During COVID-19, many businesses had to close their doors. The unfortunate fact is that for many, this was the last time they’d do this. More than 800,000 people have lost their job in the UK alone due to the pandemic’s economic impact.
Yet, some companies have still been able to thrive under the circumstances. Our Manchester startup, Offers 365, are doing well despite current circumstances as we prepare to hire new staff.
Granted, we did receive some investment before the COVID outbreak, which we have put to good use. But, we also believe wise decisions have been the key to our success.
Here are five things we learned during the pandemic.
1. Customers can be Found at Every Corner of the Globe. Not Just the UK
Expanding into new territories like the US, Australia and Singapore, has allowed us to grow. We’ve also diversified the types of clients we approach, breaking away from our usual customer base.
Importantly, we’ve approached clients who operate online rather than in busy business premises and ones who are thriving despite the current climate. We think our unique approach to customer service has also helped us weather the storm. Carefully understanding customer requirements and budgets, then delivering on our promises.
2. Recruitment During a Global Pandemic Requires Radical, ‘Out of the Box’ Thinking
We’ve had to change the way we recruit during the COVID outbreak. As remote working is now considered ‘the norm’, we’ve faced stronger competition against quality candidates who have a greater choice of quality employers. Some candidates may be put off working for us, seeing as we are a startup and could be a ‘risky’ option.
To counteract these issues, we’re committed to explaining our experience to candidates and have developed a robust onboarding process. We’ve also created a screening process, so we know candidates considered will thrive with us, as well as candidate personas.
3. It’s Still Possible to Run a Business with Fewer Expenses
Our co-founder lives in Amsterdam, so remote working has been at the heart of our business from the beginning. The added benefit of this is that it saves a large amount of money which would otherwise be spent on business premises, and all the overheads which go with it.
So far, remote working has worked well for us. Another way we’ve managed to cut business costs is the topic of staffing. We have made use of freelance SEO people and various other consultants without actually hiring permanent staff members. Although we were offered funding just before the start of the pandemic, this is something else we’d recommend looking into.
4. Having the Right Drive and Interest, in Addition to Experience, is Essential During Tough Times
Lucky for us, we had a combination of both. Firstly, with experience in working for a multi-million dollar business, management experience, and knowledge of general marketing and developing leads using social media.
Equally, we have the enthusiasm, passion, desire and commitment to meet client demands and grow our business. We’re not just stopping with Offers 365 either. With the launch of a new venture offering freebies, samples and free stuff to the general public. Something we call allfreestuff.co.uk.
5. Be a Shining Beacon within an Average Marketplace to Drive New Business
There’s no denying that affiliate marketing has something of an image problem. From ad fraud to customers being ripped off and even reputational damage from poor ad placement, trust is a significant industry issue.
Offers 365 are happy to say they do things differently. We help businesses grow by understanding their brief and budget while providing full metrics to see the results of our efforts.
Written by Seun Olabisi, founder and director at Offers365 Limited, a UK-based affiliate marketing startup.
