While businesses in a number of areas of the US are “re-closing” as COVID numbers skyrocket, those in less-affected areas continue to reopen. If you happen to be in this latter category, you are likely trying to communicate a number of things to your customers. Some of these may include: The simple fact that you’re…
As a business owner, it’s hard to know how to respond during an economic downturn. And it’s a drastic understatement to say that the current economic situation we’re in is a bit, well, unprecedented in that regard. Should you hunker down, cut costs, and be defensive? Or is it better to be playing offense during…
There isn’t a business in the United States — and probably the world — that hasn’t been affected by COVID-19. Some businesses are still completely shut down. Or have had to figure out how to operate with a skeleton crew of workers. Others have had to quickly and drastically ramp up services to meet increased…
Lots of places around the country continue to open as restrictions loosen. But even if you are open right now, things aren’t exactly “back to normal.” Moreover, COVID numbers continue to rise in many places, and there’s a not-insignificant chance that we may be looking at more closures in the future. With all that in…
So far, Facebook has been making tweaks to their offerings for businesses to help during the pandemic. Updates to indicate how you’re operating. Promoting local gift cards. And now a fairly robust and somewhat personalized COVID-19 resources page that businesses can use. It’s not perfect, but you’ll find things like: How to Stay Connected to…
You’re stuck at home. You can’t reach any of your customers in-person. You’ve been wracking your brain for ways to virtually connect. Then it hits you. And it seems so obvious. You’ve got a computer and a webcam. You can start posting YouTube videos and sending them to people. Clients will appreciate the fact that…
Recently, we posted about how Yelp is adding features for businesses. They’re designed to keep customers informed about virtual services and any changes to hours and days of operation during coronavirus. Well, now Facebook has gotten in on the act as well. (Expect this to be a trend.) Right now, Facebook’s options seem to be…
You’ve probably heard about how small business loans were included in the government’s coronavirus rescue plan. But what exactly does that mean? How does it work? Honestly, we’re not completely sure either! But the Small Business Administration is handling them, and they now have a page up that lets you apply and leads you through…
Google recently announced that they are suspending Google Local Reviews for the duration of the coronavirus outbreak. In other words, if your customers write a glowing review of your business right now, it won’t post. What happens to reviews that are posted to Google over the suspension? They haven’t said. Yikes. What’s the solution? Stop…
Many companies are offering help as we slog our way through the coronavirus crisis. Yelp may not be donating the most money — though a $25 million relief fund for local businesses is nothing to sneeze at — but they’re planning changes that may be even more important for struggling companies offering long-distance and virtual…