Coronavirus news is everywhere you turn. It’s online, it’s on TV, it’s in your inbox. But, even though the Coronavirus is causing canceled events, states of emergency, and low inventory at our favorite stores, we can still take good care of ourselves. With more time spent at home, it’s more time to dedicate to those tasks that always seem to fall to the bottom of your to-do list. This past week has been a super productive one for me as I’ve done much of what you’re about to read. Coronavirus will not win this battle.
If you are finding that the media attention on Coronavirus is affecting you, and you’re freaking out about changes in business, here are some things that you can control, and things that can help your business in a positive way over time:
Update Your About Page
When’s the last time you updated your about page? For me, it had been over a year – and don’t worry, I did it before I hit “publish” on this post! Make sure that the pictures you’ve included are reflective of what you look like now and can set the tone for your brand. Make sure that the services you say you offer are current. Add any other information that you think may be useful if someone were to go to that page for the first time.
Reconnect with five people on LinkedIn
I have over 500 connections on LinkedIn since joining in 2009, and they are a mix of former coworkers, partners, people I’ve met at events, and people I would like to meet IRL one day. Drop them a note through LinkedIn’s messaging tool to say hello and briefly catch up. You never know how life has unfolded. It could be a walk down memory lane, or you may be forging toward a future path. Also, if you feel compelled to reach out to more people, do so – don’t limit the good vibes.
Write New Content
So many of my friends share that it is so hard to find time to blog. Well, to me, it’s worth using the time that you were supposed to be at an event (that got canceled) to write new content. If you’ve been meaning to recap events, now is the time to do it. With spring around the corner, start thinking of what’s relevant in your niche that you can create now, keeping in mind that many may be staying home for a while amid Coronavirus. Take it a step further and schedule your social media shares to amplify the blog post. Speaking of social media…
Schedule Your Social Media for the Next 30 Days
Do yourself a favor and lessen your time on your phone and scrolling by planning out your social media. If you feel like you have nothing to share, here are some ideas: national holidays, personal milestones, open discussion posts (survey your audience). You do not have to post every day if that stresses you out. But, with people spending more time at home, and most likely scrolling on the phone, you want to put your best foot forward, and planning ahead can help lower anxiety of “falling behind” with all of the media messages and personal changes that may be happening. This is especially important if you’re a solopreneur!
Refresh Your Instagram Highlights
Do your current Instagram highlights on your profile reflect the content and vibe you are trying to give off? Mine were not! I have a mix of my travels, and one dedicated for each of my content categories, however, some of the highlights had frames from two years ago. The definition of highlight is “an outstanding part of a period of time.” For me, if it’s not telling a bigger part of the story, a very notable event, answering a commonly asked question or doesn’t give people a greater taste of you and your why, it’s not worthy of a highlight at this time. The great thing about the Archive feature is that you can visit any story slide you’ve shared over time – so if it becomes applicable later, you can add it back to highlights! 🙂
Update old blog posts with new links/images
I archived some of my older posts when I rebranded a couple of years ago, but revisiting them, I realized that two are relevant again due to emerging trends! I went in, updated the links and repinned the content on Pinterest. I’m also updating the “shop” widgets for my most visited pages and adding links to similar content so people stay on my site longer. Not sure what yours are? Check your google analytics, go to Content and set the date range for the past year. Your top 10 will appear. Then, check the past 6 months. If there is a difference (there wasn’t for me), then consider updating all of those posts.
Revisit those eCourses and eBooks You’ve Purchased
I own a handful of eCourses and it’s been a while since I’ve revisited them. Some of them give me tips and tricks about some of the previously mentioned topics, so I’m going to spend some time today checking them out. I have received email updates from the creators over time notifying me of additions, so even if you think you “got it down,” it’s worth checking to see if the creator has added anything new since you last logged in.
Revamp Your Media Kit
When’s the last time you worked on your media kit? I update my numbers monthly, but there may be something else you want to update. Is it changing the imagery? Adding more logos for partnerships you’ve picked up? Now is the time to do it. Set a timer for an hour and just do it. Remember, the moment you’re not thinking about it will be the moment you’ll need to send it to a partner!
Add an Income Stream
If you are a blogger or content creator, right now you are probably hearing that some projects are on hold. If you’re not, consider yourself lucky and take advantage of that momentum. But, for the rest of us, when the partnership streams dry up, what’s. This is why so many experts preach that you shouldn’t be reliant on outside income streams and that it’s important to launch your own. I’m working on two things right now, projects that I have been wanting to do for the past year, and I’m excited to share the live link very soon!
Organize Your Files + Save to The Cloud
Maybe you’re waaaay better than me when it comes to this, but over time, I’ve let a lot of documents and images live on my laptop. It’s time to move them to Dropbox in their appropriate folders. And I say appropriate folders because everything has a home. If your files don’t have a home, this is a great time to create a system! I started to make a dent a few weeks ago and I’m finishing up this weekend.
Clean Out Your Inbox
There’s no doubt that email updates from your favorite companies have increased with the recent news. Set a timer for 30 minutes cleaning out your inbox and unsubscribing. When you’re getting a ton of emails and they’re stacking, you’re at risk for missing a really important one. Unroll.me is still a great option for doing it in bulk if you haven’t explored the service before.
Was this helpful? I would love for you to share with your networks and to PIN on Pinterest!
Keep me posted on how you’re faring, and stay tuned for more content from me tailored to the pandemic. I have some quick self-care tips for you from a previous post if you are needing a guide.
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Photos of Kachet by Christina Best Photography. Stock photo by SC Stockshop.
