A few weeks ago, I shared my tips on how to save your business during the coronavirus pandemic we are currently facing. See original post here. As many businesses are forced to shut down their brick and mortar stores, action must be made to keep your business healthy. This week I want to share with you some important tips for using online tools to save your business during this challenging time.
While most of brick and motor businesses are forced to shut down due to the nation-wide stay-at-home policy; online platforms, YouTube channels and other social media commerce have shot up over the last several weeks as better alternatives.
If you do not have a robust online presence, your business will be facing its biggest challenge in survival now.
There are a lot of ways women businesses can start selling online. There is the online website that you can build by yourself such as Shopify, where you can choose a template instead of spending a huge amount of money to have a customized website. Opt for Shopify to give you turnkey solution such as inventory and logistics management. They also process payment for you, all for a fee that is transparent and upfront to you. Get started using Shopify, here.
This is a great way to dip you toes into online business and learn the ins and outs of what drives the business to avoid the mistakes of building a not so robust platform and focusing on areas that is not your expertise.
You can also join many sites such as Etsy and eBay and even Amazon, to learn how to navigate more vendor focused platforms. But be mindful that those sites are not about building your brand and having a great connection to consumers. They are more transactional and you need to be skilled at being discovered by consumers.
The retail model is shifting rapidly. Now, with the coronavirus, it will only accelerate. While online working, teaching and learning are becoming increasingly the norm, online shopping will have more importance now and in the future.
At Yes She May we are building a community of talented women makers. At this moment, we are working hard to build up our own e-commerce where consumers can open their purse to help grow women’s businesses! More than ever, we want to support and mentor women businesses to weather this major storm so that we can come out even stronger!
Be sure to check us out on social media with all of the upcoming news and events for Yes She May!