Content Contributed by Brad Halbach at High Trek Adventures
Right now we are all in the midst of very difficult times for our businesses. Our Ropes Course & Laser Tag facilities are closed at least through April 30th and there is a lot of uncertainty regarding if we will be able to return to normal operations after that. All of our employees have been furloughed and as business owners, we are trying to evaluate how we can cut expenses and how we can proactively position ourselves for when the recovery begins so that we can maximize the opportunity.
If you are like us, we are searching for things that we can do NOW that we can do from home and will be productive for the future growth and strength of our business.
Here are some suggestions of things you can be doing now to get ready for the inevitable recovery and put yourself ahead when business returns:
1. Work on your Website and Search Engine Optimization
Last fall I conducted a webinar on this topic with some great tips regarding how you might audit your website and make improvements to your site to increase your organic positioning. If you would like to get access to the recording of this Webinar, please follow this link: Top 10 Website SEO Practices to raise your business placement on Google.
2. Build your Network
Do you have a LinkedIn Profile? Linkedin requires minimal effort to get started and if you are successful at building your network it will provide you with an additional free channel to inform potential customers of your products and special offers. For our business, we communicate about our Team Building and Team Bonding opportunities through the LinkedIn feed. If you do not have a profile on LinkedIn, create one and start building your network.
- Start by adding your industry peers and your friends.
- Next, you should start networking with potential recurring large customers. In our case, this includes staff at YMCA Programs, Scout Leaders, Boys and Girls Clubs, and other group organizers.
- Network with influencers, bloggers, copywriters, and other individuals with a voice in your area. These individuals will act as your target for Press Releases and other useful information.
- Other strategic customers, I have also begun to network with Managers and Office Admins at companies that are in our demographic for Team Bonding Events. I send an invite with a brief introduction to our business and Team Event opportunities we offer.
3. Google Ads Planning and Optimization
I regularly connect with peers who are not utilizing Google ads for their businesses, while the ones that are using this advertising channel, are unsure about the status of their campaigns and know that they need to invest in this area. Now is the time to build out and optimize your campaign so that you will be ready to take advantage of the Programs that google is developing: COVID-19: Ad credits for Google Ads Small and Medium-sized Businesses
This is a huge opportunity for small businesses to jump-start their recovery when doors re-open. However, you need to have your Ad Campaigns ready to go and primed for launch. If you are interested in this topic, direct message me on LinkedIn and I will provide you with slides for a presentation I created titled “Search Engine Marketing Tips & Best Practices”. This slide deck is tailored for location-based entertainment facilities including trampoline parks, laser tag, and adventure parks.
4. Evaluate your Software Solutions
Are there better software solution alternatives available out there that can provide improved functionality, reduced subscription costs, and simplified operations? The answer is almost always YES. Our businesses are absolutely dependent on technology and software solutions to make our employees productive, organize our schedules, manage our sales leads, manage our payroll, handle our bookkeeping, and track the maintenance of our equipment.
Our company recently evaluated our different software offerings to see where we might make changes and we found better solutions for less money when it came to our staff scheduling and timekeeping solutions. Consider reducing the number of software solutions you have by identifying a single solution that combines the functionality of the others.