As we head into week 11 since the start of lockdown on March 23rd I have been reflecting on how we have all handled the unusual times forced upon us by Covid-19. We have all been forced to adapt our daily routines in these unprecedented times. Personally as a photographer in the gardening industry sector I have been faced with the closure of all the RHS Shows and gardens, so a large part of my income stream was turned off overnight. I would also be busy doing client photo shoots and videos in private gardens, all of which have had to be cancelled.
I offer more than just a photography service with speciality services in advising on how to best use imagery and video content to maximise a return on investment. This extends into many areas and covers many subjects like social media advice, training services, etc. Due to this wider service offering I have in part been able to tick along, but at nowhere near the rate that this time of year would usually offer. This coupled with having a 4 year old at home has proved to be a difficult period in my business growth and its ability to function anything like normal.
Walking into the unknown post Lockdown. Businesses who can adapt quickly will be the most successful.
I know many businesses have faced similar and in many ways far worse than my own problems. In this article however I wanted to focus on the positives not the negatives and highlight how we should as business owners be embracing the opportunities available. In many areas I have seen remarkable advances and businesses really embracing the challenge. A fruit and vegetable store in my home town quickly developed an online presence with a shopping feature and a ‘click and collect’ offering. Our local butcher has operated in the same way with the ability to call in orders and collect from the shop. A local pub and restaurant have been doing weekly cooked food meal options for collection and they are sold out every week. I know of colleague lecturers who have had to embrace new technologies to enable them to teach and continue lectures remotely.
What I am trying to highlight is how quickly some businesses adapt to survive and flourish when faced with a problem and how others can be left wondering what to do next. Obviously in the case of the coronavirus this is an extreme set of circumstances, I am trying to look forward on how our mindsets should evolve from this as we look to develop our businesses in the future. What we do need to do though is reassess our business product or service and see how we can adapt this to be both future proof and operational in this new world we face.
As a photographer it has been the perfect opportunity to capture our own little personal story of lockdown.
My partner works for a large telecoms company and I have witnessed how they have handled the whole situation and put the care of their staff first. In doing this, from what I witness from the multiple video conferences that go on daily is a very much a ‘Business as usual’ approach despite the fact that many children are also part of the team calls! Will these businesses pivot and rethink their whole strategy? The staff might be able to work from home more often reducing the need for expensive offices that need heating and lighting, cutting commute times and in turn getting more productivity. There are also the obvious environmental advantages offered by this new approach in reduced emissions from now not needed commutes.
A balancing act - working from home alongside childcare has become the new normal during the lockdown.
We also need to look at this from a mental health perspective with individuals working remotely. I know from first had experience sometimes as a photographer it gets lonely and can be tough to be productive but I have adapted a way to manage this with collaborations and Skype calls etc. We will all have to adapt to this new normal.
I think though that the real point I wish to highlight from all this is the need to fully get into the real reasons our businesses exist and to focus on the core messages and product offerings we have. We need to rethink how we operate and how we wish to get our product or service offering out into the world. I have been to too many meetings where marketing managers or business owners want a video because they have read the future is video. A video on its own will not return what you need unless it is part of a wider marketing mix. I have seen brands and in some cases big national brands fall into the trap of making an Instagram ‘Influencer’ their ambassador. I would question these decisions in many cases when the ‘Influencer’ in question gets little to no engagement. Are Marketing managers and business owners making these decisions based on the thoughts that they feel there is a real synergy between their brand and the Influencer or is it just another box ticked and the cost was right?
The rainbow has been the symbol of hope through this crisis and helped everyone stay positive and remember all the key workers who have sacrificed so much.
Let us focus on what makes a real difference and pushes our business forward rather than trying to cover all bases and not really see any impact on any. This is the perfect time to take a look at our own businesses, look at our own social media engagement and ask am I doing it right? Do I need to re-position my business and re-focus my message, product or service offering. You also need to decide what areas to focus on and not spread yourselves too thinly! A few things done well is better than covering everything in a mediocre way.
If you need any input then I would love to connect and see what we could do to get your own business to be prepared as we slowly emerge from this epidemic.
Stay safe.