2020 has been a hard year for everyone, but it has hit small businesses especially hard. If you are a small business owner, you may feel anxious about how you will stay afloat during this time. You may be looking at your monthly expenses and payroll and wonder how you will ever get back on track. It can certainly be challenging, but it is important that you stay positive. Consider these ways of helping your business remain profitable during this transitional time.
Transition to Online Selling
There are plenty of businesses that have a completely online platform, such as www.smokingthings.com. If you are able to sell your products or services online, now is the time to get into that market. You will need to design a website and focus on making shipping as efficient as possible. Online business is different from running a brick and mortar store, but it can be lucrative when you know how to effectively market.
Promote Safety Measures
If it is impossible for you to offer completely virtual services, you will need to promote every precaution that your business is taking to prevent the spread of the virus. For example, on your social media pages, you can highlight that all employees are wearing masks and having temperature screenings done regularly. You can even ask customers to undergo a temperature check before coming into the building. Clients need to know that you are taking their health seriously.
Offer Curbside Pickup
Even if you are unable to offer online services, you may be able to do curbside pickup. People can place orders over the phone, and you can bring them out to their car when they arrive. This setup has been especially useful for restaurants. Some clothing stores have even opted for this option for locals instead of spending money on shipping products. You have to find what works for your business because everyone’s needs are different during this time.
Everything happening this year does not have to affect the longevity of your small business. You must get creative about ways to remain connected with your customers, and you must do everything you can to keep them and your employees safe. It is essential that you do your part to stay safe and healthy while still keeping your business going strong. While it may be a hard year financially for many small businesses, there are ways to press on.
Image Credits: Patrick Beznoska
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