Tips from entrepreneurs to overcome the crisis

While many governments has announced the almost complete closure of all Canadian economic activities, here are some tips from entrepreneurs to overcome the crisis that is raging at the moment.

Tips from entrepreneurs to overcome the crisis

Tips from entrepreneurs to overcome the crisis – Retail

Pierre-Benoit Duhamel, Founder, Clusier

We are now, since Monday, closed, it’s a big change for us. The store have been open 360 days a year for over 13 years. We still have contact with our customers. Some even made advances for future purchases. We keep in touch with our suppliers, there are some in Italy who are very affected, especially the smallest.

But we keep it positive and we look at the spring collection positively, these are losses for the moment, but we will get through it. I’m confident.

Alex Sereno, co-founder, and Roxane Thibeault, Marketing Director – Café Barista

A good marketing and communication strategy for SMEs in the current situation is to show empathy and humanize their brand as much as possible. Since the situation is difficult for everyone, it is important to position yourself as a life facilitator and to really simplify people’s lives in their own way. Entertaining your community with positive and relevant content to consume at home is also an interesting strategy (videos, blog articles, etc.)! The most important thing is to maintain contact with current customers and establish a bond of trust with potential customers.

We must also make sure to make online shopping as easy as possible and offer suitable promotions (e.g. free delivery), to be a positive player in the lives of people who are at home.

Tips from entrepreneurs to overcome the crisis – Web

Frédéric Gonzalo – owner, Gonzo marketing

I have made some live videos on Facebook and Instagram in the past few weeks where I have talked a little about it. So, I recommend updating Google My Business, Facebook, Instagram, Website, etc., regarding opening hours and other details of your business (like, the restaurant is closed but you take orders at carry).

I also recommend continuing to publish, if possible, on social media but adapt the tone to the new reality. In a majority of cases, I would tell you to stop advertising campaigns. The attention of the consumer is not there right now to buy big gadgets or travel, for example. Above all, we must concentrate on preparing the next steps: the end of the crisis will come sooner or later. What are you doing in the meantime? website redesign? Integrate a transactional component? Invest in a new product or service.

Béatrice Bernard-Poulin, blogger, owner of online store and online learning program

Being anxious, hypochondriac and affected by the slightest changes in temperature. The most important thing for me was to continue my routine. I have a lot less work to do, but I try to get ahead, to put forward things that I considered to be of lower priority or that were simply less appealing to me. Also, I try to adjust my offer to meet the expectations of my clients and readers and not fall into the “tone deaf” content, as we see everywhere on the internet. I also make sure to move every day, doing at least one set of stretches or a yoga routine, or walking when the weather permits.

Manon Lapierre, Owner, Bette Studios and La Petite Bette

React quickly, react well

It is normal not to know yet what a crisis will have on its customers, on our web page, on our current agreements, on our employees. But taking a few minutes to notify all these beautiful people what action we are taking and that we are going to come back to them can already reduce a panic effect.

Adjust your shot

in our case, we had to immediately rethink our entire publication calendar. It was clear that we cannot talk about luxury products, travel, products that are difficult to obtain etc. A company, a person can easily and very quickly completely break their reputation in a period when people are sensitive to content that they consider inappropriate. This includes advertising campaigns, marketing, in-store displays, online publications, questionable directions in reaction to the crisis, etc. Make sure to think of all possible angles of perception and seek the advice of your employees, collaborators, customers and suppliers rather than coming out with something that could put you at an even greater disadvantage in an already difficult time.

Evaluate the opportunities

For example, we see several restaurateurs offering delivery services, chefs cooking live on Instagram, magazines publishing useful tools for their readership to help them in a difficult situation. For us, we saw a sudden and marked interest in our homemade bread videos on Youtube and on the blog. We are therefore releasing more videos and recipes of homemade bread that know how to respond to the problems of our audience.

So today we have released a video and recipe for bread without yeast or leavening agent. Many people are running out of ingredients due to shortages in grocery stores. Now is not the time to bring out a recipe for filet mignon, truffle butter and black garlic … our opportunity is to respond to the immediate need for what is most sought after on Google and Youtube and where we are already well positioned in Quebec and Europe. Recipes to make yourself with the ingredients you have, fridge-empty recipes, recipes with children, easy but pleasant recipes to allow you to eat while spending quality time in the kitchen.

Let the dust settle

Better breathe, curl up and go through than react senselessly in a state of panic. For example, someone who spends their time sending aggressive sales pitch follow-up emails during this period would likely be removed from my list forever. If you see some of your contracts in jeopardy, provide solutions that are relevant to you and your customers rather than threatening or complaining or being too persistent.

Tips from entrepreneurs to overcome the crisis – Hospitality

Laurence Gaudreau Pépin – Vice president, Marketing of Taboo Cuisine Rebelle Restaurants and founder of SOJA&CO 

The current crisis has brought a lot of changes to our lives. For my part, as an entrepreneur, I take this opportunity to advance files that were on pause for a while and I prepare the busiest period for my second company (SOJA&CO.) – the holiday season. Being taken at home, it also allows me to reduce my stress level by being less confronted with the events that we normally live in our “extra busy” lives.

So I am more focused on advancing my projects and I take the opportunity to organize my files and do a “spring cleaning” in all of this. I notably discovered the website Airtable which will help me to classify everything and see more clearly. Obviously, the financial aspect worries me, but I try to see the post-crisis also in order to stay motivated. I find reassuring the aspect of mutual aid between local businesses today. It makes me proud to be an entrepreneur, despite the instability.

Maryline Demandre, co-founder, Invasion Cocktail

After the dismay and panic of the first week, we are starting to blame the blow at Invasion Cocktail. Events are on the front lines of the sectors affected. The priority was first to secure my employee’s salary and then to reassure partners that we are going to hold on. I also of course informed my suppliers that projects were put on hold. This phase now passed, we put ourselves in action mode to be united with our industry.

Do our part for the Industry:

For example, we have just launched a contest to encourage our fans to donate $ 5 to the QC bartender fund launched by Andrew Whibley. We cannot of course force the donation but encourage it by rewarding it. It’s possible to do that.

We will of course be talking about our partner establishments in the coming weeks. We are also planning to sell Invasion Cocktail caps and donate all sales to the same fund. Our team is trying to do it’s part even if we are too, we are very impacted.

Finally, at the request of several bartenders, we will relaunch the Bartender Bootcamp initiative that we launched last week. Some have shown us the desire to get involved in such a project, to keep busy and keep morale up too. Rather than a trip, we will convert the prize into the award of a purse in cash. Money will be more useful than a trip during this difficult time for many.

Bastien Poulain, CEO, 1642

For my part, I try to keep a professional rhythm, I get up every day at 7 am. I decided to talk to a lot of my competitors and go into solution mode. I even spoke to Michel Favuzzi this week. Also, I allow myself a run every two days of about fifteen 15 minutes. My role is to find solutions for everyone.

At Gentologie

At Gentologie, what we do, we are in solution mode, with our partner Oysters & Caviar, we organize a Caviar Workshop. Contrary to what we had planned, the latter will be virtual via a “Facebook Live” with François-Xavier. It is open to all. You want to learn it simply, don’t be shy. Order your Antonius caviar on their website. You can also subscribe to the Club or get one of our magazines.

We hope that these tips from entrepreneurs to overcome the crisis will help you increase your income and continue your activities.