Through Covid and Beyond - Selling in a Pandemic

2020 and 2021 have been such a challenge for businesses, and for those small businesses who didn’t qualify for the government schemes and financial help, they were even tougher.

Small businesses had to really think outside the box when it came to working through the pandemic; added restrictions, an ever-changing marketplace, a total change of pace and style of life altogether.

For many industries, including my own, business went from face to face to purely online. Along with homeschooling and Joe Wicks’ workouts, our meetings were conducted from a screen, often with the addition of kid or pets in the frame too - far from ideal for productivity!

Throughout the pandemic years, productivity took on a new meaning too, which ebbed and flowed with our moods, some days even getting dressed for our hour of exercise was a push let’s face it! I’ve chatted to many business owners to see how their businesses altered during the last couple of years, and surprisingly many have actually flourished.

One such business is Love Faith Hope Boutique in Bispham, Lancashire.

I started working with the Boutique during the 1st lockdown, and given the fact that non essential retailers weren’t allowed to open, we had to think on our feet for a way to serve the fantastic supportive customers a

With online sales sky-rocketing during 2020 and beyond, selling online was the obvious answer, but in an already hugely competitive market, and with the added issue of people not earning their usual paychecks, something had to give.

Samantha Byrom, founder and director of Love Faith Hope Boutique, is a fiercely passionate and knowledgeable business lady, not afraid to try new things, and to always think outside the box, so it was an absolute joy to work with her on this challenge.

Boutique Buy Nights were launched in 2020, much to the joy of hundreds of shoppers across the UK. The nights involved filming live ‘trying on’ events to showcase products, with the availability to make purchases there and then online. Not only did this allow ladies to shop even though the shops were closed, but the most amazing community was built around these events too.

Ladies turned in in their hundreds to see the latest bargains and new styles, but they all tuned in at the same tine every week, saw familiar names in the comments, had a giggle with everyone else, and were all sharing the experience with each other, at a really odd and disconnected time.

An example of one of the Boutique Live Events from 2021!

We actually enabled people in isolation to feel a part of something, to have a lifeline to reach out to. They didn’t need to or have to buy anything, they could just tune in and watch what was going on, and feel like they had a social life which would otherwise have been impossible.

We chatted about clothes and styling advice, but more importantly through the viewers live comments, we knew what everyone was doing, if they’d had a bad day, if they’d had a birthday they couldn’t celebrate, their quirks, and their sense of humour. We just had a good old fashioned girls night in-in, and we all loved it.

We also incorporated Live At Lunch sessions, which were aimed at ladies trying to make the most of their existing wardrobes, where we showed new ways of putting together outfits and accessories, which was tonnes of fun! Here’s just one example:

a Love Faith Hope Boutique Live At Lunch Session

Fast forward 2 years and the Boutique Buy Nights are still taking place every Tuesday at 7pm, and our die-hard audience are still with us, and we feel incredibly grateful and overwhelmed by everyones support and feedback.

Brexit has now made some new restrictions to importing from certain suppliers, and planning for an ever changing future brings it’s own challenges, but we have without a doubt proved one thing.

As a business owner, if you can roll with the punches and adapt, rather than sitting back and being defeated you CAN do anything!

If you want to join in a LIVE Boutique Buy Night we’d love to see you, and you can find us here every Tuesday at 7pm at the Love Faith Hope Boutique Facebook page.

Please go and checkout the website too www.lovefaithhopeboutique.co.uk, to see the latest collections too! Visit now!