How Small Businesses Can Stay Alive, and Even Thrive, During the Pandemic

Dealing with an ongoing pandemic can be challenging enough, but when you own a small business it can be even more difficult. For one, your business may still be fully or partially shut down due to COVID-19 restrictions in your state. Even if your doors are still open, there are still likely to be obstacles that make it harder to keep your business growing and successful. To help ease your stress during these challenging times, here are some resources that can help you maintain control of your business and help it thrive, both now and in the future.

Up Your Digital Marketing Strategies

With people at home and online due to coronavirus, online marketing is more important for small businesses than ever before.

• First of all, know that innovating your marketing plan is one of the most effective methods for adapting your business to survive the COVID-19 crisis.
• Hire Small Business Mentor to develop an email marketing campaign to increase customer conversion and engagement.
• Social media should play a huge part in any digital marketing plan, so make sure you are putting your accounts to good use.
• If you need help with marketing, you can also consider hiring a consultant.

Meet With Your Staff and Clients Online

If you want to stay connected to your customers and employees, you may need to embrace online tools that will help you do so without putting everyone’s health at risk.

• Remote work can be a necessity for many companies right now, so determine whether this solution could work for your small business.
• You can use video conferencing programs, including Zoom, to meet with your clients and staff, or even provide classes, training, and consultations.
• Before you start a meeting, make sure you understand video conferencing etiquette.
• There are also other project management tools that can make working with teams online even more efficient and productive.

Make Improvements to Your Office or Store

While your doors are closed, you can use the downtime to make needed improvements to your physical offices or storefront, so you’re ready to wow customers when you reopen.

• Before you begin any remodeling projects, think about working on your brand and creating a logo that will help set your business apart.
• Once you have a fresh new logo, you can implement it in any signage in your business.
• In addition to signage, you can also take steps to make your store or office appear more modern, which can include replacing outdated carpet.
• Making COVID-safe changes should also factor into your overall remodeling plans.

Get the Support You Need for Your Business

Being willing to innovate and adapt your business can help you survive the pandemic, but sometimes you may need an added boost to really stay afloat and avoid closing for good.

• In terms of making improvements to your business to adapt to COVID-19 challenges, there may be business grants that you can use.
• If you cannot secure a grant, you could also consider a small business loan, but this could end up adding more financial stress.
• There may also be federal resources, including tax relief, that can help shore up your finances until your business bounces back.
• Finally, look for help with your personal finances to take some tension away.

Things are so uncertain right now and the only thing we can do to cope is to continue to adapt and maintain our resilience. Hopefully, the tools and resources above will help your business thrive and grow in the future. At the very least, you may be able to keep your business afloat until circumstances improve.

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