3 of the right questions to ask right now with COVID-19

Asking better questions for your service business in light of the challenges ahead

I’ve been thinking for the last week how best to address the COVID-19 pandemic in a way that’s helpful, constructive, and offers a path forward.

So much of what’s overflowing in the media right now is somewhere between denial and outright panic, both driven by fear and uncertainty. 

And so many of the questions being asked aren’t the ones that help us move forward or offer solutions or hope to our businesses, to our clients, and to our communities. 

Yes, this event is on a scale our generation hasn’t yet seen, and will probably define a future that looks quite different from our ‘normal’ of just a few weeks ago. 

Yes, some (if not all) businesses are going to be affected in some way, and in some cases, tough decisions will have to be made. 

But rather than focus on the things we can’t control and can’t change, here are 3 questions to ask instead and shift from feeling adrift and worried to feeling empowered to move through these challenging times. 

1.How is COVID-19 impacting your business? (And what can you do to strengthen it?) 

What are the direct effects on you? What opportunities lie underneath these new situations and new challenges?

As someone who already runs an online business, my day to day doesn’t look too different yet. But my business conversations are a bit more nuanced.

On the challenging side, uncertainty means prospects in my sales funnel are delaying decisions as their financial picture changes by the minute. One client who does run an in-person business will be closing doors, and I’m considering deferring payments which reduces my income. It’s also been tough to navigate how to address the challenges in sales and marketing dialogs without being opportunistic. 

On the bright side, more people are looking for strategic help to pivot, add an online profit center, or spend this ‘extra’ time focusing on building internal systems and strengthening their business for the future, which is where I can support service providers best. My skills in strategy and ideation are a major asset to entrepreneurs in this situation.

There will be 2 sides to your business situations too- challenges and then opportunities.

How can you mitigate or minimize the challenges, and lean in to new opportunities of the moment? Some pivots may be short term, but you may find your new ways to serve open up the door to a long term revenue stream even after the crisis eases. 

It’s important that you take care of your business and your income. Let go of any guilt you feel for making sales, earning money, and experiencing success in these times- every business exists to solve problems. If you’re solving problems that are amplified but the situation, you still deserve to receive compensation in return. 

Your financial success means you can take care of family, of employees, of contractors, and be more generous with others who aren’t as fortunate. 

Please keep doing business and keeping the economy going!

2. How is COVID-19 impacting your clients’ businesses? (How can you support them to innovate and continue earning at this time?)

Some of you serve individuals, some of you serve other businesses. Either way, they are experiencing new challenges.

How can you serve them to better navigate this? Where does your innate genius and gifts create opportunities to support them?

For my part, strategy, ideation, and looking at all angles of business are already skills I leverage with my clients. This week that means looking at each one, identifying how they might be impacted, creating a strategy to pivot as needed, and looking at how to best use this time to strengthen things for the future. 

• Some clients are shifting to creative service delivery.
• Some clients are focusing on refining their offers and sales process so they can scale up in coming weeks and employ others.
• Some clients are focusing on building marketing collateral and info products to increase either their lead flow or their passive income. 
• All clients are refining their message to how they serve in these challenging times, and how they are more valuable than ever.

The good news is people are still buying, and if we learn from Asia, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. 

The collateral clients can build now, the systems they can build now, the new revenue streams and creative solutions they can offer their own customers now, will lead to, at the least, some stability, and in some cases, growth and increased loyalty from their customers by being the needed support in a time of turmoil. 

That’s my clientele- the question is how can you support yours? 

• Do they need nuanced creative material, copy or design?
• Do they need support transitioning to online service?
• Do they need updated online presence or branding to take advantage of an increase in online activity and traffic?
• Do they need support creating new revenue streams?
• Do they need support making smart financial decisions in light of changing markets?
• Do they need new technology tools or automations to reduce time if they are now home with kids?
• Do they need a plan to launch their first online business because their traditional job is at risk?

Lean into your gifts. Think proactively by putting yourself in their shoes and seeing their opportunities and needs. 

Offer to help current clients in new ways. And don’t be afraid to offer to help other prospects of your same target market with these new solutions as well. 

3. How is COVID-19 impacting your community? (How can you help/serve?)

This is your chance to put your success to best use once you have your immediate needs handled. (Yes, please take care of your business and your finances before others- oxygen mask analogy, people!)

One underlying truth about this pandemic is it will hit all areas, all demographics, all faiths without discrimination. And we can lean into our humanity to support each other through this.

Because many in my immediate circle already run an online business or are freelancers, my hope is that you personally are not as affected, and can take a few measures to strengthen your position so you can shift to more altruistic endeavors.

Some industries will be hit harder, especially those with in-person commerce or service, travel, and events. Some families are going to have a tougher time. Some communities will feel this pinch more. 

I couldn’t stop thinking about the effects on brick and mortar businesses since that was my life for many years, so I started a brainstorm of creative ways different industries can innovate to continue earning until its safe to open doors again. Feel free to share with your local contacts. I’m still adding to this collection, let me know if there’s an industry you know of who needs hope and ideas!

Things you can do individually:

• Continue to buy from local businesses if there’s delivery or pickup options
• Pay full price for restaurants and other deliveries and services 
• Buy gift cards and gift certificates from local services and boutiques
• Do your holiday shopping early from boutiques and pick up after the lockdown
• Rebook and prepay for future travel and events
• Offer your skills to those who need it but can’t afford it
• Follow all CDC recommendations so that you lead by example

And mostly, keep asking yourself the question, how can I help?

I have full confidence that we’ll come out of this better for it. That new ideas and innovations will arise that transform our business and personal lives. That businesses who pivot and adapt will solidify their future. That individuals who look to make the best of things and focus on the proactive solutions instead of the challenges will thrive by the end. 

Humanity, and entrepreneurs in specific, have a unique gift for adaptation and invention. 

I know it may be scary. I know it won’t necessarily be easy. But I believe in you. And I believe in us. 

If you are having a hard time seeing how you can pivot in your business and find ways to continue earning, or you want to lean into this space to invest in creating the systems and levers to scale and have a solid future, I’m offering free strategy calls, and I have space to work 1:1 for a few weeks to a few months on helping make any bigger shifts needed.

You don’t need to feel like you have to find all the answers to how to navigate this unprecedented challenge alone. Let’s chat, and find them together. 

Be well, ask better questions, and find better answers for yourself in the coming weeks.