5 Ways Small Business Owners Can Grow During a Pandemic
Whether you’re the owner of a french-inspired cafe or hometown diner, or the founder of an upscale boutique or custom paper shop, COVID-19 has affected each and every one of us. As an entrepreneur myself who works primarily with small businesses, I realize the life-altering impact of shuttering your doors. Even as some states are beginning to reopen, we are still so far from ‘business as usual’.
While income and revenue are a huge consideration, there’s also the discomfort of just not knowing what you can do during this time to move your business and your life forward; the feeling of having lost momentum.
Now, before I get started, I want to make it clear: This is not another ‘silver linings’ blog. I am not here to guilt you into being more productive (I swear, those memes drive me to day drink). If you’re currently wearing your son’s PJs, putting lipstick on your dog, and binge-watching Tiger King, you will get NO judgment from me. This blog is simply a resource for those of you who are ready to focus on what you can control during this time.
Let’s dive in! Read on for 5 ways you can grow your business (and yourself) during COVID-19.
ASSESS YOUR BRAND + BUSINESS PLAN
Perhaps what I admire most about small business owners is their incessant hustle. Do you remember what it was like to get your business off the ground the first time? You started with a dream and marinated in all its possibilities. Then, you considered the current economy and thought deeply about how you could (and would) fill the void. You figured out what would make you different, memorable, and set you apart. You started with an idea, and carved it into something real and tangible.
You did it once, now it’s time to do it again.
Start by thinking about your brand - What do you offer that makes you memorable? Then, consider those as you brainstorm quarantine-friendly, on-brand ways to pivot.
Are you quirky? Host a bidding war for the naming privileges of items on your quarantine takeout menu. “For $100 we’ll name the sloppy joe after your ex - boyfriend.” Or give away a free roll of toilet paper with every order, the options are limitless!
Are you philanthropic? Donate a meal for every meal purchased to the local hospital or offer a discount for people in the industry that have been affected.
Are you upscale? Offer cocktail kits from your bar or limited batches of your iconic dessert for pick-up; or, be a trailblazer and launch a new genre of high-end takeout.
Are you casual? Compile quaint, pre-made picnic baskets for a fun, day date option.
Don’t be afraid to think waaay outside the box. These are unprecedented times and anything goes.
Are you having trouble coming up with ideas? Do your research about what others are doing in your industry. Reach out to local businesses that are doing well and ask them for advice or brainstorm ways to partner with them. It might sound counter-intuitive, but now is the time to set aside competitive egos to help one another out.
The success of one small business raises the industry as a whole.
CONNECT WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS
Just because your open sign is turned off, or you’re open for fewer hours, it doesn’t mean you can’t still be with your customers.
Many restaurants have started hosting virtual happy hours, encouraging attendees to ‘tip their bartender’ on PayPal or Venmo. Others have streamed virtual cooking or bartending classes, allowing chefs and bartenders to use the vacant restaurant as a studio.
If you own a retail business like a clothing boutique, ask your employees to do Instagram LIVE takeovers. Take this time to create your style-guides for summer, or host a virtual meetup and interview a wardrobe stylist.
Finding creative ways to help your employees and connect with your customers right now is imperative to the long-term success of your business. The more visible you can be during this time, the better.
A few additional tips:
Be transparent about cleaning procedures. It’s all about building trust. Your customers are concerned for their safety - Tell them about everything you’re doing to keep them safe.
Remind them what you offer. Do you have a special takeout menu? Meal kits to-go? Are you selling groceries now too? Encourage customers to order from your menu, snag their enchilada meal kit before inventory runs out, or buy their milk, eggs, avocados, and toilet paper (always toilet paper) from you. Announce what you offer clearly and often.
Tell them how they can support you. Your local patrons want to support you during this time. It’s up to you to tell them exactly how to do that.
Get creative when beginning to open your business back up. Beginning to open your doors doesn’t have to look like it did before COVID-19. You may be dealing with the challenge of having fewer employees or may simply be uncomfortable opening your doors all the way just yet. If you’re a restaurant, consider offering reservation-only dining so you can limit capacity to ensure careful distancing and extensive cleaning procedures. If you’re a boutique, consider offering appointment-only shopping experiences - make them special by offering a fun beverage and/or personal styling assistance.
As you go through all your online platforms, pay close attention to your images.
CREATE (AND AUDIT) CONTENT
This is a great time to think deeply about your content; I recommend starting with a content audit. Comb through your online presence and make a list of anything that has slipped between the cracks.
Take note:
From your website to social media to yelp page, etc. - Is your brand consistent?
Is your website modern and up-to-date or does it need a refresh?
Have you made an online store for your merch?
When was the last time you sent out a newsletter?
When was the last time you posted a blog?
When was the last time you posted on social media?
Take stock of your online brand and think about any gaps in content or areas that need to be polished up. The great news is that many of these tasks require nothing more than a little time and elbow grease (if you’re reading this, my guess is, you have both).
As you go through all your online platforms, pay close attention to your images. The impact of professional on-brand images is huge. Your photos either support your branding or distract from it entirely.
Here are some considerations:
Are the images on-brand?
Are the mood, color palette, and style consistent?
Are the images unique and interesting?
Do the images tell a story?
If you have stock images on your website or are still using an iPhone 4 to take social media images, I highly recommend taking this opportunity to clean up your content; whether that means spending dedicated time archiving photos that aren’t on brand, snapping fresh content, or (even better) hiring a professional to develop a library of on-brand images that will make your social media and website come alive.
If you are interested in working with a professional photographer, contact me to learn more about my social-distancing-approved options!
SET DAILY GOALS
To be clear, this is not about productivity. This is about digging deep and recognizing that you have a say in how this goes. It’s about deciding where you want to focus your energy to get exactly what you want out of this time.
Some of you are fired up to rewrite your business plan, bake a hundred loaves of bread, and learn a new language. But for many of you, learning to slow down, take a nap in the middle of the day, and not be productive is the personal ‘win’ you really need.
The important part isn’t to ‘be productive’, it's to set achievable goals every day that will help keep you stay grounded and grow in the ways you need the most.
STAY CALM & TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Isolation, interruption to routine, and lack of daily structure can really affect your mental health. If you’ve suddenly found yourself without a job, it’s so important that you stay vigilant to defend against the physical and psychological toll that this can take on your health.
While I’ve given you a number of ways to grow yourself and your business during this time, I want to remind you to keep everything in perspective and remember that your number one goal right now is to stay healthy.
Get plenty of rest, eat healthy food, drink water, take your vitamins. Block out time for a virtual yoga class or a long walk in the sunshine, start a journal, reach out to family or friends often, and especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Allow yourself to feel whatever you’re feeling and know that you are doing everything right.
The best way to keep your immunity high is to keep calm and take care of yourself; body, mind, and spirit.
So there you have it, my 5 tips for growing during a pandemic. Clearly, this list is not exhaustive; in fact, one of the most incredible lessons in this is realizing that nothing is promised and everything is possible. My hope for you is that you’ll take this time to think deeply about your business and make the choice to take an active role in how this plays out.
Above all else, I hope that you’ll be patient and compassionate with yourself, lift up small business owners in your community, and stay open to any new opportunities that may arise during this strange time.
Over the next few months, I’ll be sharing helpful resources (like this one) for restaurant owners, small business owners, and foodies of all flavors! Upcoming topics include a free mood board and branding ebook you won’t want to miss. If you haven’t yet, sign up for my newsletter to get all of it sent straight to your inbox.