2020 has proven to be an interesting year. The halt of international travel, national shutdowns globally, empty grocery store shelves, and the lack of paper goods are minor inconveniences that we can tie back to COVID. However smaller, local businesses have been hit hard and are looking to survive the pandemic.
For many small business owners, COVID has dramatically impacted their ability to stay afloat. In a survey conducted by Alignable, 42% were concerned about possibly closing their doors in the fourth quarter (2020, Lahart). As counties tighten and citizens choose to stay home, where does that leave small business owners?
For Mary Contreras, it is all too real. Her concerns have escalated after her county announced the return to tighter restrictions due to a statewide surge in coronavirus cases. As a small business owner, she must face the hard facts of whether she will be able to keep her business open while meeting the state’s mandates through COVID.
In terms of things that small businesses are doing, Derrick Fadden, a web designer at SDA Creative, shared some of the key trends he has seen at this agency. “We’ve seen an uptick with respect to small businesses looking to use the web to amplify their business. Mostly because many small businesses are realizing that having a website isn’t enough anymore,” said Fadden. Interestingly, this is quite different from a few years back. Previously, to legitimize your business in the eyes of your consumers, you needed a website. Fadden explains further:
“E-commerce has really exploded. Many companies are looking to online ordering as a way to stay connected to their consumers during COVID. It helps maintain sales interaction between your customers and your company, and allows them to come to you.”
Derrick Fadden
Web Designer, SDA Creative
to encourage sales during COVID.
As consumers, we all can play a role in helping the economy by focusing on small businesses in your community. Local businesses contribute to a feeling of uniqueness of the local town or city. They also have a stake in wanting a neighborhood or city to do well. Many of these local stores also provide jobs within the city and help contribute to the community as well.
This holiday season, before turning to your larger corporate stores, please take a look at local stores in your area and support small businesses.
Lahart, J. (2020, October 9) Covid Is Crushing Small Businesses. That’s Bad News for American Innovation. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-is-crushing-small-businesses-thats-bad-news-for-american-innovation-11602235804
Kerr, R. (2020, March 24) How you can help small businesses during COVID-19. The Points Guy. Retrieved from https://thepointsguy.com/news/how-you-can-help-small-businesses-during-covid-19/
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