When the pandemic first began, many of us thought everything would blow over in a matter of weeks or months. Fast forward to a year later, COVID-19 is an issue still very much on our minds and the world has not returned to normal in any sense of the word. In this tumultuous time, many small businesses are struggling to maintain profits and keep their doors open. Today, we’d like to share a few tips for keeping your business afloat during this worldwide crisis.
Redesign Your Offerings
Even as states relax their stay-at-home restrictions and allow businesses to reopen, many consumers are still wary of visiting shops in-person. In order to adapt to this new world of social distancing, it’s vital for your business to take a look at your offerings and determine how they can be changed to suit this new virtual world. For example, Delicious Wines Crew, of Napa, California, specializes in wine appreciation and education. They recently started offering virtual wine tastings. By taking advantage of video conferencing tools like Zoom and Skype, they’re able to continue hosting wine tastings and keep this stream of revenue flowing. You’d be surprised how many of your offerings can be creatively adapted with the help of technology.
Stay Current on COVID-19 Updates
As a response to the pandemic, Celero has compiled an extensive list of resources to help your business stay informed and profitable. Take a look at our free and regularly updated COVID-19 Survival Kit for resources ranging from state reopening guidelines to webinars with helpful business advice. Our number one priority is to help small businesses survive this incredibly confusing time, and we hope that this information will be helpful to you.
Embrace E-Commerce
As more customers opt to shop online, it becomes increasingly important for your business to take advantage of e-commerce payment solutions. To sell your products and services online, you’ll need to set-up a payment gateway and optimize your website for online shopping. If you’re not familiar with the term “payment gateway,” it’s a software program that securely sends a customer’s payment information to your company’s credit card processor. While there are many options available, we recommend utilizing Authorize.Net, PayTrace, or NMI. Each platform offers unique benefits and the Celero team is here to help you decide which option is right for your business.
In addition to selecting the right gateway, you’ll need to integrate shopping cart technology into your website. This will make it easy for customers to make purchases and it will streamline their checkout experience. Additionally, it makes keeping track of inventory easier. Each time a customer makes a purchase, your shopping cart will keep a count of each item sold and communicate with your inventory tracking solution. Please contact us to learn more!
Contact Us
Are you interested in learning more about ways to keep your business going during the pandemic? Please reach out to us today and we’d be more than happy to assist! Everyone can use a helping hand right now.