From the Changing Course Team

Before we jump into Part 2, all of us at Changing Course would like to send a special thank you to all of the essential workers, who are keeping us going during these difficult times.

To those who work in health care; grocery stores; mail and package handling and carriers; food service and food delivery; police, fire fighters, EMTs; transportation; sanitation; financial service workers; all those rarely seen people who clean and sanitize hospitals, restaurants, grocery stores and public transportation, and so many other unnamed, we are grateful for all that you do.

Why is This a Great Time to Start A Business?

Part 2: Utilize Your Clients’ Free Time to Engage Them

Now, to get back to why this is a great time to start a business…In Part 1 of this series, we discussed some of the steps you can take to start a business, using the additional time you have now, if you are at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, entrepreneurs are not the only ones at home.

Your Potential Clients Have Extra Time Also.

That makes it a great time to reach out to them.

For many of you, marketing to your potential clients can be a scary thing. You might be thinking, ‘how do I know that they even want what I have to share?’ Well, you can ask.

You are doing a disservice to those who need your product or service by keeping it to yourself.

Here are a few things you can do now to build a relationship with your potential clients.

• Get Clear on the Problem You are Solving. You must clearly identify the problem(s) that your product or service can solve and how it will solve the problem.
• Research Your Target Audience. Who needs what you have, i.e. Who has the problem that you can solve? Why should they be interested in your product or service?
• Identify How You Will Reach Your Audience. Today, social media is an important tool for reaching various audiences. Which platform does your audience use?
• Get to Know Your Potential Clients’ Needs. Engage with your potential clients in social media groups; ask questions, share your knowledge, share articles or blogs on related topics to generate discussion.

  Post to your public social media accounts using hashtags that are commonly used among people with an interest in your product, service, or topic area.

  Remember that social media is about engagement and relationship building and not just to announce things that you want to share.

• Build Your Mailing List and Your Following. As you get to know your potential clients, create and offer them useful content. Provide a link to a website where they can enter an email address in order to download or receive content by email.

  You can also use paid ads that link to your website to receive the free content.Provide opportunities for those on your email list to follow you on social media and for your social media followers to join your email list.

• Find Out How Your Business Can Best Serve Them. Consider using a brief online survey to find out how you can best serve their needs through your business. This will allow you to target your offerings to meet their needs.
• Continue Reaching Out to Them. Communicate with your list by providing useful content on a regular basis, but do not flood their email boxes. This will help in building relationships, engaging them, and learning more about their needs so that you may tailor a future offer.
• Teach Them Something New – Whether your business involves a product or service, you can teach your potential clients a new way to use your product or service while showing them how your product or service will help to solve their problem.

Forbes.com recently ran an article entitled How These Female Entrepreneurs are Using Technology to Thrive Amidst COVID-19. While the article focuses on women who already have active businesses, it is also a great time to use technology to start a new business.

There is a quote from an old TV show that goes, “There is a lot of energy in unfulfilled desires.”

Do not let your desire to start a business go unfulfilled. Use that energy to start your business. Why not start today?

Coming Soon: Why This is a Great Time to Start a Business Part 3: Help Solve a Problem Created by COVID-19.