How to Keep Your Small Business Going Strong During the COVID-19 Lockdown

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While your brick-and-mortar location may be closed due to a local shelter-in-place order, there are some things you can do to keep your nonessential small business going throughout the pandemic — even when your team is working remotely. Plus, many stay-at-home restrictions are loosening throughout the U.S., so you’ll need to create a safety plan for your small business if you wish to reopen to the public. To learn how to keep your small business going throughout the lockdown, and for some tips on reopening your doors to the public, read on! 

Keep in Touch with Your Team

When you and your team are used to working together in an office, retail store, or restaurant, adjusting to a remote work environment can leave some employees feeling disconnected, anxious, and unmotivated. Below, you’ll find some tips and resources for keeping your team happy and productive while working from home during the pandemic.

  • Learn how to productively manage your team from afar. Communicate with your team via instant messaging and remain as transparent with them as possible. 
  • Master the art of collaboration in the remote work age. Go out of your way to communicate and check in with your team, but don’t monitor or micromanage your team’s every move. 
  • Bond with your team through virtual activities and happy hours. On occasion, you could even schedule virtual lunch meetings with your remote workers. 

Get Creative About Selling Your Products and Services

Though your brick-and-mortar location may be closed for the time being, you can continue to sell your products and services if you adapt your business strategy and think outside the box. The following tips and resources will help you to get started. 

  • Build a custom website for your small business. If you plan on selling products through your new website, check out Rhino Marketing Group’s checklist for e-commerce sites
  • Kick your marketing up a notch by using social media to sell your products and services. Use your social networks to market your offerings, engage with your customers, and keep your followers updated throughout the COVID-19 lockdown.
  • Visit Let’s Talk About Money for some tried-and-true advice on selling your products and services online. If you don’t already use an e-commerce platform, this website can also help you choose the best option for your nonessential small business. 

Plan a Safe and Successful Reopening

With stay-at-home restrictions loosening throughout the U.S., many nonessential small businesses are beginning to reopen their doors to the public. Before you can reopen your small business, however, you’ll need to create a detailed plan that keeps your business financially secure and your employees and customers as safe as possible.

  • Determine whether you can afford to reopen your small business to the public. If you need financial assistance, ZenBusiness has an excellent resource center for COVID 19 on its website. 
  • Review the Small Business Reopening Guide from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This guide offers guidance on reopening your small business while complying with federal, state, and local requirements.
  • Create a safety plan that follows the CDC’s cleaning and disinfecting guidelines. This plan is suitable for workplaces, businesses, homes, schools, and other public spaces. 

Whether your team will continue to work remotely for the next few months, or you’ll be reopening your physical location as soon as you’re legally allowed to do so, these resources will help to guide you through the process. It’ll take some time to adjust, but these tips will help your small business to adapt to its new normal.