beginning to worry about what the market will look like once we step into the light again. Many are even wondering whether there will be any light to step into.

This worry has especially come to the fore as China leaves lockdown and companies continue to struggle. As we could’ve predicted, consumers aren’t exactly rushing out to buy. Many businesses are still having to operate on skeleton staff, all without the support provided during lockdown itself. 

This is terrible news and is just the first sign of a COVID-19-led recession that could see many managers with no choice but to shut. You could even say that your only chance at avoiding the worst is to think now about how you’ll weather that storm.

By turning your attention to this issue early, it might just be possible to guarantee a lighter end to lockdown and a smoother transition into normal revenue. It won’t be easy, by any means, but these pointers could help you to achieve it. 

Consider whether remote work could last
As countless Chinese companies are discovering, there simply isn’t enough custom during the initial post-lockdown period to justify bringing staff back on board. That’s why now is the ideal time to ask yourself whether you could continue with remote processes, at least until fears of contagion end.

Countless companies have already taken this chance to go remote for good, and they certainly look to be the ones who have the best chance at survival. Instead of treating this switch as temporary, they’re looking into the best software and processes to keep themselves booming in the long-term. By doing the same, you can join the workplace revolution and, hopefully, remove some of the strain you’d otherwise experience after this lockdown period. 

Continue to look for alternatives

It’s also worth thinking in the long-term about alternative ways to offer value. Namely, you’ll want to think about how to provide contactless buying opportunities, even after shoppers are allowed out. 

Perfecting your online store now is, of course, your best chance of doing this. Think, too, about accepting phone orders or offering door-to-door deliveries, at least until the worst of that fear has passed and consumers are happy to come to you again. 

Re-enter the market with something new

Remember, too, that every business will be opening shop again at around the same time. As such, crawling back onto the market is never going to cut it. Instead, you need to re-enter with a bang. 

It may be that you take this time to rebrand and relaunch when the time comes. Or, you may want to find new products and lines to sell at a post-lockdown gift fair 2020 or even just by doing your research online. Then, you can keep those new products aside until reopening, and launch these to get consumers excited about your offerings over everyone else’s. 

Put promotions in place now

Speaking of getting people excited, it’s also vital you think now about any post-lockdown promotions. These are going to be a non-negotiable aspect of getting back on your feet, so you need them to be as good as possible.

Some brands have chosen to go as far as offering open promotions or credit now that get consumers through their doors again when the time comes. Or, you could develop a detailed discount program during this quieter period. Use options like gamification, scarcity, and other promotional gems to really capture attention. Then, when the time comes, you’ll have an ace up your sleeve that at least makes it more likely people will browse your stock and consider buying. 

Conclusion

Thinking about the post-lockdown world can seem impossible, but there will come a time when we return to life as we once knew it. And, when that happens, you need to know that your brand can withstand the change. Otherwise, you can kiss goodbye to all that hard work you put in trying to stay afloat during the worst of this crisis because the pandemic is guaranteed to prove fatal regardless.