As people started getting locked in their rooms during the pandemic and with the whole working from home routine, people found interest in becoming their own bosses and opening their own businesses. But being a small business owner can be tough a lot of times. With the very few chances and experience that prevailed in the economy, it was a risky chance, but as shops closed and consumers started opting for online shopping for more comfort, these small businesses had ray of hope shone upon them.

Without a doubt, the corona virus pandemic has been a time of navigating uncertainties. We found ourselves in wavering waves that sometimes were too harsh on us. The situation taught us to inspect every aspect of the problem and made us rethink our decisions. It tested our perseverance and determination, and strength of the mind. As the world saw the economies dip to the lowest points, high-end stores were finding it difficult to stay afloat. Small business owners and entrepreneurs ought to have struggled twice.

Though this terrible situation has brought bad luck to a lot of people, the same situation has brought the small business communities into a closer knit where they are looking out for each other and are committed to keeping the community alive.

Here are some tips that you may find useful to sustain the business lull:

1. Reaching out to your client

It can get quite nerve-wracking to have very few orders or none at all, but this is the perfect opportunity for you to reach out to your past and new clients. Check-in on them and start a conversation. Ask them how they are and let them know that if they need anything, you will always help them (within your limits). Update them on your current offerings, discounts, promotions, operating hours and other things like how you’ve changed up things during the new adjustments. Anything that is beneficial to keeping the conversation going.

This can indeed help you as there’s nothing more powerful than word of mouth. And if they are actually intrigued by your conversation, they might give it a check, and you never know, you might end up selling things that day.

2. Continue to provide excellent service

Even if you’ve adapted to online services, for the time being, don’t fail to provide to the best of your ability. Remember that not only are you having a hard time, but others are too, and that we are all in this together. Make sure to practice empathy, sympathy, flexibility and understanding.  If you have to reschedule for any reason, put effort into showing the customer that you are sorry and are trying your best so that they can see your responsibility and quality of work. Even though we know business scenarios have changed, stay true to your core and evolve with it. No matter if you’ve changed your line of service or business, put effort into it and your customers will understand.

3. Make content

As the world went online, the main source of information relayed was trusted social media. It is important to keep in touch with your customers and keep them updated about your new designs, arrivals, etc. This is a very important tip when experiencing a business lull. Don’t wait for things to get better; start exploiting more of your available options. Concentrate on creating content that is audience-pleasing and catchy to the eyes. As we stay stuck at home, we consume more content daily. People are going to be eager to know your standing too. This is the best time to feed into the trend and let people know about your business.

4. Keep a regular check and assess your current operational strategy and identify what you need to work on and what needs to be exemplified.

As a small business owner, it is very important to keep up with the new energy and also to adapt and learn. Trends will keep coming and going. It is your responsibility to stay up to date and know what your customers will be interested in. It is very essential to change your strategy and energy based on the current events. Being stagnant will never help you. Any way that can help you reach across and expand your operational holdings and bring in income is valuable and should be worked on.

Adapting to changes can be terrifying, but when you have worked so hard on a business that you’ve built from scratch with your blood, sweat, and tears, you will always want the best for it. In business, nothing is ever stagnant. Highs and lows should always be met with confidence and positivity. In the end, it’s all a part of life. We grow, fail, learn, and succeed. It may take time and the journey may be hard, but it’s all going to work out.