Online activity has radically changed in the past few weeks
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you that people are spending a lot of time online these days. But the impact that is having is still staggering! Since shelter-in-place orders have spread across the country, total web traffic has increased by over 50% in some places. For websites like Amazon, that means they’ve seen nearly 100 million more visits per month!
So... how is your business being affected by this?
This is not another article on how-to-make-the-most-out-of-COVID-type article. I hate to even include that word because of all the lame things I have seen lately in that category. But the point of this article is about how to strengthen your business during the current world events. So here goes:
Get focused and stay focused
This shouldn’t be a new concept, but for many of us, our level of focus comes and goes. The best companies are driven by an unwavering focus, and we should all work to get to this point.
Being focused can mean several different things, and each are important:
- Stay on track and see things through. Too many great ideas fade because the energy they require to be successful is not sustained long enough
- Turn off the distractions. We all have them – especially with so many of us working from home. Distractions steel our energy, and it is critical now to protect that energy
- Pause anything that isn’t going to drive revenue or reduce costs – today! I’m not talking about firing the cleaners, but maybe now isn’t the best time to re-design your webpage (unless it’s really bad lol). It’s time to focus on the things that work, and only those things.
Keep doing what works, and make it better
Take what has always worked best for you and make it better. Optimize it, pull resources from other initiatives to invest in what works for you, update your web page, content, etc.
Is your website your main sources of new leads? Then now is the time to check the page load times, check it on mobile, look over every page and click every button. You want to make sure this is rock solid right now. Fix any broken links or typos, make sure it’s loading fast, and definitely make sure it looks good on mobile devices!
Are paid ads your best source for new leads? Then now is the time to review your landing pages, start A/B testing, prioritize your budget on keywords that produce the best for you, optimize your bids and target demographics. I’m sure you’ve got a gillion things in whichever dashboard you are using. You should look into each of those settings to improve your results.
Those are just 2 examples, but now is the time to get even more focused on the things that work. Everything else can wait.
"Improvise, adapt, and overcome"
You may recognize the Marine Corps motto, but as with so much military doctrine, it is directly applicable to business. To be successful in business, you have to remain agile. The ability to recognize a threat or trend and adapt is critical to the longevity of any business.
Things are changing quickly right now, and once you see that somethig isn’t working – do something about it. Don’t hesitate. You’ll have time to look back and evaluate all of the decisions you did (or didn’t) make in the future. For now, get comfortable facing new problems and attacking them quickly.
See your way through
At the risk of getting a bit spiritual here, your life and that of your family is a whole lot more important than business. You will get through this. This will end. The only thing any of us can control is how we respond to the people and circumstances around us. Stop asking “Can I do this”, and start asking “How will I do this.”
It’s a small difference in wording, but a huge difference in perspective. And at the end of the day, the biggest differentiator between great leaders and crummy ones is perspective.
On a deeply personal note, I have lost 2 loved ones tragically in the past month. On top of everything else going on in the world, my emotional plate is full. I know that we will get through this, but I don’t want to just “get through”. I want to become stronger, kinder, and more determined through this process.
I pray that same thing for everyone reading this!
So whether it’s personal growth or business-focused, use this season to develop strength.
