3 Tips to Keep Your Small Business Going Throughout COVID-19
Even as coronavirus restrictions have lifted throughout the U.S., it may take some time before you’re able to fully reopen your brick-and-mortar business to the public — especially if your small business struggled to stay afloat during stay-at-home lockdowns and/or you need to make some changes to your physical location. If many of your employees are at a higher risk of contracting COVID-19, you may simply not feel comfortable reopening your physical location at this time. However, there are three things you can do to keep your small business going in the meantime — and we’ll discuss them in the sections below!
1. Look for Private and Government Funding
If you’re short on cash and haven’t yet explored your funding options, the first thing you’ll want to do is apply for financial assistance. You could receive private funding for your small business, and you can explore other non-government funding options. Additionally, government funding options are available to assist your small business during COVID-19 — including the Small Business Administration (SBA) Bridge Loan, Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL), Main Street Business Lending Program, and traditional SBA loans.
2. Upgrade Your Business Tech
In addition to applying for funding, you could give your small business the boost it needs to stay afloat throughout the pandemic by upgrading your technology. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a few coronavirus-inspired trends will remain just as popular in a post-pandemic world — and you’ll need to upgrade your business technology in order to keep up with the competition and meet changing consumer needs. Several of these business trends include:
Restaurant, grocery, and retail delivery services.
Contactless delivery and pickup options.
Digital, cashless payments.
Online shopping and ordering.
Remote workspaces and virtual events.
Video conferencing tools.
With this information in mind, COVID-19 could be the perfect time to upgrade your business technology and invest in cybersecurity services, IT, productivity software, app development, and changes to your website. Unless you have IT professionals and web developers on your team, however, you’ll likely need to outsource these business tasks. If you’re looking to hire a freelancer, you could use websites like Upwork, PowerToFly, and Fiverr to find the right tech professional for the job.
3. Make Changes to Your Physical Location
Before reopening your physical location to the public, the CDC recommends using its online Workplace Decision Tool — as this will help you to determine whether you need to modify your brick-and-mortar business to promote social distancing in the workplace. To encourage social distancing between employees, customers, vendors, and other guests, for instance, you may choose to install a drive-through window, change the layout of your workspaces, and create physical barriers that help to protect your workers from respiratory droplets, coughs, and sneezes. Other physical changes and precautions may include the following:
Keeping tissues, hand sanitizer, soap, and no-touch trash cans readily available throughout the workplace.
Purchasing high-efficiency air filters to reduce indoor pollutants and allergens.
Closing communal spaces like break rooms and conference rooms.
Cleaning and disinfecting your physical location on a regular basis.
Designating one room or space for visitors and deliveries.
Installing automatic doors to reduce touching on shared surfaces.
While some of these changes can be completed on your own, you’ll likely need to hire a contractor to assist you in installing plastic barriers, automated doors, and drive-through windows. However, some portable sneeze guards can be installed on your own.
To stay afloat in the era of COVID-19, you'll need to upgrade your business technology and create a physical work environment that promotes social distancing and keeps your customers and employees as safe and healthy as possible. While these changes can be costly, government and non-government funding options can help you to pay for these upgrades and adapt your small business so that it not only survives the coronavirus crisis, but thrives in a post-pandemic world.
by Katie Conroy (Guest Contributor)
Katie Conroy is the creator of AdviceMine.com. She particularly enjoys writing about lifestyle topics and created the website to share advice she has learned through experience, education, and research.