How did your business fare during lockdown – and what happens if there is a second wave?

| Emma Veitch-George

British business owners have finally been able to breathe a sigh of relief with lockdown restrictions being eased across the country. While coronavirus still poses a risk in some parts of the UK – and, of course, protecting human life should be everyone’s first priority – reopening businesses is a vital component in recovery. Closed companies and furloughed workers, through no fault of their own, place an economic strain on Great Britain – now, it’s time to get the economy going again. But what lessons did you learn from lockdown? And will your business survive a second-wave of COVID-19?

How did your business fare during lockdown – and what happens if there is a second wave?

British business owners have finally been able to breathe a sigh of relief with lockdown restrictions being eased across the country. While coronavirus still poses a risk in some parts of the UK – and, of course, protecting human life should be everyone’s first priority – reopening businesses is a vital component in recovery. Closed companies and furloughed workers, through no fault of their own, place an economic strain on Great Britain – now, it’s time to get the economy going again. But what lessons did you learn from lockdown? And will your business survive a second-wave of COVID-19?

We all need to realise that there is a high likelihood of coronavirus’s resurgence later in the year. If your company has made it this far, then it is already a winner and has come through possibly the most challenging business period of our lifetime. But if it wants to repeat that success, then you, as a business owner, need to make changes now that can help to future proof your business in the likely event of a second lockdown period. 

At Kiss, we think there are two essential things you can do today that will help you weather the worst, should it come to pass. The first is that you absolutely need to get your digital presence and online shop sorted. Those businesses that are able to continue operating despite lockdown and social distancing – easily found online, open to orders made digitally or over the phone, and shipping out products or services – are at an enormous advantage. Not every business can transform like this, of course – but many that could, have not. You need to act now to ensure that, if we go back into lockdown, your business can continue to operate seamlessly.

The second piece of advice is particularly important for those companies who can’t operate during lockdown, because it seems counter-intuitive: don’t stop marketing yourselves! The knee-jerk reaction might be to try and save some money by cutting back on advertising. But this has long been regarded as dangerous by experts, who have coined the adage: “when times are good you should advertise. When times are bad you must advertise”. Studies have consistently demonstrated that this is true: those companies that continue to market themselves during times of economic downturn tend to come out better off in the long run. Why is this the case? Simply put, unless you continually work to maintain or even increase your brand awareness, your customers could forget about you. It would be much better if they came out of a second wave of coronavirus with your name on their lips, ready to make a purchase.

If you need help future proofing yourself in the event of a second lockdown period, get in touch with Kiss. We can help you to devise a suitable on-going marketing strategy, and make sure your digital presence and online shop are ready and waiting. You can get hold of us on 01675 446101, or via our contact form.