My Back To Business Strategy

By writer and blogger Angela Atkinson well known for her successful blog Born Again Swindonian.

Summarise how Covid-19 has affected you? 

It’s a bit of an odd one really. In some ways, I’m completely unaffected. I’m a micro business supporting micro businesses. Thus far they’re surviving – ergo so am I. 

But Born Again Swindonian has two strands. One is as a place for small businesses to place either content marketing pieces that drill down into their business, with valuable SEO links to their websites and social media profiles in the blog’s Swindon in Business section, or straightforward features about their business.

Its other strand is to celebrate and to tell Swindon’s stories. For 2020 I had plans to progress a #Swindonin50morebuildings series (a follow-on to the Swindon in 50 Buildings book, published in 2019) on the blog along with the #Swindonin50drinks series.

Of course Covid-19, lockdown and physical distancing have put paid to any progress there for the foreseeable future.

In addition, a strand of my income came from operating a small Air BnB set-up – and that disappeared over night. I’ve no idea when or even if that will return.

What has been your plan to continue?  

In the main to support my clients as much as possible – sharing their posts on social media and so on – to keep them visible.

How have things changed over the last few months?  

In all honesty, for my core editorial work, it hasn’t. I’m a small business, working from home and on-line anyway. The effects of the pandemic are not so far reaching for me as say, someone with a bricks and mortar business, that has had had to find a different way to do things. 

What has been the most challenging aspect of all of this? 

For me, it’s the personal aspect that has been the hardest part. I’m happily single, live alone and am quite content with that situation in ordinary circumstances, where I’m seeing friends, getting out and about and being with my family. 

But these are extraordinary circumstances. And being separated from my little granddaughter and my daughter, with whom I normally spend a lot of time, for so long has been tough. A first world problem for sure – but tough even so.

What has been the most positive aspect? 

The support of friends that have shopped for me because I’m shielding and the enforced opportunity to get to know my area of Swindon (West Swindon) a bit better as I’ve roamed about on my Covid constitutionals. 

I’m profoundly grateful to friends for looking out for me and it’s been interesting ‘discovering’ more of my area of Swindon.

Plus, I’ve managed to get my Born Again Swindon Guide book finished and that will be out soon. It’s a curious thing, that something I started playing around with about 5 years ago has become, quite by accident, very timely. I have a hashtag for the book: #LookDownLookaroundLookup  

And I know from much that I see on social media that, as we’ve been limited to our immediate vicinity for exercise, many people have done exactly that. Noticed their surroundings much more – and that’s a good thing.  

Has it made you consider how you feel about other businesses/suppliers/customers/clients for good or otherwise? 

Yes. I’ve noticed the retailers, hospitality and travel companies that have been garnering bouquets or brickbats as appropriate for their handling of this crisis and their treatment of their staff. I’ll do my utmost to boycott those found wanting – as much as is possible in a globalised world. 

How important is this phrase to you – ‘buy local, supply local’? 

It’s very important to me. I’ve long been advocating shopping local and supporting small businesses – whether bricks and mortar or online – on Born Again Swindonian for a long time now. I’ve written numerous blogs on the topic. 

As for why – many reasons. For example:

1. I’m a small business myself. I need people to support me. It’s only right that I do my best to support other small businesses where I can – and, where I can, those local to me. That way there’s a greater chance of money staying in the local economy.

2. The high street had changed beyond recognition before Covid – it’s likely to have changed even more now. That doesn’t mean it’s gone for good. But it does mean it needs to reinvent itself – and small, independent businesses are one way to do that.

What are your top tips at this time?  

1. Stay visible via social media

2. Support your clients however you can

3. If there’s a way to take your business online - do it – or shift to something that complements your core values to help you survive.

Your parting thought? 

I’ve seen this quote about a lot just of late:

‘In the rush to return to normal, let’s use this time to consider which parts of normal are worth rushing back to.’ Dave Hollis. 

I like it a lot because it applies to business and to life in general.

To go all philosophical and a wee bit profound for a moment: I believe it’s vital that we do exactly that. 

Because, if we don’t stop to think about what we were doing before this pandemic happened – and if we don’t then give even the smallest amount of thought to:

A. Whether we still want to do it 

B. Do we need to do it at all or

C. If we do – is there a better/different way to do it?

If we don’t do any of that - then we magnify the tragedy of every single life lost to Covid-19 and the anguish of those grieving. 

Find out more about Angela's blog HERE!