Planning to Reopen a Small Business: What You Need to Know

 

Although the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, restrictions on businesses are beginning to loosen in many places. If things are calming down in your state, you need to be ready with both a reopening and marketing plan that will maximize your success.

Here are some tips from Nationwide Automation to help you out.

Healthy and Safety Need to Be Top Priorities

What you want most right now is to get back to business as usual. Unfortunately, that may not be the safest or smartest move for small business owners. The health and safety of your staff, your customers, and, most importantly, yourself, should all take precedent over profits. This is why so many small businesses are choosing to work remotely as they reopen.

You may hear the term “remote work” and immediately think of being disconnected from your employees and customers. But this simply doesn’t have to be the case! You can enhance your situation if you put a little more effort into communicating and promoting your company’s mission. That extra work is so worth it if it helps to keep everyone safe and healthy.

If you can’t operate your business remotely, there are still ways to mitigate risks. You likely already know them, but in case you need a refresher, here are the latest pandemic recommendations from the CDC for preventing the spread of COVID in small businesses. To make things even easier, the CDC is also providing free print materials to promote guidelines.

Look for Simple and Effortless Ways to Cut Costs

While you have some downtime, you may also want to think about steps you can take to save your business money in the long run. This includes establishing an LLC. An LLC will shield you from personal liabilities if your business ever faces legal or financial trouble. Plus, operating under an LLC can open up some serious tax savings.

Best of all, you can form an LLC Illinois online to avoid the costs of consulting with an attorney. You just need to review LLC requirements in your state. In the wake of the pandemic, several other online resources have been made available to help small businesses recover. Some are free while others are deeply discounted. Either way, you can save money on reopening costs.

Want another cost-cutting tip? You could also consider outsourcing some of your work. This is an incredibly useful strategy if you are thinking about taking on additional staff, but it can also make up for any employees you had to let go during the crisis.

Digital Marketing Will Be More Important Than Ever

Finally, let’s get into those marketing strategies we promised you. After you’ve taken the time to transition to remote work and reduce expenses, you should have the energy and money to devote to marketing the reopening of your business. One of the most crucial steps you can take when creating your recovery plan is to develop a strong digital portfolio.

Your digital portfolio includes any and all online channels used to stay connected with customers. Start by ensuring the content on your social media profiles is seamless and current, then focus on boosting the quality of content on your website.

Don’t have a website yet? You definitely need one! If you have zero budget for a website, there are several DIY tools you can use. After all, having something is much better than nothing when it comes to your digital footprint. GoDaddy, Wix and WordPress are all great options.

If you can swing it, work with digital marketing consultants like the professionals at Nationwide Automation to help with your website, as well as all other aspects of your portfolio. Most firms can work with your budget to create a one-of-a-kind website that is guaranteed to turbocharge your reopening plans.

Reopening your business can be nerve wracking. But with the right planning and know-how, you can open your doors with less stress and more chances of success. You can start with the tips and resources above but it may also be worthwhile to invest in marketing help. If you choose the latter, be sure to keep Nationwide Automation in mind!