The world is facing one of the most complex challenges it has ever confronted. The Covid-19 pandemic has affected every industry and the growth and development of every business.

Businesses, entrepreneurial ventures and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are undergoing digital transformations out of necessity.

A few months ago, Workana invited SMEs to participate in a webinar on rebranding companies as digital companies and Google made it possible to take a closer look at different scenarios that different SMEs were facing:

• Some industries did not experience any changes, mainly those that were already 100% digital or technology businesses.
• Some industries experienced a decrease in demand – tourism, transport, real estate.
• Some industries adapted their strategy to the circumstances such as bricks-and-mortar stores, educational centres and gyms.
• Some industries experienced an increase in demand such as online sales platforms and medical supply producers.

For SMEs to create a strategy they must analyse their options. But first, a look at what they can do now, then a look at how to do it.

1. Stay productive and increase sales

Throughout the pandemic, many SMEs have continued to make sales by exploring new channels and even increasing their productivity.

Companies that were hesitant to enter the digital world found themselves forced to do so, and the results were surprisingly good.

During a time when it seemed that the world was put on pause, the internet was 100% active.

What strategies did companies use to go digital? What must be activated now? How to prepare to go back to normal?

Organise the sales strategy with a direct marketing expert and assemble a sales team that includes a telemarketer, sales development representative (SDR) specialist and a sales solutions specialist.

Get the word out with digital marketing by advertising on Google and working with a Facebook marketer, a google AdWords expert and an expert on social networking.

Engage a lead generation expert, sales specialist, e-mail marketer and a telemarketer to generate leads and find potential new clients.

Building up e-commerce is also key. Use commercialisation platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Mercadolibre and Amazon or put together a team to create a sales strategy comprising an e-commerce expert, Tienda Nube expert, marketing strategist and WhatsApp and IT professionals.

Consult a marketing expert or a digital marketing analyst to figure out the next steps.

2. Keep in touch with clients

Clients will be happy to hear from their suppliers secure in the knowledge that they are continuing to provide good service by responding to questions, requests or complaints.

Continue to develop customer loyalty in order to continue growing the business once things go back to normal.

Customers will think of the company as one that cares for its clients while being present and responsive. Now, the focus should be on the people.

Engage an admin support expert, administrative assistant, customer support expert and virtual assistant to create a support and assistance team, and use chatbots to automate processes and improve the customer experience. For this, a chatbot developer and conversational UX are needed.

Launch new digital communication channels with a helpdesk expert, telephone handling expert and a content moderator.

Interaction with the audience on social media is another way to keep the company out there. For this the help of a social media marketing expert, community manager and a content moderator are recommended.

For the successful creation of newsletters and e-mail marketing strategies, e-mail marketers, newsletter designers, MailChimp experts and e-mail handlers should be consulted.

3. Don’t lose your voice

As LinkedIn explains in its business-to-business marketing solutions, an SME should never stop talking.

By the same token, in some sectors it is better to create a 60% to 40% strategy – 60% should focus on creating a brand that will produce results in the future and 40% on sales operations for services and/or products. Here are some ideas.

Put together a team comprising creative writers, graphic designers, video producers and a corporate brand identity expert to launch a branding campaign.

Telling the story with video requires a specialist team that includes a 3D animator, motion graphics expert, a video editor and producer.

Hosting events, webinars and conferences requires different skills – event planners, PR people and public speakers – while staying active on social media requires social media marketers and someone with knowledge of social media image creation.

An online writer, commercial writer, e-books expert and translators in various languages can help tap new markets and generate and translate content.

4. Innovate, create, and grow

Businesses that continue to grow by incorporating technology, innovation and digitalisation are raising the bar in terms of opportunities, and businesses that have succeeded in preparing today for what tomorrow brings, will continue to have an edge over the competition.

Here are a few ideas to keep the company competitive and at the forefront of its industry.

Create an app or website with a web designer and upload to the Cloud with the help of a Google Cloud platform administrator, desktop app developer and an e-commerce expert.

An expert in business intelligence or business mathematics can help improve the business strategy while an augmented reality developer, artificial intelligence expert and blockchain developer can prepare the company for the new Industry 4.0 technologies.

Data scientists and big data developers, meanwhile, can create new database strategies while strengthening website security will require the services of a security engineer and a security analyst.

A UX writing specialist and a UI designer are there to plan a new user experience and a QA automation specialist can automate the processes.

Search engine optimisers put the company on the digital map and a digital transformation coach helps to keep it there.

Organise the ideas and create a plan of action

If any of these ideas has resonated, all these experts are available via Workana. Look for the most beneficial opportunities to sustain the company and grow.

Click here to find out more about Workana to start hiring or enlisting as a freelancer.