How A Cheeseburger And Virtual Workout Can Revive Your Small Business
E.J. Powers
Like many business owners, when the COVID-19 stay at home orders and closing of nonessential businesses went into place, my business partner and I had to determine how to handle this changing paradigm. Fortunately, PR and communications are a 24/7 business, and our years of crisis communications work kicked in and prepared us to react quickly to changing situations.
Despite some routine changes (which in my case, now included managing a new 5-month-old junior associate), high-speed internet and cell service enabled a relatively easy transition to working from home.
We immediately began working with our clients in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, construction, finance, state government, education, nonprofit and beverage alcohol to communicate with their internal and external stakeholders. As you’ll read over the next few weeks, clients had varying degrees of readiness and resources and adapted in their own unique ways.
But we observed that other smaller businesses that survive on daily in-person transactions and interactions weren’t so fortunate. That got my friends and peers at the Greater Manchester Chamber, York IE and York Creative Collective/GYK Antler thinking – how can we help main street businesses which are such an integral part of our community get through this challenging time and prepare for a new business environment with COVID-19 as a constant threat?
We created a Main Street Small Business Reopening Template to help those without the resources of outside strategic counsel think through how to survive, revive and in some cases reinvent their businesses. We also spotlighted businesses that successfully pivoted operations. This included places I frequent like Crown Tavern and Fortitude Health and Fitness (appropriate after indulging in the Crown Burger) and many others.
Take a look at these questions to see if they apply to your business. Share examples of businesses that have engaged customers in new ways. Reach out to any one of us with your thoughts.
As we say in the template, we’re all in this together.
