Game of Groans: Part 3 of 3

5 Minute Read

In this finale of a 3-part blog series, I do my best to bring lockdown-fatigued business owners back down to earth and provide you the final 2 practices of 6 that I believe you need to jump on right away in order to keep your business relevant and successful in the new market. If you have not read Part 1 and 2 of this series, I highly suggest that you go back and start form the beginning.

You can find Part 1 of the Game of Groans blog series here: PART 1

You can find Part 2 of the Game of Groans blog series here: PART 2


Due Diligence:

It seems almost every day that the COVID-19 pandemic response has new information, news and rumors. It is extremely important to differentiate between facts and hearsay in order to make the right decisions as a San Jose CA business owner. As people, we get caught up by things we hear because of how startling and earth shaking they can sound at times. But, relying on on the he-said/she-said world of emotionally and politically charged gossip can not only cause a tremendous amount of undue stress to you, but can also lead you to make huge mistakes that can cost you profits and even your business.

For instance, did you know that it is perfectly legal to go door-to-door to sell your product right now? Common sense might make someone who doesn’t know the law assume that door-to-door sales are in violation of lockdown orders and social distancing guidelines. So, if you base your planning on the thoughts of others rather than knowing what is actually allowable VS truly prohibited, you would have lost out on any profits that would have come from the implementation of this type of sales tactic. Gossip hinders real results by detouring and diluting your focus. Being connected to an agent from our business brokerage San Jose CA office can be a great resource for checking on truthful news and updates.


Appreciate:

Your hard-working employees who have stuck with you and struggled with you through all of this, and your clients who have remained loyal to you and kept the revenue coming in; They are both priceless right now, and boy do we recognize them today more than ever. As small business owners in San Jose CA, we appreciate them, because without them we couldn’t have survived this long. For keeping our hopes propped up, we need to show appreciation in ways that will lift our employee’s spirits and energy and surprise our customers with delight.

Luckily, showing appreciation doesn’t have to be expensive.

For your employees, giving a handwritten card with your thoughts on how much they mean to you can lift spirits. While you’re at it, select an employee once a day/week who will receive a card and have the rest of the team sign it (gloves-on of course!) How about ordering a custom mug or pint glass with a humorous phrase on it to give them a gift they will use and smile at often? Not only will they feel appreciated, but their good spirits may rub off on customers who in turn will prefer your business for the positive experience they receive.

For customers and clients, use the old fashioned coupon-in-the-bag but with a message that says something like, “To thank you for supporting our business during this unprecedented time, we would like to take X amount or % off of your next order with us.” Order custom masks in bulk with your logo on them and give them out with purchases of “X” amount or more. Even more of an impression-making statement, pick a customer at random during the week and pay for their purchase. Nothing motivates people to spread the good word more than a kind gesture.


Conclusion:

This concludes the Game of Groans blog series from our business brokerage San Jose CA office. The key here is not just to think outside the box, but to look outside the box. In an age of information at our fingertips, delivered in multiple mediums, you are not on your own. If other businesses are surviving, some even thriving, then why can’t yours? So, invent the wheel that will carry you through the current market, but instead of doing all the thinking and trial-and-error processes yourself, see what others are doing around you who have already set the adjusted path forward for their success. Then, modify those ideas to fit your business.

The market isn’t dead, it’s only evolved. And as long as you evolve with it, you won’t be left behind in the history books of the constantly changing world of economic Darwinism.

Note: Read “The Zero Marginal Cost Society” by Jeremy Rifkin to learn about how the economic market has evolved through the ages, from the beginning of civilization to the present day and beyond.

JC Myer is the Operations Manager with Sunbelt Business Advisors San Jose CA. He can be reached at (408) 436-1900, or at [email protected]