Great written content in blogs, articles and other postings can let customers know businesses are still open or will be open as soon as the pandemic crisis ends and life returns somewhat back to normal.
By Shelley Widhalm
White sheets of paper adorn the windows of small businesses saying Closed Until … the date for obvious reasons is unknown.
Once COVID-19 is a history marker instead of present reality, business owners will face an even larger unknown. As a small business owner, have you thought about what your plans are for reopening, or if you own a restaurant or coffee shop limited to to-go orders, returning to full service?
You’ve likely invested time, money and staff into your business, and you already told those stories. Before coronavirus, or B.C., customers, clients and the public knew what to expect as you talked about branding, customer experience and your latest products and offerings.
In the last month, business may have slowed, you had to pivot to online offerings or you’re barely keeping up with cash flow, so you may have extra time for planning your comeback. You can remain engaged in your businesses and stay in touch with customers through storytelling, presented in a social distancing format of a blog, an article or a press release.
Business Stories to Tell
What are those new stories that you will want to tell? For one, you may have had to retool your offerings from interrupted supply chains, alter your hours and adjust your pricing during the crisis. Customers had to find out these changes day by day as state and national orders altered business operations, but when things return to … business as (somewhat) usual, your stories will let them know what to expect.
Be prepared with a content package to get customers and clients back in the door without the surprises that can dampen interactions. What changes will customers see when you reopen? New hours? New products? A change in services?
Customers may want to know about your employees, including those who left and who came on board.
And they’ll want to know how things will be different and the same. What new ideas did you come up with during quarantine time and want to share with them? How were you able to survive? What innovations helped you keep your staff on board and continue providing what small town America loves—small business success?
Post-Recovery Plans
For businesses seeking a post-recovery content program, Shell’s Ink Services can generate those great story ideas, gather the content and engage in storytelling all through the now-popular Zoom format or a phone call. You, the business owner, will be keeping connected with the most important element of your business: the customer eager to see you succeed.
The white Closed Until papers will be taken down, and the stories about “How I survived COVID-19” will be something to tell over and over again.