As the shutdown drags on, take advantage of this time to work ON your business rather than IN your business. We hope these tips will help boost your business and get you ready for a roaring re-opening!
Take a training course - there are many available free
Some of our favorites:
- Skillshare: Skillshare is a large marketplace focused on creative education. Topics are wide-ranging from graphic design and music production to fine art and cooking. Classes are also available on technical topics such as data science, analytics, and e-commerce.
- LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda) offers online courses tailored to business professionals. There are over 1,000 courses on topics like project management, web development, and digital marketing. This is an excellent platform for working professionals who what to keep their skills up-to-date.
- Udemy: Udemy is a very large online platform with 80,000+ courses on all subjects imaginable including grant writing, accounting, photography, health, fitness, and more.
Update your website
1. Make sure that everything is still working and up-to-date. Check for:
- Plugins or themes that need to be updated
- Missing or poor-quality images
- Incorrect or outdated information
- Broken links
2. Solicit feedback from your target audience
- Start an email campaign
- Send out a survey or poll
3. Create new (or update existing) content
- Start a blog
- Create videos or infographics
- Schedule regular content posts
4. Update keywords and improve your website analytics
Use Google Analytics to find out which pages generate the most engagement, which pages are the most popular, and which pages need improvement
Update your Directory entry in the Mountain Communities Chamber website
- Take this time to update your directory listing with all relevant business information. Enhanced listings including photo and video placement, keywords, and website ads are available for members with a Trail Blazer, Summit Explorer, or Peak Bagger membership tier.
- Remember: Having an updated listing provides you with the best chance of outreach to locals and visitors. The chamber website ranks very highly in search engines for several relevant keywords, member locations, event listings, and member interviews.
- If you are a member, just log in to your member account on the website and get started! If you need a login link or have any questions, email a request to webmaster@mymountainchamber.com
Launch an e-commerce site
It has always been advantageous to have an online component for your business, and it is more important now than ever. Here are some platforms to consider:
- Shopify: Shopify is an easy-to-launch option for small businesses. It features 24/7 customer support, minimal setup and a variety of price plans for your needs.
- BigCommerce: This is a very popular platform. There are a number of integrations and features that make it a great choice for many ecommerce business models.
- 3dcart: This platform offers everythign you need for creating an optimized e-commerce website with a customizable store and shopping cart, complete with a blog for content marketing.
Update your CRM and email list
CRM is Customer Relationship Management. If you're keeping track of your customers, their contact information, and interests, this is a great time to clean up old emails, correct typos, update addresses and other relevant contact information.
If you aren't keeping track of your customers....well, it's time to start. Knowing your customers and their interests is key to relationship building and providing outstanding service. It's something that can make the difference between your business surviving or thriving.
Set up your digital marketing systems
- Update email autoresponders
- Maintain your social media accounts
- Set up online recurring payments
Freshen up the place
This is a great time to paint, do repairs, maintenance, and other small projects you've been putting off.
Feel free to reach out anytime to let your Chamber of Commerce know how we can help you during this time. Your health and success now and the future is important to us!
