​As I write this, we are a week away from Christmas. And while it may feel like the holiday season has already been decided with everyone from the post office to mail-order businesses saying there's no way they can meet Christmas deadlines, now is the time that local small businesses can shine.
 
You have an advantage at this point over online stores because customers can come in and get a last-minute gift, service, or gift certificate. But you can’t just fling open your doors and let the world in. There are a couple of things you need to be doing to ensure that they feel safe. Still, It's not too late to implement these COVID precautions in your business. 

​This has certainly been a weird year. As we begin to adjust to our new reality, there are some things you could be doing in your business that may help you out in the post-COVID time. We can’t say it will ever be a return to normal. We’ve lost our innocence in some ways. Preparing for the worst in the past would never have (completely) readied us for this. But hopefully we’ve learned a thing or two to help us with future business.

​The next couple of months will be telling ones. We’re not saying a lockdown is inevitable, but a lot of communities have spent the past week or so escalating their precautionary levels and this article will give you some advice for overcoming slower business times with a potential shelter in place order.

Every few weeks or so the dining regulations are changing as we’re reopening in a phased approach. But “open” isn’t as easy as flipping a switch. There are some things you should keep in mind that will help your customers feel welcome and safe. These things go beyond what a local or county ordinance requires of you. But they’ll go a long way in helping your customers choose you over the competition.

​Our lives and our businesses have changed a lot during the time of COVID. We have changed how we reach customers and likely how they buy from us. Some of us have had to shut down.
 
During this time, your website should be one of your strongest sales tools. Just as your business has changed, your content should have evolved as well. 

​Six months into the COVID and we’re all still trying to figure out what’s going on. Should masks be required? Will kids be going back to school? Do we need goggles?
 
But what we do know is that a lot of customers are still concerned about their health and the health of those around them. Because of that, there are several things you should be doing (and marketing) in your business.

​Most employees think of reviews as the sand in their bathing suit. Sure, it comes with a benefit (a day at the beach or, in this case, a great job) but it can be incredibly annoying. Add in a global pandemic and you may be thinking it’s best to just skip them this year.
 
You couldn’t be more wrong.
 
Skipping a mid-year review only adds to your employees’ potential feeling of disconnection. Now, more than ever, you need to ensure your employees feel a strong allegiance to your company and are well-positioned for continued success. Mid-year reviews help you accomplish both of these things and more.  

​If ever there was a reason to increase and alter your social media and blog posting, it’s COVID. At first, with so much of the workforce at home, there was a lot of traffic online. You may have been happy with the number of reactions and shares you were getting.
 
But let's face it, people were bored or they were stressed. Either way, they were looking for an outlet and entertainment. Some wanted to use this time as a way to advance themselves professionally and they launched into all sorts of personal development. But months in, you're likely seeing a drop off in participation, shares, and interactions.
 
 Why?
 
In most cases, it's fatigue. People are tired of the same old chatter.
 
So how do you get their attention again?
 
You do so by altering your patterns of communication and working on what you share. Here are several ideas that can help jump-start your business posts whether it be on your blog or on social media.

​People handle challenges in different ways and this pandemic is no exception. While your business may target a particular demographic, it's likely this demographic has split since COVID-19. You now have people who while they may fall into the same age group, income bracket, gender, geographical region or other similar characteristics, their reaction to the coronavirus may differ greatly. As things begin to open up, it's essential that you understand the personalities you're dealing with and how best to market to them.

Have you been hesitant to pay Facebook for your content to appear in your audience’s streams? Maybe you still remember the days when you could get good reach through just normal, consistent posting.
 
Those days are long gone.
 
If you want your audience to see you--and you really need that especially now--then you're going to have to “pay to play.”
 
But just handing over the money to Facebook won't bring you the traffic and sales you want. You need to learn how to write effective social media ads. And during the pandemic, the most effective content has changed a little. Here's what you need to know in order to create ads that drive sales while most businesses are shut down.