Small businesses everywhere are feeling a bit weathered after the events of 2020. But now is an ideal time for us all to refocus and rebuild.

As always, there are hacks, trends and strategies to get onboard with that can lift you back up and onto the right tracks again. But what’s working now, after the big year of change we have just had?

Here are 5 simple small business hacks that are working in 2021.

1. Nurture those brand evangelists

The power of referrals has been known for decades. In fact, using referrals, testimonials and reviews has been a key strategy for a long time. But since a flurry of online scams emerged during the pandemic, people are now more skeptical than ever.

Therefore, winning trust is even more important. So refocusing on getting those referral, testimonials and reviews is a key hack for 2021. This doesn’t have to create you much more work, and you don’t need to pay influencers to do this.

Simply ask your most loyal and complimentary customers (A.K.A. your brand evangelists) if they would be kind enough to send you a sentence or two as a review. You can then turn those into reviews on your website. You could also turn them into graphics for Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram – taking the quote and adding it to a branded template.

Try a free graphic design tool like Canva. Simply upload your logo, select your brand colours and font, and paste in the text of your review. If your logo needs an update, try a free tool like Logo Creator.

2. Prepare for another pivot

If 2020 reminded us of any entrepreneurship rules, it was the power of the pivot.

Staying flexible in your business plan, and being prepared to shift as the economy demands, is going to be essential for 2021 and beyond. The hack here is keeping your options open, and being adaptable in your thinking. We can no longer hang everything on plan A.

The small businesses that survive in the future will be the ones that adapt as needed. So keep future lockdowns and online pivots in mind when planning ahead.

3. Social commerce

Social commerce, selling ecommerce style but directly from a social media platform, is a key trend for 2021.

In short, the hack here is saving on time and on clicks. People browsing don’t need to click away from the social platform they are using. This means there is less time for people to get distracted by something else and more chance they will buy your product.

This is really worth taking advantage of this year.

4. Time limited discounts still work

Everybody loves a discount, and this will never change. With time-limited discounts, the hack is that the countdown to the sale ending creates the fear of missing out.

Of course, this is nothing new. Time-limited offers have been around for years. But with old strategies like this one, the danger is we can overlook them as outdated.

Sure, there are some modern changes and trends to look to as well – but don’t overlook the classics. Nothing creates a flurry of sales like a time-limited offer.

5. Email marketing offers still work

On the theme of old strategies that we tend to overlook, is classic email marketing.

I know that the world and his dog are shouting about the power of Instagram influencer marketing. And this is not without its charms.  But email marketing is still statistically the boss.

Having a weekly, fortnightly, or even monthly email marketing calendar is one of the simplest yet most powerful marketing activities you can do for your business.

While it might not seem like much of a ‘hack’, the trick here is keeping yourself consistent and accountable. So draw up an email marketing calendar, stick to it, and then watch your sales or bookings pick up.

So there you are. Simple, effective, and all working well in 2021. These hacks might not be revolutionary, but they are all truly effective, even in our post-pandemic recession.

If you only remember one thing, then perhaps it should be the importance of flexibility in your business plans. The world has shown us how having only a plan A can let us down. So be prepared to shift as needed, and you can survive so much more.