With circumstances, data and guidelines changing – literally on a daily basis – it’s tough to do much planning. Casting a frustrating shadow over the situation is the realization that many things are out of our control. But we can’t just put our businesses on hold. And we don’t have to – there are many things about which we have a choice.

If you’re feeling that your hands are tied, here are five things you can do that ARE within your control.

1. Revisit Your Marketing Plan
Get back to basics and think about your mission and why you are in business. What do you bring to your customers, how does it uniquely serve them, and what does it enable them to do better? Perhaps your marketing plan needed an overhaul before the changes to our current business climate. Even if a complete rewrite is not needed, it likely could use some tweaking now to adapt to those changes and how the business climate evolves as we move forward.

2. Reconnect with Your Customers
Check in with your customers regularly to see how they’re doing. Listen to their concerns and offer support where you can. As is the case with many businesses, they likely have needed to find alternative ways to generate revenue in this “temporary normal”. Just the simple act of reaching out may spark new ideas and new solutions for the issues they’re facing.

3. Offer Ideas and Assistance
This is an ideal time to share your knowledge and find ways to offer your expertise to support others. Your customers may need a completely different range of services from you today than they did a couple of months ago. What tools can you provide to help solve issues and bridge gaps your customers and prospects are facing today? Find ways to make those available.

4. Keep Communicating
One of the best things you can do for your customers and prospects is to let them know you are here for them. Consider hosting free Zoom meetings or webinars to provide advice specific to your area of expertise. Field questions, offer suggestions, and provide support.
No less important are the members of your team. Stay in contact regularly with them, especially if working remotely is new to your staff members. Consider a weekly Zoom meeting to coordinate work projects of course, but also to keep your people connected with each other and feeling less isolated. Allow a little time for each person to talk about how they’ve been experiencing and what’s helping them through these uncertain times.

5. Make Space for Planning and Development
If you’ve ever said, “we’re too busy right now to tackle that” – now might be an ideal time to get ahead of the game. Create some space to improve your own leadership skills and to assess the needs of your team. Read books, listen to podcasts, participate in Webinars. Set aside time for planning for the future and revisiting your strategy. Delve into your processes and get them fine-tuned and ready for action. Use this time wisely and for your company’s benefit.

Rather than feeling that you’re held captive by perpetual uncertainty, focus on those things that are within your control and take action. How you show up today will determine how your business will come out on the other end. If you need help navigating this unique season in our history and how to move forward, the team at 5280 Accelerator is here for you. Let us know how we can help.