A BATTLE PLAN FOR YOUR BUSINESS

By Julian Matthews, Chairman, TOFTigers

    • As Winston Churchill once said “Never waste a good crisis” so here is a battle plan to survive in business during – and after – this pandemic crisis.

   Maintain brand awareness

      • Communication personally with clients to keeping them by range of means. Learn new social media tricks and innovate
      • While everyone else stopping marketing and promotional budgets –always opportunity to enhance yours in new ways
      • Double down focus on website SEO and content optimisation
      • Refocus, extend and highlight your sustainability mantra, actions and profile. There will be a new conscious consumer

   Give peace of mind to your customers

        • Change your payment or deposit policy
        • Be flexible and innovative in customer relations/options
        • Add new ideas, add extras, and early bird offers
        • Build your sustainability mantra into your new travel and itineraries

   Maintain cash flow

        • Refocus on new markets like domestic, children, and learning trips in short term
        • Ask friends and family to collaborate and extend your biz network
        • Collaborate with like-minded competitors in new ways

   Keep your staff

        • They are your key to long term success
        • Keep them occupied, offer training and incentives
        • Let them work on new product and business opportunities

   Look after your Business and Social community

        • Important time to network, cooperate and collaborate
        • Keep up to date with Government actions/support mechanisms through these communities
        • Support your host community in any way you can. It will be remembered

   Plan now for after the crisis

        • The crisis will end and you need to be ready
        • Remember – Highlight and specialise in what you are best at – not everything!
        • Think slow – more immersive slower travel must be the new reality.
        • Think positive. Be doubly proactive