Crisis and Opportunity

Perhaps you remember the adage attributed to JFK

“In Chinese language the word for Crisis is made of up the words Danger and Opportunity”.

– John F. Kennedy

A bit of research shows that that’s not accurate, but whether it’s true in Chinese or not, there’s a grain of truth to it. This ongoing Covid-19 global pandemic  is obviously a crisis of major proportions. So many businesses large and small have shut down, many people are out of work, and all over the world families have lost income. But there are also people that are working overtime keeping us fed, the essential services open, healthcare systems in place, manufacturing needed medical equipment. Then there are the people who buy up limited essentials and then profiteering online.

Buf if you’re situated to pivot to the new business climate, you could maintain or even grow your online business now and in the future. If you provide a physical product, adding an ecommerce function to your site could provide an avenue to sales with low, low overhead costs. If you provide training, entertainment, or public speaking services, a switch to tools like Zoom, Skype, GotoMeeting, or Facebook Live can allow you to reach out and connect with others hungry for social connection. If you’re a crafter, you can offer how to lessons via YouTube. If you’re a chef, online recipes can help guide people struggling to cook something decent at home.

• How’s your website doing? Maybe you had it built for you a year or two ago, then ignored it. Just like before, it is on duty 24/7 whether you need it or not. Is it working hard for you during this shutdown? Now is the time to think about changes and site improvements.
• When was the last time your WordPress, Plugins and Themes updated?  I just checked in on mine after several months and I had 25 updates to take care of. Now that they are done, my site is much more secure and healthy. Websites can get viruses, too, you know. It’s nasty when they do. A monthly maintenance plan will keep your site updated, secure, fast, and happy. Sign up for yours today.
• Are your products and services accurate? Is there anything you are offering now in this new business climate that should be added to the site?
• Be ready for the months ahead. When business comes back there will be pent up demand. And we will all be very busy trying to catch up. Now is the time to think about what website feature you can add now that will make life easier for your customers or clients.
• Is your site running on WordPress 6 or better? You may need to change to another theme if your theme is over 3 years old or no longer supported. It may still work  — for now — but at some point it will fail or be hacked, which never happens at a convenient time. And then you’ll have to update. Don’t delay. Update today!