So you’ve put the time into using digital PR to increase brand awareness and public interest, and you’ve noticed that it’s actually beginning to work. People on social media networks are liking your content and there’s been an increase in traffic to your website. Naturally, business is beginning to pick up as well, and before you know it you have more customers than you know what to do with.
If you haven’t planned ahead, you might find yourself in a situation where your digital PR was maybe a bit too successful, and you’re unable to meet the increased demand in your business. What do you do?
Inventory Management
The first thing you need to do is get inventory management under control so that when a customer wants your product you’ll be able to provide it right away. Inventory is already hard to keep track of, so imagine having a sudden influx of demand that you weren’t prepared for.
Consider adopting an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution that can automatically keep track of your inventory and replenish stock when needed. This kind of software can also provide you with real-time insights into your sales, like which products are the most popular and which times of day you are most busy.
Hire on More People
Whether you have a brick and mortar or online store, you’ll need to hire more people to help you manage the increase in traffic. Start by focusing on the teams that will directly deal with customers – sales associates, servers and bartenders, customer support reps, etc. If you need to ship out your items, don’t forget to hire on more warehouse workers – it all depends on how exactly your business runs.
After, focus on sales and marketing teams so that you can keep up the momentum. If you don’t feel confident in your success, then opt for part-time or contract employees instead of hiring full time. When things have been doing well for a while you can switch them to full time.
Outsource if Necessary
Consider unloading some tasks onto a contractor who provides professional services for a set amount of time. For example, if you don’t have a proper HR department, you can outsource to another company that can manage your people for you. That’ll be especially useful as you hire more employees.
If you struggle with accounting, you can also hire an accountant who manages financials for a number of businesses. Many of them now use accounting software that can be accessed online by both parties using secure accounts. With this technology, you don’t have to constantly provide data to your accountant, and you can check on your financials without having to meet them in person.
Don’t Panic
There are a number of business solutions out there that can help you out after experiencing a successful digital PR campaign. Business growth should never be a bad thing, and as long as you have the right tools you’ll be able to drive your company forward towards continued success.
