How Small Businesses in Malaysia Can Take Advantage of Coronavirus Pandemic?
According to Worldometers, there are now 308,609 confirmed cases of Covid 19 around the world. 13,071 are confirmed dead and 95,834 have already recovered.
And these numbers are expected to grow in the coming days.
Coronavirus (Covid-19) has spread around the world and Malaysia is not an exemption. Latest record states that Malaysia recorded 153 new Covid-19 coronavirus cases on Saturday (March 20, 2020), raising the tally of infections in the country to 1,183, with eight deaths.
Businesses across the country shut down and lockdowns are strictly imposed. So if you are running a small business in Malaysia, what would you do to take advantage of the lockdowns and temporary business closure?
We compiled a couple of tips for small business on how they can take advantage of the lockdown caused by Coronavirus.
Review plans on how to transition from a brick and mortar to a digitally-transformed business
When the pandemic is gone, the world economy will start to move and grow. This means people will start buying stuffs through the internet.
This also means that your business should be capable of handling online transactions and orders. In order to do this, you need to adapt a digitally-transformed business system that will allow you to use technology to your advantage.
If you run a business that solely relies on foot traffic, you can take advantage of the shutdown by thinking of implementing technologies that will allow your customers to do transactions online.
You can refer to the following steps below:
- Create your business website or improve your existing one
- Take advantage of E-wallet integration
- Get your social media presence going despite the current pandemic to stay relevant
- Improve your local presence in Google and take advantage of Google Maps
- Note: Google recently announced that they show businesses that are temporarily closed amidst coronavirus outbreak. (Source)
- Optimize your website for mobile traffic and learn how to market your mobile-optimized website.
- Look for a CRM (Customer Relations Management) system that will help you process leads and inquiries
Create a sound digital marketing strategy
Small businesses don’t have the luxury to send their employees to work from home, unless you have enough budget to last. But as an owner, this is a great time to carve out some great digital marketing strategy for your business once everything gets back to normal.
Remember, people will surely go on a shopping spree once the lockdown oder has been lifted up. So it’s up to you on how you can create a great digital marketing strategy while your business is in dormant state.
Here’s a list of guide that you can follow:
- Know the most recent digital marketing trends Malaysia
- Take advantage of Youtube Marketing
- If you are a business that use visuals, you may want to take a look at Pinterest Marketing.
- Craft a double-edged content marketing strategy and story-telling
- Other content marketing tips for you
- Learn the basics of social media communication for your small business
- Learn to get more followers on Facebook for free.
- Look for a reliable email marketing service provider. Learn how to evaluate them.
Special guide: If you are running a restaurant business in Malaysia, then this guide is perfectly fit for you.
Conclusion
Businesses are down because of the current pandemic, but it does not mean that business owners should just wait until it is finished. This is the perfect time to craft some digital strategies boost your business once the Covid 19 pandemic is over.