Juggling the Digital: Small Business Survival in the Post-Pandemic World
Nick Peters
Husband, Dad, Insurance Maestro, Sales Director: Leading Life's Ventures with a Touch of Humor & Heart
Picture this: just as we were getting the hang of juggling the nuances of running a small business, 2020 enters the ring and says, "Hey, catch this chainsaw!" Unexpectedly, we found ourselves tossed into a brave new world where digital tools became our lifesavers. Today, the digital universe is no longer a fun little diversion - it's become the main event. Digital transformation is now a survival kit for small businesses in the post-pandemic world.
When Life Gives You Pandemics:
Here's a quick catch up with stats:
- Zoom Meetings surged from 10 million daily participants in December 2019 to a whopping 300 million in April 2020.
- In 2020, US consumers spent $861.12 billion online, up by 44.0% year over year, the highest annual e-commerce growth in at least two decades.
- Global IT spending, a significant portion of which is towards digital transformation, is expected to reach $3.9 trillion in 2021, up by 6.2% from 2020.
Zoom's official [Tips & Tricks](https://zoom.us/docs/en-us/covid19.html ) page and a well-made espresso got us through this wild ride.
Shedding the Digital Dinosaur Skin:
Here are the key digital domains to conquer:
- Creating an engaging website.
- Ensuring efficient digital payment systems.
- Maintaining an active social media presence.
Look into tools like [WordPress](https://wordpress.org/ ) for creating websites and [Stripe](https://stripe.com/ ) for handling payments.
Elevate with the Cloud:
Cloud storage isn't a mere buzzword; it's practical, secure, and empowers your team to work from anywhere. Consider options like [Google Workspace](https://workspace.google.com/ ) or [Microsoft 365](https://www.microsoft.com/en/microsoft-365 ).
Automation Nation:
Automation can be your trusty sidekick, tirelessly helping you save time and improve customer service. Check out tools like [Chatfuel](https://chatfuel.com/) for chatbots and [Mailchimp](https://mailchimp.com/) for automated email marketing.
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Data: Your Trusty Guide:
Data, when used right, can offer invaluable insights to your business:
- Google Analytics users are spread across 180 countries, emphasizing the importance of website data analysis.
- The global big data and business analytics market was valued at 168.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2018 and is forecast to grow to 274.3 billion U.S. dollars by 2022.
Resources like [Google Analytics](https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/ ) and [Tableau](https://www.tableau.com/ ) are worth exploring.
Enhancing Your Daily Routine:
Adding physical exercise, like walking, yoga, or even small periods of meditation and silence into your daily routine can do wonders for your well-being. Studies show:
- Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of several chronic conditions including coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, obesity, mental health problems, and musculoskeletal conditions.
- Mindfulness practices, including meditation, have been linked to improvements in attention, mental health, and productivity.
- 'Digital Detox' breaks during the day help to avoid burnout and maintain focus on tasks.
In essence, learning to navigate the digital transformation might feel like deciphering an alien language at first, but once you're fluent, the benefits are manifold. Don't hesitate to seek professional IT help or delve into online resources, like [TechSoup](https://www.techsoup.org/), geared towards small businesses
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