Now that we’re all stuck at home….. 

I tried to think of it as extended snow days, but we can’t fool ourselves into thinking this is fun or pleasant. No matter how you slice it, there is a loss of real revenue and potential leads. All my speaking engagements have been postponed, and rightfully so. All networking events cancelled or moved to virtual. 

You’re stuck at home. How can this possibly help your business?

As in any slow season or snow days, I look to this type of situation as an opportunity to increase productivity in a number of ways. 

  1. Finally get that stack of papers properly filed. In fact, review the filing system you have and modify it to catch up to what’s been going on in this decade. Seriously, some of my file folders were set up so long ago the topics are obsolete, and papers were piling up because they had no home. You no longer have an excuse up your sleeve – get your paper filing system in order. If this further evolves into a mania of dusting and vacuuming, that’s all on you. (Hey, vacuuming is how I get my steps in!)
  2. Rewrite your home page. Ugh! I know! For a person who loves to write, the home page of my website is like a black hole of creativity. I have a tiny panic attack whenever I think about it. But – after hearing several new connections mention they’ve checked out my website, I finally had to admit to myself that the content was as dusty as that pile of papers on my desk I just filed. I didn’t try to edit what was there, I opened a blank Word document and just wrote.
  3. Related to that exercise, I also realized that my free give-aways on my website were also gathering dust. You never know who will re-visit your website a few months after initially meeting you, so fresh lead magnets are better than old material, especially if the old content was not attracting new customers by the thousands. It was an excuse for me to transform PowerPoint presentation handouts into Word docs and those docs into Canva PDFs which have way more glitz and glamor. Jazz hands optional.
  4. Beat the feeling of being isolated. Here’s an old-fashioned concept – reach out to your also-house-bound business associates and ask for their most current contact information. Fill your fancy CRM or old-fashioned address book with real home addresses and make sure you have their current numbers. I know you have a box of blank cards somewhere so consider reaching out to a few people to let them know you are thinking of them and to offer your gratitude for any help or inspiration they’ve given you in the past. It’s important when you’re house-bound to keep your human communications going in every form possible. Hopefully the thank you cards become an ongoing routine after business returns to normal. And if you want to get your Holiday Cards done now, you get triple bonus points and my undying admiration.
  5. Reach out to past clients and key prospects just to see how they’re doing. Not to sell, just to show that they are on your mind. How are they holding up during this very stressful time? If there’s any professional advice you can give them for free, give it with the gratitude that you’re able to help someone else de-stress a little. 
  6. Sharpen the saw! This is the time to learn something new – a new software you’ve been meaning to look into, an online training program that seemed curious “if you ever had the time”, and a few recommended business or productivity books you’ve had on your list to read “someday”. Guess what? We finally reached “Someday”!
  7. Go outside often for a lively stroll or walking the dog or to play with kiddos who are home from school. We need fresh air, whether it’s cold or warm out. Repeated exposure to fresh air keeps us healthy. Leave the Netflix marathon for after 8pm, enjoy the day! How does this help our business? It keeps us HEALTHY and energized! 

Helping ourselves stay productive and focusing on reaching out to help others keeps us motivated and positive. Instead of keeping your eyes and nose glued to the doom and gloom reports, look at ways to turn this unusual time into a positive. 

As always, I’m happy to hear your feedback, ideas and comments!