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