Stay small and stay in business

I’ll say it bluntly: this coronavirus hell is not gonna kill us. But we will be hit. Hard. Everyone will.

And while there are groups of people with higher risk from the virus, small businesses are also in that category from the associated economic downturn. They should start planning and preventing.

Small businesses will struggle to face 10, 20 or even 30 days without income. And there’s no insurance for that.

So after talking to BID directors who deal with crises all the time, seasoned small business owners who have weathered all sorts of downturns and reading a lot about how small towns and small businesses have survived similar situations before, I’ve come up with a few pieces of advice that you can apply now to engage this public health emergency.

• First, the big ones: think about relying on local supply chains. You may be better equipped to keep selling if larger chains are disrupted but you can still drive a few miles and get stocked.
• Make a switch to online, soon. We all think online business kills the Mom&Pop but their ability to build up their brand will make M&Ps resilient and in times like these “online” can help.
• Get your social media accounts ready. Post pictures of the store, of your work, of your process of all things your brand that make your tribe relate. Keep them posted of what you’re doing to stay in business.
• Upgrade your website from a virtual vacant store or an expensive online brochure to your business’ living room where everyone meets and keeps your business running.
• Open chat channels on Telegram or Whatsapp to stay in touch with your customers, sell directly to them, answer their questions, add value to their time at home and have them keep you in their Top of Mind for when you will need them most.
• Write up your story. Remember what sparked your passion for your business and why you chose the town where it’s at. And tell your customers why you want to stay in business in the aftermath of the public health crisis. Tell everyone how you will keep adding value to your customers and to your community.
• With those thoughts, come up with a direct mailing strategy, start building your list and keep your tribe posted about developments, about new experiences you will offer when things go back to normal (?) and how you will contribute to keep your community up and running when the storm subsides.
• Send a daily curated playlist to transmit the vibe of your store, a daily reminder of your mission, a joke or offer conversation like one gets during a visit to your store. Keep your business open in your customers perception.

Most of all, remember that those businesses that were making it during this great retail shifting before the coronavirus attack are those which add tons of value to their tribe way beyond the products that they sell.

I hope we don’t come to that but we might have to stay home and small businesses will take a hit. You have worked hard and made your brand engaging.

Put all that passion into tightening the ties with your tribe and keeping them close.

These are humble pieces of advice that have the ultimate intention of opening up a conversation.

Now is the time to rely on as many small good ideas as possible. Surely you have a thousand more that I did not even think of.

Share them. If an idea works for you they may also help your neighbors and your friends and ultimately they can keep your community and the local economy running.

There’s no running away from this tsunami so let’s take it head on.