Remember that time the world ran out of everything?
I remember it like it was yesterday because it’s currently our today… and tomorrow… and the next day. And I know you can relate or you wouldn’t be here reading this blog.
Sure, our supply chain distribution challenges aren’t as crippling as they were this time last year, but we aren’t anywhere close to where we were pre-COVID pandemic.
Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll ever recover to that level.
“Well Dawn, that’s a pretty Debbie Downer thing for you to say. I came here looking for encouragement and support.”
… And I’m so glad you did. My intent is never to yank your hopes and dreams out from under your feet, but rather share a transparent perspective of reality… and then help you do something about it.
Problem solving is the root of my passion for eComm business owners like yourself. In order to find profitable solutions, we must first identify the problem(s).
I get it. Addressing those realities can make one feel down and drabby… but you don’t have to set up camp there.
Most people thought 2021 was going to bring a return to normalcy (yours truly included). But social media and iOS experts had to flex some authoritative muscle by turning algorithms and privacy policies upside down.
Prior to this “digital-geddon”, many eComm businesses were doing really well selling their products through paid media. Our clients were among those success stories.
But by the end of last year, this digital marketing upheaval became a real challenge for eComm business owners, not to mention the supply chain distribution conundrum we were already wading through. It was like a one, two sucker punch to the eComm gut.
Tell me something you don’t know, right?
Unfortunately, most online entrepreneurs don’t have the resources and support of marketing experts like our team at Digital Dawn to help them navigate these unpredictable storms.
As a small business owner, when you’re caught between the crossfires of very limited resources and ads that don’t work, overwhelming defeat is certainly a justifiable emotion..
So how do you resist the temptation to throw in the towel and call it quits on something you’ve worked so hard to build when you can’t get what you need?
Understand the reality of the supply chain distribution challenges and create a plan that will help you adapt and adjust.
Having a back-up plan (I even recommend a back-up plan for your back-up plan) eliminates the panic response we tend to have when a crisis takes a low blow shot at our business.
When the unexpected happens – not if, because the past couple of years are proof that nothing is for certain – you’re prepared to pivot your business with minimal disruption to your processes and profitability.
One of the most admirable characteristics of a tenacious entrepreneur is their gritty and creative ability to pivot and keep moving forward, regardless of life’s curve balls. It’s truly what sets us apart.
Apply that unique quality by rolling up your sleeves and digging in to create a backup plan that will allow you to successfully pivot your business.
How to Panic Proof Your Business With a Backup Plan
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Find distributors and manufacturers who are closer to you so you can get your materials faster
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Find a way to transition to renewable resources or different types of raw materials
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Find local suppliers who might be interested in getting into your particular niche
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Find other things you can make or sell for the interim of the supply chain challenge
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Ensuring you have a faultless order fulfillment process is one of the most significant actions you can take to panic proof your eComm business.
This is a topic that we will continue to discuss, so I encourage you to begin networking with other eComm entrepreneurs, join Facebook groups, ask questions, and do what’s necessary to find alternative distributors and manufacturers. If you’re already doing this, then kudos to you, you overachiever.
If you would like to see if you’re a good fit to work with the Digital Dawn team, head on over to digitaldawnagency.com/contact to schedule a FREE call.
For a more in-depth discussion on the supply chain distribution challenge, be sure to tune in to episode #36 – “The Distribution Crisis”, on my eComm Profit Podcast.
BIO
Dawn Sinkule, the Founder of Digital Dawn, is an MBA graduate, Strategy and Business Growth Consultant as well as a Certified Online Business Manager with more than 16 years of corporate experience working for a Fortune 50 company. Dawn and her team work with passionate six figure business owners who want to grow, expand, and explode their businesses. Dawn and the DD team provide your choice of self-implementation or fully done for you solutions, and both include detailed business strategies, automation, systems, and most importantly the satisfaction of knowing your business is heading the right direction. Her clients get not only the experience of a Fortune 50 leader, but also a personalized and customized strategy as well as an implementation team: AKA your secret weapon for success.