Social Distancing Solutions for Small Businesses

Social Distancing Solutions for Small Businesses

Social Distancing for Small Businesses

Social Distancing is affecting small businesses in a bad way, especially those that rely on customer traffic in a physical location. The hardest hit are those like restaurants, cafes and concerts where cancellations or lack of attendees can cause major issues for businesses that have small margins, but all small businesses are being affected as consumers focus shifts to the current atmosphere during the Corona Pandemic. It can be hard to get people’s attention right now with everything going on and it can be very difficult for small businesses to make ends meet with consumer traffic downshifting with the recommendations for social distancing. It can be difficult to figure out how to continue to reach your audience when recommendations for social distancing, flattening the curve and laying low are continuing to come out.



I did a quick recording this morning talking about how to combat this for small businesses. It’s important right now to come up with new ways to reach your audience. In this video I talked about a few of my recommendations to continue reaching your audience, including:
    • Zoom Webinars
    • Facebook Lives
    • Recorded Videos
    • Online Facebook Events
    • Skype or Zoom Coaching, Consulting, Sessions
I encourage everyone who runs a small business to take a little time today and think about who you teach or reach with your business. There are platforms that are easy to get setup and be active on and with a little time invested, you can create a different track for your business where you deliver your product or service virtually. Some of the platforms I recommend in this video are:
      • Udemy – Great for teaching adult learners, can leverage video courses
      • Outschool – Great for teaching young/child learners, does require a background check.
      • Thinkific/Teachable – Great for setting up an online course, mini course, digital downloads. Handles all payment processing and can be branded like a mini website.
Do you sell a physical product? If so is there a way to make part of it virtual? Every day searches are made for those looking to become an entrepreneur. I’ve included quick recommendations below for the Top 20 Entrepreneur Search Categories:
          • Clothing Line: Can you offer personal styling advice online, capsule wardrobes, Closet teardown – show people how to mix and match what they already have.
          • Restaurants: can you offer online cooking classes, Make our meal at home, Gift certificate with delivery order offers?
          • Food Trucks: This is one the top searches. Can you create a mini course on how to start a food truck business, How to layout your food truck, Ways to market your food truck. Create a simple course that will help others and sell it to help yourself.
          • Record Label: If you’re in the music business can you offer bonus buys, virtual recording prep, if people can’t come to the studio what can the prep to get ready. Can you make a mini course on recording your first album?
          • Daycare: Can you create a download of the best schedule for preschoolers, Offer short learning videos for preschoolers, or activities to keep them engaged at home.
          • Coffee Shop: Disclosure I’m a coffee fanatic. I would be all over a short mini course on how to brew the perfect Latte at home.
          • Farm: Mini course or ebook on urban gardening tactics, Grow your own garden bundle, How to start seeds tutorials.
          • Catering Business: Meal plan downloads usually sell well, Recipe ebooks, Freezer meals plans and shopping lists
          • Landscaping Business: DIY Landscaping plans, Mini course on landscape a bed, or xeriscape your yard.
          • Trucking Company: Mini course on how to start your own trucking company.
          • Bakery: Signature Recipe ebook, How to Tutorials or mini course, how to decorate a cake, online cookie decorating classes for kids
          • Brewery: Getting started with Home Brewing Mini course, E-book on Brewing at Home
          • Construction Company: DIY video on how to build projects, Skill building Video course
          • Bar: Mix your own drinks course, Ebook of Cocktail Recipes
          • Property Management Company: Style your apartment like the Pros Course, Everything you need to know about the lease agreement…before you sign ebook or course.
          • T-Shirt company: Getting started with T-shirt Business Mini Course, T-shirt designs – create designs and sell the rights to use them
          • Group Home: Activities to do with the Elderly, Activities for Seniors with Dementia
          • Real Estate Agency: Strategies for Selling High E-course, Ebooks for those Listing, Styling Your Home for Maximum Sales course
          • Dog Walking Business: Recipe book for home made dog treats
          • Gym: Personal training via Zoom, Workout videos on demand
          • Author:  Can you sell your book online, or convert it to a Kindle book. Hold an online book tour via Facebook events,
  • Links to Tools to get you started
Free Social Media Savvy Webinar

Free Social Media Savvy Webinar

Vintage-MicI’m working hard and fast on finishing up a project that has been floating around in the back of my mind for a long, long, L O N G time! Social media is a beast that most entrepreneurs realize they need to tackle, but often feel obligated and overwhelmed by. 

I hate that! 
For many of us, we had an idea that inspired us, charged up our creativity and fueled our passion. Social Media is a fabulous marketing tool, but isn’t the reason that most of us became entrepreneurs. Arming yourself with tools, strategies, techniques, tips, etc is important. Know when to use what tool is ESSENTIAL!

For a long time I have wanted to build a master class on social media…and it’s coming (keep your eyes out in late February for a BIG announcement!), but in the meantime I’m starting a little smaller and presenting a great webinar for FREE on this crazy important topic.Now you might be asking yourself what is different about this course…I get that! There are a lot of webinars, free guides, workbooks, and videos out there to teach you all about social media. This webinar is going to tackle social media with the goal of helping you identify where you should spend your time.  No one can do it all, so we’re going to idenfity where our target audience is already spending their time, prioritze your goals and interests and then align the two to develop the social media strategy that is right for you!
I am super excited about the webinar and the presentation is looking amazing! I can’t wait to share it with you and hope you are hopping to get over and get registered!
MentoringU Skills Lab offers E-Learning for Entrepreneurs

MentoringU Skills Lab offers E-Learning for Entrepreneurs

I am so excited to debut the MentoringU Skills Lab!

I’m sitting here in front of the Christmas tree reflecting on all that 2015 has brought me. It’s been a fast and furious year as Mentoring Mompreneurs and MentoringU grew and then merged into the launching pad for my E-Learning for Entrepreneurs efforts. Starting a business and watching it grow over the first few years is a little like figuring out your major in college. You have an idea when you got there and by the time you graduate you’ve changed it 9 times, but along the way you found yourself, developed your ideas and came out experienced and educated. I knew when I started on this path that I wanted to support entrepreneurs in launching their dreams and generating an income that helped them affort a lifestyle of their choice. I’ve supported that with small business services like web design, social media guidance and mentoring sessions, but the common thread always seemed to be a foucs on education. And like a college junior at the moment of officially deciding what path to take, I’ve spent the last quarter of 2015 redefining what MentoringU has to offer.

 I’ve never been a patient person, and I just couldn’t wait two more weeks to share an exciting new addition to MentoringU! I had planned to kick off 2016 with the announcement, but I just can’t wait!!!
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