Just when we thought we could begin to see normality on the horizon, COVID-19 cases have spiked and caused yet another disruption. New restrictions are once again impacting Victorian businesses. If you weathered the last round without having to make any major changes to your business, you got lucky. But, now is the time to batten down the hatches, innovate, and put your business in the best place to survive the next wave. 

There are a lot of things you can do to make improvements to your business during this time, and we are here to help you. Circumstances can change overnight, but there is one thing that you can control -- you can make sure your business adaptable and future-proofed. 

Utilise technology to help you move forward

More than anything in recent months, technology has informed our responses to this crisis, and given us the tools to persevere - from working and collaborating with our teams remotely, to selling our products and services online. The learning curve has been steep, and many businesses are navigating new technologies, in real time. The need to further develop business systems, processes, and infrastructure will be an ongoing project. And now, there is an opportunity for us to build more tech-enabled businesses - driven by data and using cloud-based services such as GSuite, and automating operations. 

Just as businesses have embraced technology, so have consumers. You don’t have to feel stuck if you run a business which primarily relies on face to face delivery. With some creative thinking and innovation, you can offer your services remotely via video conferencing. Over the last few months, we have seen successful instances of this, from the implementation of telehealth, to schools offering remote learning. Digitising your business can place you at an immediate advantage. You can reach new markets and provide your services in alternative ways, and technology can help you to achieve this. These changes can be as simple as using popular video conferencing tools, to adding appointment booking capabilities to your website. 

Our team at GippsTech can help you to implement new technology and systems in your business. Find out more here. 

Trade online with the help of your own eCommerce store

If you are a retail business, you may not have felt the need for a website or a strong online presence in the past. However, online retail has gained significant market share in 2020, as consumer habits have changed drastically. Even those who previously disliked shopping online are now learning to embrace it, so your business must do the same in order to survive.

Putting your business in a position where it is accessible and available to buyers from the safety of their own homes will be an immediate advantage not just now, but in the future. Whole platforms such as Ebay, Amazon and Etsy can look appealing as low-cost solutions, we recommend putting your time and money into your own professional website. Having an online presence gives you control over how customers experience your brand and your products, and it allows you to build a stronger digital presence for your business, instead of just giving large aggregators additional products for their platforms.

Our team at GippsTech can build you an eCommerce website, or help to update your existing website. Find out more here. 

Continue to feed your customers with takeaway and delivery

If you own a restaurant or cafe and managed to scrape by without online ordering during the first round of restrictions, you may need to rethink the long term implications of your decision.  Do you really want to be taking orders manually by phone and email, or through social media? Overnight, food outlets have been forced into lockdown again, and with restrictions on patron numbers, takeaway services can help to combat revenue disruptions. 

Setting up online ordering and payments for your hospitality business will allow you to continue trading, without the headaches! While some online ordering platforms such as Menulog or UberEats sound favourable, they charge double digit commissions on each order, which cuts your tight margins even further. Building your own website with an online ordering system lets you bypass the high commissions charged by Menulog and similar platforms, allowing you to keep money in your business and keep more of your staff employed.

Our team at GippsTech can build you a website which includes online ordering and payment capabilities. Find out more here. 

Innovate, innovate, innovate

COVID-19 has been a wake up call for many businesses who have focused on daily operational needs at the expense of forward planning and strategic innovation. Businesses who can transform and evolve have the ability to improve their customer reach, adapt to changing environments, and can source new opportunities or branches of products and services. 

Recent data has shown that in just 8 weeks, adoption of digital tools and systems has grown exponentially, putting us 5 years ahead of most industry predictions. We’re witnessing unprecedented innovation across a number of industries. Doctors now offer telehealth services, brick and mortar businesses have opened ecommerce stores, and schools have adopted online learning systems. Organisations are making significant internal changes as well, offering remote working to their employees, and leaning into technology and cloud-based services they may have previously disregarded. These changes already have businesses reconsidering their current models, and you can see why. 

You too can innovate your business to meet new demands. You can continue to service previous or current customers within your new business model, while also opening up the possibility of working with new audiences. If you can tackle these new opportunities while still making best use of existing resources, people, intellectual property, systems and technology, then you‘re putting your business in a position to move forward instead of just treading water. 

Our team at GippsTech are available to help you innovate your existing business model and products and services. Find out more here. 

Improve your digital footprint with marketing and SEO

Digital marketing allows you to build a living, evolving relationship with your customers. And it is now more important than ever, as more and more people are looking for services and products online, rather than through more traditional avenues such as T.V and print advertising. By developing a digital marketing plan that is going to help you show up in the right places, for the right people, you will improve your reach and brand exposure, which can have a direct and positive impact on your revenue. 

Studies show that just 3% of searchers look past the first page of results on Google. This means that if your business isn’t listed on page 1 of Google search results, it likely isn’t getting seen. In addition to this, 55% of searchers don’t venture beyond the first 3 results listed.

With a bit of outside help, you can do a lot more to improve your digital marketing and SEO. Working with designers, professional content creators, digital marketing professionals, and SEO specialists, you can: 

• Use language that is both relatable to your target audience, and appropriate for the social platform you are using. 

• Use SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) or SEM (Search Engine Marketing) to help your visibility on Google, and through advertising on the sites your customers visit. 

• Design a website which has clear calls to action, a design that steers your customers towards making an enquiry or a purchase, and the technical tools you need to better engage with customers and track how they interact with your site.. 

• Ensure your website copy and content is clear and concise, so that readers can understand what it is that you do, and how you can help them. 

Our team at GippsTech are available to help you improve your revenue and audience reach with effective digital marketing strategies and SEO. Find out more here. 

Develop your business branding and messaging 

The reality is, if your audience doesn't understand why they should do business with you, or how you can help them, they won't buy from you. The key to branding and messaging is to create an experience that leaves your customers feeling heard and understood. They become loyal advocates for your business, so it’s important to generate trust, credibility, goodwill, and expertise in your communications. 

If you want to create a strong, positive brand identity for your business, it’s important to look beyond your website, and instead to every facet of your business. Everything from your social media marketing, to your logo, to the way you write your emails, and your tone on your voicemail, will paint a picture of your brand - in either a positive or negative light. 

Our team at GippsTech are available to help you define your messaging and branding. Find out more here. 

We want to help and support as many businesses as possible through this time, and we understand the benefit of giving you access to advice and support whilst navigating these territories and challenges. 

We have a range of services available to help you adapt, digitise and innovate your business. From consulting, to building you an eCommerce site, to helping you access software tools and systems to implement for both your staff and customers, we are here to help. You can also read more about our predictions for business in a post-COVID world here. 

We are here to help.