Small Business Covid-19 Survival Guide

Firetree Visual Media

This blog is a little diversion from my blog schedule and a little tongue-in-cheek. Please bear in mind that I am not an authority figure on the Coronavirus, and have absolutely no experience or training relating to disease control. This blog is a no-nonsense, try not to panic, guide to small businesses to survive the coronavirus.

Small Business Challenges

If you are like me, minor panic is starting to set in. Without Statutory Sick Pay it will only take a month before I am faced with a cash flow crisis. As much as working for yourself has great benefits in managing family life, work life balance, financial control and other benefits, it does come with risks. 20% of small business fail in the first year and 70% of small business owners fail in their 10th year of business. (www.fundara.com). The majority of small business owners will all face issues with cash flow, income tax, recruitment and staff retention. Many businesses are having to put plans in place to mitigate challenges that Brexit may bring with supply chain and trade, the Coronavirus has the potential to hit small business particularly hard.

This blog is not going to be all doom and gloom, (Aghh we are all going to die!) let’s ride out the storm with some simple steps we can all take to keep ourselves and our colleagues in business and limit the spread of the disease.

5 Step Business Survival Guide

1. Keep attending meetings – UPDATED!

Many business rely on work generated from networking and meetings. Try to support networking groups by attending meetings, offer to Skype or Zoom and consider new remote methods to keep in touch with your network. See this crisis as a hibernation, there is nothing stopping you strengthening relationships by supporting those around you. When we come out of the crisis you can pick up where you left off.

2. Reassure your clients

Many businesses will rely on footfall or having clients through the door. Reassure clients that you have put steps in place to sanitise and clean populated areas, desks, door handles. A little reassurance may be all it needs for customers to visit. (Update – this is now not possible however the following still applies). The epidemic is a wake up call for businesses to review the policies and procedures they have in place to protect employees and customers. See this as an opportunity to show you are prepared for and are responding to the spread of the virus. If you want health and safety advice from a pro chat to Lucy Walsh from Crystal Clear Compliance, she will sort out your business policies.

Link to Crystal Clear Compliance HERE.

3. Support other businesses

This has the potential to be a tough time for everyone. If you are planning on having some graphics work, photography, website design, legal consultation, don’t hold off. Many businesses may be happy to work remotely.

4. Spend time in the sunshine – This is now not possible! Stay in, stay safe.

Apparently the scientists that know about this stuff, say the virus is pretty weak and doesn’t survive UV which is why past coronavirus outbreaks have subsided as the weather warms. If it’s sunny outside, hold meetings outside. This is a little uncertain (and I still wouldn’t kiss my client) but I know for a fact that this will a) cheer you up, b) support the coffee shop you are meeting at, c) Will lower your blood pressure (I didn’t know that until just now!) and you are still meeting your client or business colleague.

5. Learn Something New

There is a very good chance a proportion of the UK population will have to self-isolate. Rather than seeing this as an opportunity to eat crisps and watch box-sets on Netflix, why not help a small business by learning something new. There are hundreds of on-line coaching, nutrition, marketing, health and safety, in fact courses on any subject that you can think of. Take the time to advance your knowledge and expand your business using time you would not normally have. You will be supporting a small business in the process.

Oh.. don’t forget to WASH YOUR HANDS!

Not on the list because I don’t understand why people are not doing this already. Sing ‘Happy Birthday’ if it makes you happy, I would rather sing ‘Staying Alive’ by the Bee Gees, either way this will definitely keep corona away.

So that’s it, we are definitely faced with a challenge that as a small business have few resources to keep us afloat. My advice is to keep doing, wash your hands to ‘staying alive’ and support each other.

If you want some ‘proper’ advice from actual scientists here is a link to some very basic protective measures agains the new coronavirus.

Normal blogging will resume shortly. If you are considering a video or photography my camera will not sneeze and will be thoroughly attacked with antibac, as will my hands. If you would like to discuss an idea I would prefer the sunshine but Skype/Zoom work equally well and I can picture edit remotely so don’t let the coronavirus be a barrier to your visual media plans.

Get in touch with Firetree Here

Thanks for reading. If you enjoy my blogs please feedback and I always welcome guest contributors with expertise in communication.

Kyra.

Picture Credits:

Medic with test tube:

<a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/medical”>Medical photo created by freepik – www.freepik.com</a>

Business Lady with Mask:

<a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/people”>People photo created by freepik – www.freepik.com</a>