What Small Businesses can be Thankful for in 2020
There’s no doubt about it, 2020 has been a difficult year for small businesses. However, there’s still a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
10 things small businesses have to be thankful for this year
#1. Your community
Small businesses have done so much for their communities. For years, they’ve been creating jobs, donating to local charities and helping their communities stay unique.
Now, many communities have stepped up to do their part to give back to those small businesses.
Communities across the United States have declared their allegiance to the small businesses that make them great by choosing local businesses for their needs.
Without the communities that have rallied around their local businesses, a lot more of them would have had to close their doors. They’re definitely worth being thankful for.
#2. Your website
From restrictions on in-person operations to fewer people getting out and about, small businesses have been hit hard by the reduction in foot traffic. Luckily, small business websites have helped to bridge the gap.
Local retailers have been able to keep making sales. Now, many (or maybe even all) of those sales are happening through their e-commerce website or online store.
Local restaurants have been able to make the transition to mostly delivery, carry-out and curbside easier by accepting orders right on their website.
Local businesses across the country have been able to keep their customers informed about changes to their hours, products, services, etc. by simply updating their websites!
From keeping customers up to date and scheduling appointments to making sales, websites have helped small businesses stay above water this year.
#3. Your team
It’s been anything but easy for small business owners these days. But, no one understands the struggle quite as much as the people you’re on the front lines with every day.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been rough on everyone, and we’ve all had to make changes, your employees included. Whether they’ve had to start working from home, face a cut-back in hours or take on all-new jobs, they’re still here.
A good team is worth its weight in gold. And that’s something to recognize.
#4. Online sales
While in-person sales have suffered for a lot of businesses, many have been able to more than make up for it through online sales.
American consumers spent $347.26 billion in online sales during just the first 6 months of the year. That’s a whopping 30.1% increase over the same period in 2019.
And, so far, the holiday season has been booming in online sales. During the first 10 days of the holiday shopping season, consumers spent $21.7 billion on online sales, which is a 21% jump compared to last year.
Some retailers have moved completely to online sales, while others have used online sales to supplement their in-person business. Either way, though, it’s clear that many small businesses have online sales to be thankful for.
#5. Carry-out, curbside and/or delivery
When COVID first hit , many small businesses had to make the decision to either close their doors or transition to offering carry-out, curbside and/or delivery.
While it may not fully make up for the lack of in-person business, it’s been the saving grace for many.
Curbside and carry-out have been incredibly easy for small businesses to start offering. These require no (or very little) additional equipment, and it’s easy to transition employees to these roles.
Delivery is a little more difficult to start offering because there are a lot more logistics to work out. Luckily, though, third-party services, like GrubHub and UberEats have made it possible for small businesses that otherwise would never have been able to offer delivery.
It’s not a surprise that the numbers for carry-out, curbside and delivery have all shot up during COVID, but many people will keep using those services long after it’s under control.
#6. Social media
One of the most difficult parts about COVID is not being able to see the people you care about. Those connections that used to be forged in-person have now moved online, largely to social media.
This increase in use has made social media even more valuable for small businesses, particularly for those that have lost revenue during the pandemic.
Social media offers businesses an affordable way to build and maintain awareness in their brand, target their ads to the right audience and build loyalty – all things that are vitally important when times are rough.
#7. Gift cards
When the pandemic first hit, a lot of people were brainstorming ways to support the local businesses they love. This has largely meant shopping local, but many people have also shown their support by buying gift cards.
Gift cards have been especially helpful for the local businesses that serve customers one-on-one, like hair salons and barber shops, massage therapists, chiropractors, spas and nail salons.
These are the businesses that have been hit the hardest, because they couldn’t provide a digital version of the service they offer, nor could they offer curbside pick-up for haircuts.
Luckily, instead of canceling their appointments, many people have opted to buy gift cards for future appointments instead.
#8. Flexibility
If there’s one thing that’s been an important part of surviving the pandemic as a small business, it’s the ability to stay nimble and make changes.
Whether that change has been moving your retail store online, offering your customers curbside service or giving people haircuts in their own homes, any business that has been able to make changes to keep themselves afloat should be thankful for the ability to be flexible through this.
After all, not all businesses have had that luxury, which is why so many have had to close their doors.
#9. Time
Small business owners are some of the busiest people on earth. It’s not uncommon for small business owners to work nights and weekends, often clocking in overtime that they don’t get paid for.
Although it may come at a cost, the pandemic has given small business owners a lot more time.
Many small business owners have used the extra time to enjoy their family and do some of their favorite hobbies, but it’s also given them time to build a website, get active on social media and take other critical steps toward building an online presence.
The internet was always the way of the future for small businesses. The pandemic just made it more urgent to get online.
#10. Feedback
Lots of small businesses have had to change the way they do things in order to meet their customers’ changing wants and needs. But, it’s not always easy to guess what those are.
Listening to feedback is the best way for a small business to keep a pulse on what their customers want and need from them.
When you have feedback directly from your customers, there’s no need to do any guesswork. All you have to do is listen.
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