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COVID-19 guidelines are continually evolving. It’s important for everyone in the food service business and members of the public planning to dine out, to check with the  Center for Disease Control (CDC) website on a regular basis, as well as that of the World Health Organization (WHO). But we’ve put together a list of the basic protocols for best practices for restaurants offering dine-in services for the duration of the time we must join together to prevent the spread of this virus.

Dining out will look different for the foreseeable future, maybe forever. Some trends, may remain when the COVID-19 risk ends, others may return due to popular demand. But as always, restaurants who show concern for customers, whose management and staff taps their creativity to make dining at their establishment a pleasurable and unique experience, will fill tables now and in the future.

Maintaining a Healthy Dining Services Staff

Restaurant owners, managers, and all workers, must be monitored for signs of disease, following CDC guidelines. Simple, effective personal habits that help prevent infection, like hand washing and refraining from touching one’s face, should be posted in a prominent place.

Masks for Staff Members and Customers

Every staff members must wear a mask at all times. The masks must cover both nose and mouth. Restaurant patrons should also be required to wear masks, before and after dining, and when they are away from their table.  Here are some facts about masks from the Mayo Clinic.

Sanitize Every Surface

This has always been a priority for any food service enterprise. But sanitizing commonly overlooked surfaces continually, is absolutely critical these days. Door handles, of course, must wiped as often as possible, as well as all surfaces inside restrooms.  But even walls, and any surface that may be touched by multiple customers, must be considered a potential area of virus transmission.

Signage to Educate Customers

Restaurants should post customer guidelines and print media detailing the preventative procedures they are following to protect everyone. Customers will choose dine-in restaurants based on how safe they feel while on the premises.

Socially Distanced Seating

Tables should be removed, plexiglass installed, to create six feet of space or a solid barrier between tables. This will fulfill basic CDC guidelines, and reassure diners.

If a restaurant’s tables are filled and the waiting area isn’t spacious enough for social distancing, customers should be advised to wait in their cars, to be notified by phone when a table becomes available. If this situation occurs with frequency, the enterprise could offer seating exclusively by reservation.

Paper or Digital Menus

Printed menu, passed by servers from one table to the next, may be a thing of the past. Though lamination allows the traditional type to be sanitized, that step added another task to an already busy restaurant worker’s day. It’s an essential step that could be easily overlooked.

Providing paper menus lower risk of disease transmission and makes it possible to easily alter menu offerings and prices.

The same goes for a QR based system which provides completely “no touch by others” menus to those with smartphones, without the need to download an app. This post offers tips for creating a contest to encourage customer engagement when introducing QR menus. Paper or traditional menus could be provided to patrons without smartphones.

Eliminate Self-serve Options

Salad bars and drink refill stations are potential sites for contamination. Some customers may actually appreciate completely personalized service.

Clear Tables – Completely – Between Customers

In some restaurants, customers are used to seeing things like salt and pepper shakers, sugar dispensers or packets, silverware and napkins, already provided for them. While this has been considered a sign of hospitality, it’s not a wise practice, even during normal times; definitely not during a pandemic.

Every object is a potential infection source, COVID-19 an especially serious virus; therefore, everything should be removed from a restaurant’s tables, between diners.

As mentioned above, the points presented create a basic roadmap, to help restaurants stay in compliance with regulations, and aid patrons in locating the safest places to dine during while COVID-19 remains a risk. But it’s essential to stay up to date with CDC and WHO guidelines, as well as those of state and local health departments. 

At Insure Your Company.com, we do sell insurance. But we also help businesses create success stories by providing information. Questions? Contact us.

One of the worst moments for any employer occurs when an employee is injured on the job. Unfortunately, if you hire enough employees the likelihood of an injury or illness occurring increases dramatically. It can be a stressful thing for an employer to consider but every business should be prepared for an on-the job injury or illness. We are here to break down what to do when an employee gets injured.

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Benjamin Franklin

Like most things in the American business world, safety is regulated by several different authorities, organizations, and laws. You should follow the regulations applicable to your industry, such as the OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards. Visit their website to see how the administration works and for local offices. 

In addition to setting safety standards, one of the most important ways to prepare for an on the-job injury is having a Workers’ Compensation insurance plan in place.

Workers’ compensation is insurance that directly deals with workplace injuries and illnesses. It is regulated by state law and most companies are required to have an active policy. You will want to check your state’s department of labor and the department of insurance for the laws and statutes that may apply to your business. Other laws to be aware of are the Family Medical Leave Act, also known as FMLA and Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, also known as ADAAA.

After understanding what is required of you by law as an employer, it’s time to prepare yourself and your employees for the unfortunate day when a coworker is injured on the job.

Start today and come up with a risk prevention plan to minimize workplace accidents. Implement education and training so you and your employees know what to do when the time comes. When your team works together and knows what to do the chance for serious injury or death is greatly minimized.

Here are some steps to take in your workplace injury prevention preparation:

  • Safety and Wellness Plans- the first step to preparing is having an effective accident prevention program in place.
  • Risk and Response training- create response instructions for different types of incidents and train your employees for them.
  • Emergency response training- train and maintain first response medical care and supplies
  • First Aid Supplies stocked and accessible- keep a fully stocked first aid kit and keep it where everyone can see it and knows where it is.
  • List of emergency contacts
  • Enlist a safety officer for dangerous jobs.
  • CPR Training
  • Screen potential employees- making sure that their position placement is equal to their qualifications and physical performance.
  • Provide protection equipment when necessary.
  • Create and implement incident reports in advance so when an incident happens it is even easier for you and your employees to communicate with caregivers and claims adjusters.

With these steps in place, accidents should be rare and, when they do occur, you and your team will be ready to respond immediately. 

How should you respond to a workplace injury?

  • Once something happens, clear the area and help any injured people. Help by calling 911 or helping them to the hospital. First aid kits and supplies can be used for minor injuries. 
  • The area where the incident happened should remain secure from anyone else entering. This is for everyone’s safety and allows the scene to be investigated later. 
  • Record the details of the accident and get witness testimony while it’s fresh in their minds; this will help later filing the paperwork and making any reports.
  • Check with OSHA and other applicable safety organizations.  You may need to report the injury to them as well.
  • File a workers’ compensation claim and complete the proper paperwork. After the employee is out of danger and receiving treatment, it’s time to contact the insurance carrier and file a claim. Submit any paperwork, pictures, testimony, anything you have relating to the incident to the insurance carrier.

Your worker’s compensation policy provides several coverages in case of an accident. It provides medical payments for the injured employee and can protect the employer from lawsuits. If an injured employee goes to a hospital, they should tell the doctors and nurses that this was a work-related injury. Care providers have certain procedures in place when they know that it is a workplace injury and workers’ compensation coverage will be involved. Maintain open communication with employees, claims adjusters, and insurance agents to allow for funds and treatment ease. In some cases, with a serious injury, the employer must notify OSHA. 

Consider a return-to-work program to help aid a returning employee from injury or illness. It can be difficult to return from a prolonged absence. Having a plan in place to ease employees back into their job duties will keep them off long-term disability and will make it easier for the employer.

It is never easy dealing with workplace accidents and employees’ accidents are going to happen. With a plan, the proper insurance, and clear communication, you can prevail through the difficult time of dealing with a workplace injury. 

Every weekday during quarantine, InsureYourCompany.com has provided a half hour long guided workout with trainer Melanie Levenson of Ignite Training LLC. Our employees are encouraged to take this class which is done virtually through a zoom conference. Here are a few words from Melanie Levenson of Ignite Training LLC:

Active aging adults make up a large part of our population today in 2020. There is a growing want/need for a fitness niche for these individuals. They come from all different fitness backgrounds ranging from little to no experience, to moderate activity levels. Some have pre-existing health concerns which makes it even more important to become actively healthy. Some just realize the importance of longevity. I designed this group fitness video series to target this much needed niche. With a folding chair, light weights, towel and countertop, I have made it simple to work out from home. No gym membership is necessary and there is no intimidating environment. Over the course of this series, I target total body movements meant to strengthen important areas of the body such as hips, glutes, shoulders, core, and back. As we progress, the movements become more advanced. All classes are a manageable 30 minutes and convenient for scheduling.

Here is a little sample of what our employees think of the training:

Really enjoy my workout with Mel… It changes my whole day for the better! I feel more relaxed and my back does not hurt. Always looking for something that can make a positive impact on my day and Mel’s class makes that happen. In our situation, I am appreciative that her class is in place.

-Babette Mallow

Melanie has been my trainer now for over a year, so while I was used to working out with her in person, I don’t feel like the quality of the workout has been compromised at all by now working out via Zoom call. Being able to log in any morning I want and workout with her has made keeping my routine during quarantine a lot easier and I still feel motivated. She keeps it diverse but easy to follow along with so it’s never boring.

-Emily Sperry

Mel’s classes are great!  She always explains what each exercise is targeting and what not to do. Each week we progressed further and built up to where we were doing some of the same moves in her higher intensity class at a slower pace. This was great as I didn’t feel as intimidated to do her regular class. These morning workouts kept me going and helped me through this tough time. I see a difference mentally and physically.

-Maryanne Pacifico

I love Mel’s class. It really challenges me and gives me a feeling of accomplishment after the class. Initially, I used to be tired but now I feel energized. She is an excellent coach. I would love to workout with her in future as well.

-Gauri Gupta

As the business community reopens, and the “new normal” begins, new issues and dilemmas will surface.  Civil, administrative and criminal liability claims will likely increase as people analyze health and safety rulings, seek compensation for losses.

There is no precedent, no established jurisprudence, no rules by which to clearly determine liability regarding the circumstances of many cases that will arise.  Federal legislation is in the works to protect some types of businesses from certain COVID-19 related claims, but at this time it remains to be seen which proposals will pass. Following are some thoughts on what to expect, based on the status of the situation at present.

General Types of Liability Charges

COVID-19 Virus Exposure Related Claims

Employment Based

When businesses reopen, the incidence of employees citing workplace conditions as causes of COVID-19 cases will no doubt increase. Administrative issues may be targeted, such as lack of sufficient Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as masks and gloves. Other workplace conditions may be cited also. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires that employers provide employment and a place of employment free from hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Of course, some questions regarding workplace conditions that may or may not increase contribute to the spread of COVID-19 are subject to debate and legal rulings which will then set precedents. Here’s what OSHA has to say about COVID-19.

State laws may apply to this category of claim, if the charge is directly related to conditions of employment. Workers compensation may cover the claim. Some workers comp policies, however, exclude coverage for common illness- “ordinary diseases of life” like flu. Legal rulings would be required to determine whether COVID-19 is considered an “ordinary disease” or a direct hazard of the job.

Some states are considering legislation to formally expand workers’ compensation coverage for COVID-19 for certain occupations like healthcare workers and emergency responders.

Customer Based

In some cases, customers may claim they contracted COVID-19 from an employee. The burden, however, would be for the claimant to prove causation, when the virus could have been contracted at many other locations. Genetic tracing is a promising technology for tracking exposure and establishing the source of the disease, but is likely too costly at present, for most cases.

Cases Involving Third Party Charges

Complex cases may arise involving a mix of organizations/groups. Many of these may not receive hearings, as the burden of proof is too great.

Criminal Liability Claims Related to COVID-19

The Department of Justice recently issued guidance stating that COVID-19 meets the statutory definition of a “biological agent” and cases of purposeful exposure and infection of others with COVID-19 could be prosecuted under federal terrorism statutes.

A Sussex County, New Jersey nursing home was in the news after 17 bodies were found piled up inside a makeshift morgue inside the facility. Some called for criminal investigation and prosecution, but the movement was stifled as others quickly attempted to put in place civil and criminal immunity for health care facilities and providers caring for COVID-19 patients.

Proposed Bills to Create Immunity

The “Facilitating Innovation to Fight Coronavirus Act” proposed to Congress is designed to preempt federal and state law to protect healthcare providers who modify medical devices for unapproved use, out of scope practice, testing, treatment.

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky) with the support of the United States Chamber of Commerce hopes to pass legislation providing immunity from “opportunistic lawsuits” to even non-healthcare employers.

Following local guidelines for reopening your category of business and staying up to date on court rulings and legislation are essential for preventing lawsuits as the pandemic progresses. At Insure Your Company.com, we do more than sell insurance. We help you succeed in business. Contact us for assistance in figuring out the best plan for your enterprise in these challenging times.

Business plans are essential for many reasons. Not only is it important for you to know where you want to go with your business, but a solid business plan is also a necessary step for securing investment in your company. A good business plan looks at short-term and long-term goals and outlines a blueprint for the success of the company. If you aren’t able to articulate in writing how your business will work, the likelihood of securing capital from investors is low. But just putting something in writing isn’t enough. There is a method for developing a great business plan. Here are five key tips that will help you write your business plan.

Be Conservative

When you are setting goals and making projections, one of the best rules of thumb is to estimate conservatively. It’s far better to outperform than to underperform. Investors get an idea of what kind of return on investment they can expect based upon your business plan, so a conservative estimation is a better number to put in their minds. This type of conservative planning also translates to your timeline. Kaye Vivian wrote for Entrepreneur that a good idea is to add an extra 15% to any timeline you establish. When you are more conservative with your planning in all areas (market share, revenue forecasts, timelines, etc.) you are showing a level of seriousness and realism to potential investors.

Explain the “Why”

When you are discussing your business concept and model, you need to identify the “why” in every statement you make. When you talk about other companies that do the same thing, explain why you are different. This isn’t the time to put forth an emotional plea, but instead, use data and factual statements. You also need to speak specifically about why your concept will be successful. You need to explain the process you’ve gone through to arrive at this point in time. If there are obstacles, talk about why they exist and how you have planned to overcome them.

Address Your Plan for Growth

Investors don’t like things that are stagnant. Brian Hill writes for the Houston Chronicle, “The objective of business planning is to develop a logical series of steps to help your business grow…” In your business plan, you need to discuss the future of your company. Everything from the necessary facilities to personnel needs to be forecast over a period of up to five years. You need to address the management of the company and how this will grow with the company. This may not be overly complex if you are building a small business, but the notion of “growth” is still an important talking point.

Talk About Return on Investment

It’s important to discuss the options for investors to reap the financial rewards of their investments. While they may share your passion (and you hope they do) for the business, ultimately they are expecting a financial reward. Discussing their role in the company, including seats on the board of directors should be addressed. If you are open to multiple options, identify that in the plan. Establishing a plan for how you intend to repay and financially reward the investor is a critical piece of the puzzle for a business plan and should be given your time and attention.

Just the Facts

While you want your business plan to portray confidence and a clear belief in the concept, emotional pleas are best left out of the business plan. Real data and factual statements are what will resonate with investors. You also don’t want to allow the business plan to get too lengthy. Many people assume that a business plan should be a novel, but most of the time, less is more. Use a critical eye, and think as much like an investor as possible. What would you want to know if you were going to invest in a company? Those are the key questions to address when presenting your plan. Contact us to help fill in the gaps for your business and get you set up for success.

InsureYourCompany.com’s Small Business Spotlight aims at finding businesses in our community that are breaking down boundaries, helping their clients in unique ways and making a positive impact in the world. We think Lunch Break’s mission to freely provide food, clothing, life skills and fellowship to those in need in Monmouth County and beyond exemplifies those traits.

In 1983, Norma Todd and the founding members of Lunch Break had a vision of a caring community, one in which its members are looked after, fed, and nurtured. Lunch Break has since grown and expanded its offerings since then from hot meals to providing clothing, toy drives, mentorship opportunities, life skills and so many other areas of service.

InsureYourCompany.com went into Lunch Break and interviewed various people who are affiliated with the organization, including volunteers, staff, board members and clients. It was wonderful getting to know more about this organization and how they serve the community and help so many people during their time of need.

Consider donating or volunteering at Lunch Break- to donate visit: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/lunchbreak and to volunteer visit: https://lunchbreak.org/volunteer/. Consider sharing this video with friends and family. As Gwendolyn Love, Executive Director stated: “Everyone can do their part, it doesn’t take a lot. And it’s a feel-good thing. So, I invite anyone and everyone to do their part. If everyone takes the time to lift one person up then I think very seriously that the need that we see, the brokenness that we see, we can heal a lot of people. So, everyone, do something.”

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, illness isn’t the only threat facing many businesses. Cyber threats and scammers are on the rise in the midst of the pandemic, as well. Your emails could pose a source of danger for your business and your employees–but with the right training and the right responses, you can decrease the odds that you will face severe consequences from a cyber attack in the midst of an already difficult time. Keep  your business safe by following these key steps.

Verify sender information in email addresses to see that it’s accurate. Beware of misspellings or letter substitutions in email addresses, particularly organization names. It’s easy to skim across the top of an email address and assume that it’s correct, but before assuming that an email comes from exactly who it says it does. PayPal, Amazon, Apple, and other businesses you already have accounts with are popular facades for scammers to hide behind–so make sure you check those emails carefully.

Be suspicious of an email that asks for personal information. The businesses you work with on a regular basis already have access to your login credentials, your financial information, and any sensitive information they need to maintain your account. Avoid simply replying directly to any email asking for that information, especially if it comes from a source that shouldn’t need that information.

Be careful of unsolicited attachments or links. If you don’t know who a link or attachment comes from, don’t open it! This includes files that come through popular sharing sites like Dropbox and Google Drive. Avoid opening files from unfamiliar senders–and if you don’t recognize the attachment that you’re supposed to be receiving, don’t open it!

Be wary if an email contains characteristics that send up red flags. Do you know how to identify potential scam emails? Make sure you’re familiar with these characteristics, which should cause you to reevaluate who an email came from and whether you should take it seriously.

  • Emails from a known sender, but with a change of tone or unfamiliar greeting. This could indicate spoofing–and should always trigger a check of the email address directly, rather than just checking the highlighted name of the sender.
  • Grammatical or spelling mistakes in an email that claims to come from a professional organization. An occasional error isn’t surprising. Significant grammar mistakes, on the other hand, are–and should be a red flag when it comes to opening your emails.
  • Emails with a tone that tries to create a sense of urgency. The sender will try to compel you to bypass any additional levels of verification in order to get a fast response. They may encourage you to act immediately to avoid suspension of an account or claim that you have made an extremely large purchase to get you to react, rather than thinking it through.

Always check directly with an organization if you have questions. Most companies have customer support lines in place that will deal with any queries you have. While it may take longer to get a response during this difficult time, you should be able to get through to the company directly to answer any questions you have about your emails–and to report a spoof if necessary. Do not send your query to the address on the email; rather, contact customer support directly.

Make sure your business is fully protected during this difficult period by training your entire staff about how to handle potential threats and scammers. Some of them may try to exploit COVID-19 directly, citing changes in policies. Others may simply try to take advantage of higher stress and anxiety levels during this time. By preparing yourself, however, you can protect your business and your private information, keeping yourself safer. Want to learn more ways to protect your business, including insurance policies that can help keep you operational even in times of disaster? Contact us today.

State by state, industry by industry, American businesses are being allowed to reopen. As the country’s patchwork of federal, state, and civic stay-at-home orders are lifted, business owners are faced with tough calculations. They know that reopening is overwhelmingly unpopular, with large numbers of consumers telling pollsters that they intend to avoid shops and in-person services regardless of legal restrictions. On the other hand, many are counting on the government to step in with financial assistance during the shutdown. Will that assistance dry up if they choose to remain closed when no law requires it?

But the biggest question looming in every employer’s mind is, “How can I keep my employees safe?” This is not just a moral question, but also a financial one. Skilled employees becoming sick means lost revenue. It can also mean expenses. Employers in some areas are now being required to provide paid sick leave, and disruption in the schedule can also leave them on the hook for overtime pay as other employees pick up the slack. Most pressingly, an employer accused of taking insufficient precautions may be vulnerable to a lawsuit.

So how can you help your employees protect themselves? By taking a page from the book of the businesses that are still open.

The CDC recommends that all employees should have their temperature checked before they recommence work. Preferably, this should be done outside the facility, so that there’s no chance of a sick employee coming into contact with their coworkers. Remember that patients can spread Covid-19 even if they show no symptoms, so simply asking employees to self-quarantine if they have come into contact with a patient is not enough. They might have become at risk without knowing. All employees’ temperatures should be checked regularly with a forehead thermometer.

Once this is done, don’t let your guard down. Provide all employees with masks and gloves, and instruct them to maintain six feet (two meters) of social distance at all times. Clean and disinfect nonporous surfaces, especially high-touch ones like doorknobs and buttons, as often as you practically can. These precautions are particularly important in customer-facing roles, but not exclusive to them. Treat each employee as if they might be an asymptomatic spreader of the virus. At first, these precautions may make you feel cold and heartless, but remember that you are ensuring your employees’ safety.

Other safety precautions may be necessary. The break room, or whatever space employees use to congregate in your workplace, should be off-limits until infection rates fall. Have strict rules against employees touching or borrowing anything that another employee has used without PPE — no sharing of headphones, no passing around of phones. If you have porous surfaces in your facility — a couch or an armchair, for instance — consider covering it with a wipeable plastic sheet. The same goes for any high-touch electronics like ATMs or credit card readers, which cannot be thoroughly cleaned with liquid disinfectants.

Lastly, to protect your employees and your business, think about what aspects of your work can be done remotely. Customers are going to avoid brick-and-mortar stores for a long time to come. If your business has a mail-order or e-commerce arm, think about diverting people and resources to it. Think about what services your customers need and how you can provide them in a socially distanced way. If not, now is the time to build one. No business is going to survive 2020 without adapting, improvising, and rethinking what their industry is and can do.

For more information about reducing risk, insuring your company, and maintaining best practices in business ownership, visit our website. For a free quote, contact us.

As the owner of a new, small business, you probably have more concerns and challenges than you have time to address.  There’s everything from maintaining cash flow to hiring the right people to protecting your new company with the right kinds of business insurance.

But all those concerns won’t mean much if your business doesn’t grow—and your business won’t grow if you don’t effectively market it.  Of course, the days are gone when marketing meant a blurb in the Yellow pages and the occasional ad in your hometown newspaper.  The internet changed all that.

WHY SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING?

Today, 87% of consumers start their search for products and services on the internet.  That means you need an effective digital marketing strategy that connects with all those searchers—and to persuades them to buy your products and services.  That strategy should include everything from optimizing your website for search engines to sponsored ads, email and content marketing.  It should also include a robust social media marketing strategy.

Why?  The reason is simple:  to showcase your business to prospective customers, you need to go where they are, and where they are is on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest.

Said differently, social media sites represent an unparalleled opportunity for your business to connect with prospective customers for your small business.  To get an idea of the marketing opportunity social media sites represent, check out the metrics from HubSpot:

  • More than 90% of Millennials are on social media platforms (not to mention half of Baby Boomers)
  • More than half of the people on social media sites are searching for products and services
  • Almost 70% of Americans use Facebook—and 75% of them are there for “professional purposes”
  • More than 325 million people use Twitter at least once a month (and half of them say they bought a product they first saw on that site)
  • More than 80% of leads for B2B businesses come from LinkedIn

WHAT ARE THE BEST WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA?

To begin, every business is different, with different customers, different goals and different marketing challenges.  For example, if you own a B2B company, your best bet might be to focus on LinkedIn because that’s where businesses connect with each other.  If you’re B2C, you might do better with Facebook and Twitter.

But there are some best practice social media marketing strategies which work the lion’s share of businesses, including the following 5:

1.  Understand your audience:  if you don’t know who your customers and prospective customers are, it will be a lot harder to connect with them on social media.  First, you need to know which social media sites they use—although it’s true that Facebook is the preferred platform for small businesses marketers (86% of them advertise on that site), you need to know what sites your customers prefer.

2.  Establish realistic goals:  You need a clear sense of your social media marketing goals.  For example, is your principal objective to push more traffic to your website, generate more quality leads or boost conversions?  You also need to ensure your goals are specific, realistic, measurable and attainable.  For example, it’s not enough to say, “we’ll increase lead generation.”  You need to spell out:

  • how much of an increase you want (for example “15%”);
  • over what period (for example “in 6 months); and
  • how you’ll do it (“using Facebook sponsored ads)

3.  Be active on multiple social media sites:  different customers prefer different social media platforms.  Having a strong Facebook page is a good start, but the more sites you leverage, the wider your reach and the greater the odds your social media campaigns will be successful.

4.  Post content that resonates with your customers:  you need to give prospects a good reason to follow you on Facebook and other sites.  Do some homework to find out what their major concerns, questions and problems are and post content that addresses those concerns, answers those questions and solves those problems.  You can also boost engagement with smart promotions, discounts and free trials.

5.  Measure results:  to maximize the impact of your business presence on social media, you need to know what’s working—and what isn’t.  Make sure you’re using a robust analytics tool that will help you determine which content is generating the most leads, pushing the most traffic to your website and creating the largest number of conversions (one of the best is Google Analytics).

CONCLUSION

Effectively managing a startup small business or single-person LLC isn’t easy.  With all the issues you tackle every day, it’s sometimes smart to get the help you need from experts who can give you the advice and guidance you need to succeed.  That’s where we can help.

To learn more about the ways our business insurance and employee benefits services can help you achieve your principal goals—and take your business to the next level—contact us today.

As small businesses begin to recover from the immediate crisis, they must begin looking forward to what their “new normal” will be. Right now, the majority of small businesses are getting hammered by shock waves from the coronavirus’s impact on the global and national economy. A McKinsey Global Institute analysis, based on multiple sources, indicates that the shock to our livelihoods from the economic impact of virus-suppression efforts could be the biggest in nearly a century.

As the Washington Post comments, “As the pandemic takes hold across America, some businesses are getting crushed, like Powell’s Books in Portland, Ore., which closed its doors for at least eight weeks. Others are thriving, like Amazon, which announced 100,000 new hires to help manage the rush of online orders. Still others, like Tampa’s Rooster & the Till restaurant, are adapting — in ways that, economists say, might lead to long-term shifts in how Americans spend, work and live.”

Small businesses that are looking ahead towards a post-coronavirus economy are the businesses that are working proactively to maintain strong customer relationships, adapting to the shifting tides in business practices, and making concrete, data-driven plans for the “new normal” of the future. In this article, we’ll highlight three key moves your small business should be taking now to ensure success in this changing economy.

Proactive Customer Outreach

As our population grows increasingly physically distant from one another, it is a critical time for you and your staff to be reaching out to your customer base and strengthening those relationships. At many companies, as staff moved from work to work-from-home, they experienced a significant decrease in regular workload because their normal duties were performed in the context of the workplace. This is an opportune time to assign customer caseloads, with each staff member making personal check-ins by phone or video conference.

Most ways to build and maintain customer relationships involve some form of regular communication or interaction between your business and the consumer. Some other simple communication strategies that we recommend include:

  • Sending email updates that include announcements, promotional offers, or tips of the day
  • Posting photo and video updates on social media
  • Updating your company blog with positive and/or uplifting news, whenever possible
  • Creating valuable resources that can be downloaded from your website
  • Take time to respond to customer interactions personally and thoughtfully

Data-driven Planning

As your business moves forward, it’s also critically important that you allot some time to reflect on the past. What kind of systems did you have in place? What was working? And what wasn’t working? What kind of concrete steps can you take to plan for a rapidly-approaching “new normal”?

McKinsey agrees, “Decoding this new normal—and ensuring that the company has a strategy to navigate it—is an important part of the work… Approaches such as using a portfolio of initiatives and planning for decision-making under uncertainty can go a long way toward creating a compass for business leaders to follow.”

For your business, this may include developing a strong contingency plan in case of emergency, doing a thorough audit of your finances, or updating your technological devices and communication tools. The actual details of your plan should be extremely company-specific; what matters most is that you’re acting to advance your business even while things may seem at a virtual standstill.

Adapting to New Business Practices

It’s undeniable that many businesses practices we once relied on are going to phase out over the next few months, replaced by new and evolving business practices. McKinsey reports, “New working and shopping practices will probably become a permanent fixture of the next normal.” And as our working and shopping practices change so will our business practices. As a leader, it is best for you to accept that fact and focus on moving forward. You’ll do much more for your company and your employees by acting with humility and resilience, and looking with optimism towards the future.

At this time, you should be researching and gathering information about what the business practices of the future may involve. McKinsey predicts, “Institutions that reinvent themselves to make the most of better insight and foresight, as preferences evolve, will disproportionally succeed.”

The return to a pre-coronavirus world will take time and will require patience from small business owners. But the companies that will find success are those that are refusing to stop operations, and are instead acting and thinking flexibly about how to survive in a transformed economy. Those that are actively seeking out advice and information are those that will find a way to adapt to a “new normal.” So if you’re interested in more advice about how to thrive as a small business owner in a post-coronavirus economy,  reach out to us today.

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