I guess part of the new normal will be the rise of our e-commerce and logistic services. Things might not be the same as to how we make purchases but one thing is for sure -- with all these fear from the global pandemic, cashless transactions and digital services will boom across the globe. The lesser individuals are roaming around, the higher the chance for us to flatten the curve, the higher the chance for us to return to the normalcy.

As a business owner myself, it frustrates me closing the store and refraining from continuing transactions in observance of the ECQ for almost 60 days already and yet, still paying for the rentals, internet, and electricity bills on time. And without having a certain time frame as to when all these will end, it gets even more stressful and alarming knowing that things will never be the same once this corona thing ends. I have seen some entrepreneurs helplessly giving up the will to continue their businesses because of the situation. They had to close and move out because of not being able to generate income to pay for the expenses/rentals. For us, nothing would be more heartbreaking to see all our investments, built with both much effort and struggles, vanish in just a blink of an eye. yes, physical products are still there, yes, they can still be converted to money once purchased, but with the crisis happening worldwide where people lost jobs and other means of living, limiting their buying capabilities, they would only prioritize the necessities and set aside the non-essential ones. The marketplace is a wide platform to compete on but if your niche falls on the non-essentials, then you would probably think for new strategies to keep up.

I made this write up to share my insights and advice with regards to businesses like mine which falls on the lower rank on the hierarchy. How to keep up with the new normal thing: not for advancement but for survival.

1. ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴏꜰꜰ, ʀᴇᴡɪʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ thoughts

Not everyone is required or expected to be productive amidst this pandemic where everyone is worried and having anxieties, but please know that if you get the chance to choose between good and the bad, though ironic to say, please go for the positive side instead of feeding your mind with negativities from social media with all the rapid increase of cases to the spread of hate towards our government officials and even their initiatives. Carefully choose what you want to feed your mind during this hard time. Try to look at the brighter side. Look for something positive that you're grateful for every day. It won't change the situation you are currently in but watch how this could help you have a positive outlook on how you react and respond to the crisis we are facing today and even in life, itself. Take a break from the news, from gossips and social media trolls. Recharge and Rewire your thoughts.

2. ᴋᴇᴇᴘ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴍɪɴᴅꜱᴇᴛ

I could not stress this enough but you got to have the right mindset when you decide to dive into the business industry. Weaklings, more often than not, get fewer chances of thriving. In this game, you have to be brave to trudge the humps and rocks on the road in order to succeed. Here, you have to be patient in dealing with people. Be willing to take risks and do not lose faith if you didn't get the results you have expected. It takes time and lots of patience before you taste the fruit of your hard work. Magic word? People first. Helping first. Be a blessing first before you expect results.

3. ᴀᴄQᴜɪʀᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ꜱᴋɪʟʟꜱ

If you happen to be handling a traditional/physical store, try doing research on things that could help you get to the next level of selling. There are lots of platforms offering free demo/webinars to help you upskill and unleash your capabilities. If you are a newbie, reach out to someone whom you personally know to help you get started (to lessen the chance of getting scammed) or maximize the use of your internet to search for things you want to know concerning this industry.

4. ɢᴏ ᴅɪɢɪᴛᴀʟ!

Turn your physical store into an online shop where you may be able to reach your customers digitally. You may post products on your wall or create a separate page to advertise them. It's okay if you don't feel like posting on your personal accounts because there are really some people who find it uncomfortable bombarding other's feed with different promotions a day and i can personally attest to that. There are pages, websites, chatbots, or messenger marketing that you could start creating in order to keep up with the game.

5. ʙᴇ ᴀɢʀʀᴇꜱꜱɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴘʀᴇᴘᴀʀᴇᴅ.

Here's the thing. Just because I said that there's a high chance for the e-commerce to boom, does not mean that you 'd impulsively get into the game without any proper gear on. It doesn't work that way. Of course, you have to conduct market research to know the competition you are about to enter. Know your niche, your target market, and everything in between.

Be wild. think outside the box. be amenable to changes. you should not limit your capability and beliefs towards the product that you want to offer. Being emotionally attached to one product wouldn't help. Always be open to changes and opportunities to market a vast range of products so you'll generate more sales than focusing only on one variant. If that one fails, you'll be left with no recourse but to start from scratch and you wouldn't want to do that, right? Always consider the outside competition before deciding to get started.

Here are some of the things to prepare yourself for the "new normal". Above anything else, preparation has to start within ourselves: psychologically and even spiritually. Everything is blurry right now. Everyone is getting frustrated as to how to cope with their everyday living. But one thing is for sure. God is on our side and that's enough not to worry so much with uncertainties.

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)