By Samantha Higgins
If you are looking to improve your small business during the lpandemic, then you should check out this great list. Here are five ways you can accomplish this. Whether you choose to use one or more of these following ideas, your small business will indeed benefit.
-Update your information technology (IT)
If you have not thought about making improvements to your IT, then you should give this some more thought. You have all kinds of updates you can consider. You could even schedule an update to your entire IT framework.
Even if you have an IT department on your staff, you can benefit from outsourcing to a local company that can help speed up your IT. For example, if you live in Oklahoma, consider finding a small business IT service in Oklahoma City, OK to outsource to. You can schedule these services for one-off needs and for ongoing oversight arrangements.
-Continue advertising and marketing efforts
Just because you are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic does not mean you should cease advertising and marketing efforts. In fact, you should be working on this more than ever. You must present to the public how your business is still relevant amidst the global health crisis. And if you slow down or stop your advertising and marketing efforts, then you will not be able to highlight your relevancy.
You do not even have to spend money to excel with advertising and marketing. Don’t forget social media has all kinds of free features your small business can use. And if you are not getting the results you want with your social media, you need to be certain to use graphics, photos, and videos more. Remember all of your social media posts need to include a call to action, too. You also need to make sure your social media is integrated with your website.
-Invest in energy-efficient products
For those of you who have not yet committed to using energy-efficient products, you really should look into this more. Not only can you save money for your small business right away, but you also can save money come tax time. Many energy-efficient products you purchase can be deducted on your company’s taxes.
You do not have to spend an arm and a leg, either. Some items, like thermostats, can be very affordable for your business. When you buy energy-efficient products, you also get to enjoy innovative technologies like remote timers and wireless access. And not only can these items help your company’s finances, but they also can help keep your small business safe.
-Work on your curb appeal
Now might be the perfect time to work on your curb appeal. With lower than usual foot traffic, you might be better suited to take on this kind of work. You can book experts to come out and take care of your needs, of course. But you also can take on some of these projects, yourself. You have so many ideas you can consider, too.
Ideas for you to think about are de-weeding your garden beds, mixing mulch or pine straw into garden beds, and planting new bushes, shrubs, and trees. You can repaint your parking lot stripes. You can update your signage, too. And don’t forget to look for any visible cracks and uneven surfaces. Not only can those imperfections be eyesores, but you also could have some safety issues on your hands.
-Consider making changes to your workspace
Maybe the inside of your building needs some TLC. You might take this time to update the decor of your workspaces. You also might use this time to change up the layout of your workspaces to make them more efficient.
You can add new paint colors to the walls. You also could change out your flooring. Don’t forget you will likely have new social distancing measures to enforce with your team. So you may want to move around desks and try to create a more open feel, too.
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Samantha Higgins is a professional writer with a passion for research, observation, and innovation. She is nurturing a growing family of twin boys in Portland, Oregon, with her husband. She loves kayaking and reading creative non-fiction.
