This pandemic has brought a lot of challenges and changes in our lives. Business owners thought of different strategies to survive and keep up with competitors. During the outbreak, small and even large businesses have struggled and they were forced to shut down. Many employees lost their jobs and the government has extended all the efforts to lend a helping hand to those who didn’t manage to bounce back. The reality is this—because of the several lockdowns, many people became online sellers. Businesses are now establishing their online presence instead to cut the cost of manpower and shop or office rental. With this kind of set up, it is indeed important to consider a lot of things, especially if you are new to this or you are just about to start.
What are the challenges for small business owners?
In the Philippines, we have a lot of online sellers and small businesses offering similar products and services, so the challenge is how can we make it stand out among the rest with just a limited capital? I have listed some the things that we have to consider if we are determined to take the plunge.
Quality services/products
The first thing that we have to think of is what to offer or introduce to the customers that could be a HIT this pandemic. Once you already have come up with a product or service, you need to focus on the quality and if it would be really beneficial to the people before we think of marketing strategies to sell it. If you already have an existing business, you can consider relaunching to reintroduce the product/service and give it a new flavor or look.
WFH setup
Though the vaccination campaign is on, we still have to think of our safety. We can say goodbye temporarily to physical stores/offices if it doesn’t really require you to do so. While it’s still not 100% safe, you can opt in having a WFH setup. All you need is a quiet and comfortable space at home where you can work. You also need to invest in purchasing a table, chair, computer/laptop, landline or mobile phone, and stable internet connection. You can save more with this setup rather than paying for monthly office/store rentals.
Competent Staff/Manpower
In order to execute your business plan, you need to have a competent staff that you can work with in the operations and distribution of products. Decide on how many persons are needed for your business. For the marketing and managing tasks, most business owners are responsible for this task.
Marketing strategies
Business owners are now taking advantage of the social media power as a way of promoting their products. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and Tiktok are popular platforms where the products are being showcased, advertised or promoted. Big brands are also creative in promoting their products and instead of getting celebrities to endorse their products, some of them tap the services of influencers and content creators.
Online Selling Platform
If you do not have a physical store , you need to figure out where the customers can purchase or book your services. You can set up your FB page, website with online store, or sell in Lazada, Zalora, or Shopee.
Opening a business during the pandemic is quite risky; therefore, we need each other’s support to survive. We can collaborate and help each other instead of destroying one’s source of income. Together, let us rise and celebrate our success. If you are a small business owner in the Philippines, let me show my support. You can share the URL/ link to your website or page here in the comments or in my FB page. Mabuhay tayong lahat!
Love,
