Whether the stay-at-home order has lifted in your state or not, it is time to begin thinking about how you will go about reopening your business. Businesses that get a head start on relaunching will have a leg-up once everyone is ready to get back to normal.
Here are a few tips to help you relaunch your business after COVID-19.
1. Make Safety a Priority
At the forefront of everyone’s minds as they tentatively begin leaving their homes again is safety. While wearing masks is a good start, there are several things you can do to put safety first in your business.
- Make masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer branded with your company logo available for customers and employees to use.
- Deep clean customer and employee areas before opening and regularly afterward.
- Replace doorknobs and handles with hooks so people may open the doors with their forearms.
- Install protective barriers at checkout stations.
- Supply stylus pens at checkout counters and front desk areas so your customers can go touch-free and then take the pens home with them after. Branded stylus pens will help them remember you.
2. Make a New Budget
Your financial needs have likely changed during the pandemic, so take some time to make a new budget that reflects those changes. Give yourself a little breathing room as this time is unprecedented and nobody really knows what to expect. As you re-create your budget, consider:
- Applying for any special loans or aid programs offered by the government.
- Cutting costs anywhere you can.
3. Tell the World You’re Open
While this seems like a no-brainer, it is important to shout it from the rooftops that your doors are once again open. Ideas to help you announce your reopening include:
- Hanging large fabric banners and signs on the front of your building announcing your reopening.
- Turning to social media to post about your reopening.
- Sending out branded promotional items like refrigerator magnets that announce your reopening as well as your business hours.
4. Be a Good Neighbor
During this time, it is more important than ever to help your fellow man. Be a good neighbor and help support other local businesses that are also opening their doors for the first time after the pandemic. Everyone needs to stick together and help one another to succeed during this time.
- Use your Chamber of Commerce to identify and connect with other local business owners.
- Make a deal to display their business cards at your premises if they will do the same for you.
- Replace a national or international supplier with a local one.
- Ask your employees to return to work if they can follow COVID instructions.
5. Make Your Business Different
Your business as it was before COVID-19 will no longer be entirely valid when you reopen your doors. As scary as that sounds, it is actually the perfect time to differentiate yourself from the competition and create a new, thriving post-corona enterprise. Here are some ideas to make your business stand out:
- Offer drive-thru, delivery, and pickup options if you don’t already.
- Bundle products and/or services and offer discounts if possible.
- Have less expensive and/or quicker product or service options for people on tight budgets.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we do business, which means you’ll need to change the way you run yours once it’s time to open your doors again. From making safety a priority to differentiating yourself from the competition, following the tips outlined above will help you relaunch your business after the stay-at-home orders have been lifted.