With the pandemic in full swing, more and more businesses are scrambling to find a way to keep their business going. One way that they are doing this is by finding a way to deliver their services online.
My daughter, Emma Bachman, is a perfect example of a local business that has been affected by this. She runs a vocal studio in Springfield, IL, and one by one, her students have called canceling lessons. She came to me yesterday saying she's not going to be able to pay her bills next month.
Putting on my business coaching hat, I suggested virtual lessons. Given the fact that a lot of people are going to be stuck at home and many are likely to want to learn a new skill, maybe this will even be an opportunity for her.
Realizing that video conferencing is available on nearly any smartphone these days, she immediately jumped on this, and a few of her students are signing back up for virtual lessons.
If you've ever wanted to learn how to sing better and want to support a wonderful young musician, reach out to her through her website at https://emmavocals.wordpress.com/.
Adapt to Survive
If you're wondering how to keep your own business running during these tough times, think along those same lines. How can you deliver services without physically interacting with customers? Can you temporarily change what your business does to provide services people need such as delivering meals or lawn care?
The reality is that in business, you must adapt to changing market conditions. It's easy to see when the market shifts rapidly like this, but often the market changes a lot more gradually. Either way, those who adapt and deliver services that people want or need are going to be the ones who survive. If you're a business owner, it sucks when what has been working stops working, but it's up to you to make adjustments so your business can survive.