- Hey, it's Emma here from GoDaddy's "The Journey".
- And I'm Darlene from GoDaddy's How-To.
- And we know this is an uncertain time
for business owners worldwide,
but panic is not a strategy.
So here are six things you can do now
to prepare your small business
to weather the affects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- First, plan for change.
Evaluate how you might need to adjust
the way you do business
to fit the current model of shelter in place.
Outline a plan and prioritize action items
depending on your business.
Maybe you need to identify alternative suppliers,
prioritize customers
or temporarily suspend some of your operations.
Work up a cashflow forecast.
Partner with a financial professional if necessary.
Consider applying for an IRS tax extension,
or maybe look into rent and supplier deferment programs.
And if you are in danger of losing your business,
explore emergency funding options.
Also, consider how these changes
are going to affect your customers
and your employees.
- Yeah, and if you haven't already,
develop a customer first mindset.
And this is our second strategy.
Reach out to them, communicate your plan.
How is your business going to support your customers
during this time of uncertainty.
And this is not the time for the hard sell.
Empathize with their challenges
and offer your support, and together...
together, you can work through this crisis.
Same goes for your employees, right?
Offer remote work solutions
so you can continue to support the business.
Review paid time off and sick leave policies,
and maybe they can use some vacation time
or take a leave of absence.
- Our third strategy
is to make it easy for customers to contact you.
Have you tried to contact a bank lately?
Most banks have call-wait times of hours.
Do you think your customer has time to wait
for hours on hold in order to speak with you?
- Oh, that reminds me of when I call Comcast.
They have this really cool feature
where they keep your place in line
and then they will call you back when it's your turn.
So this way, I can get on with my day.
The company comes to me
when they are ready to address my concern,
and that is great customer service.
- See, the technology is there.
Be sure your contact info is up to date
with online business listings,
like your website, Google My Business, and Yelp.
And include links to your social profiles
and all of your communications,
so that customers know they can also connect with you
on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
and the other networks where you have a presence.
Maybe you can use chat apps like Facebook Messenger
or your Twitter chats,
letting customers know that you're available on messenger
during certain hours.
Or use a dedicated business phone number.
The key is letting your customers know
that you're not ignoring or hiding from them.
- Yeah, so...
Great points, Darlene.
And strategy number four is
to engage on social media.
You mentioned this briefly, but so important.
Many people are turning to social media for information
and a sense of connection to the world,
especially as they are practicing social distancing.
So update your social media profiles
with any changes to your hours
or what services you're providing.
For significant updates like reduced hours or closures,
be sure to pin that post to the top of your profile
so it's really easy to reference.
Or you could place it in your bio.
I've seen some businesses do that on Instagram.
But beyond just email messaging,
you can connect with your customers on social media
to give them real-time updates
on how you and your business are handling COVID-19.
And you can share helpful content, including--
Ooh, my favorite...
blog posts and videos.
And then you can build community
through asking and answering questions.
And then leveraging automation and scheduling tools
to keep your social presence up to date.
- That's right.
And number five.
You're gonna wanna craft smart emails
to communicate with your customers.
Even though every country
is handling the crisis differently,
one thing remains certain.
We're all in this together.
And anything you can do
to bolster that sense of solidarity
with your customers is appreciated.
So the emails that you send your customers
should address the crisis immediately.
In these messages, you have the opportunity
to talk about how it's impacting the world
and your company.
Discuss what you're doing differently
to meet this challenge.
And be upfront about what you plan to do
for your customers during this trying time.
And discuss how COVID-19 might impact your ability
to serve your customers, if that's relevant.
This is your chance your reassure customers
that you're handling the crisis internally
and that you ensure the safety of your products
for your customers.
- And finally,
strategy number six.
Take care of yourself.
Reach out to your community for support.
Fellow entrepreneurs and local business owners
may give you a sense of connectivity
and lower those stress levels.
So also try to limit your consumption of news
and social media about the pandemic.
Use that time to participate in physical exercise daily,
even within your home.
But you can do what I do, even in here.
You can stretch, do yoga or follow along with
an aerobic fitness routine from YouTube.
And be sure to eat a balanced healthy diet,
get enough sleep,
and dedicate time to relaxation when possible,
and participate in an activity that you really enjoy.
Maybe that's puzzling.
There is so much power in finding joy
during this difficult time,
so take time to talk with friends on the phone
or through video chat, like FaceTime.
And these are all things that you can do
to look after your own health.
But you should extend these concerns to your employees
and business partners as well.
- Thanks, Emma.
During this time,
we wanna support you with content like this.
And if you need help,
you can always call our customer service line
and speak with one of our GoDaddy guides.
Until next time, stay safe.
- And stay healthy.