COVID-19 FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS

Ok Small Business owners, let's do what we do best.  SURVIVE! THRIVE! LOOK ALIVE! 

Here are 5 ideas of what we can do now to be prepared to bounce when we reopen.

1.Dentists: Call your patients and remind them to floss! Its all about staying in touch. 

2.Barbers/Nail Techs/Hair Stylists/Colorists:

Let's be real... you don't want your clients looking ragged.  Your best advertisement is when they still look great 6 weeks later (ok maybe not great, but not gross either). Send out group texts or videos with a tip of the day (a little gel goes a long way, paint your roots with eye shadow & hairspray, you get the idea)

3. Restaurants, delis, caterers, dessert shops, coffee shops: Of course you're doing delivery and curbside pick up. But, some people just don't want delivery every day or they forget you're out there.  Why not post a daily easy DIY family recipe (that may include an ingredient they can  order from you like pizza dough or capers) on your social media. They'll have fun and trust me, they'll call you when they want the good stuff. 

4. Home improvement, landscapers, florists, contractors: You know we need you! But to stay top of mind share basic "how to" videos so folks can do the basics until you can get together again.  

5. Real Estate Agents: This one is easy.  STAY IN TOUCH!  If you've got a listing sitting on the market right now, your client doesn't know your value until you show them. Share video of the listing on social media, change it up, lengthen the descriptions to demonstrate the features of each room and amenity. No open houses? There sure are when you post a room by room, cabinet to closet walkthrough.  Add  internet video to your email newsletter (search  email video integration)  This is a great time to get buyers' attention.... what else are they doing?

Get the point? If you have a way to email, text or call your customers (especially our beloved senior citizens) while everyone is home, they will appreciate you now and remember you when it's time to reconnect.

Success can be as easy as finding new ways to serve your customers' needs and maybe adding a whole new dimension to your business.  

Be well everyone! See you soon!

20 Point Annual Business Review - take a few minutes to keep your business on track

20 Point Annual Business, Bookkeeping, Marketing, Event Planning Review

Here are some items to consider each year.  This doesn’t replace advice from your attorney / tax preparer.

__1. Are there any business deposits that are NOT income? ______________________________

__2. Are there any expenses that should be booked as personal? __________________________

__3. Do you owe any estimated taxes we should remind you of during the year? _____________

__4. Are there any additional accounts, credit cards, savings, check books, etc. that we should include? ____________________________________________________________________

__5. Are there any leases, payment plans, loans we should be tracking?  Did you purchase or sell any large equipment this year This doesn’t replace advice from your attorney / tax preparer for bookkeeping guidelines.

__6. Did you file your NJ Annual Report? _________

__7. Do you have an Alternate/DBA that needs to be renewed? ________

__8. Do you have any business licenses that need to be renewed?____________

__9. Have you added any products / services that are taxable? If you’re not sure-we can check.

__10. Do you have any plans to sell or dissolve your business in the next 2 years?  Are you prepared for the related taxes, fees?  If so, let’s set up a meeting with your attorney/tax preparer.

__11. Do you have any insurance or pension plans to monitor? Let’s set an appointment with your representative.

__12. Have you reviewed/updated your company manual? What’s new in your industry?

__13. Have you had the chance to review your vendor costs, banking and credit card providers?

__14. Customer satisfaction: Have you surveyed your clients for an idea of what products/services are most popular, need revising or replacement?

__15. What are your plans for team training this year? We can help with Customer Service and Software Training or help bring in presenters from industry vendors.

__16. Is your website up to date (SEO, SEM, products/services/blog, mobile ready)?

__17. What marketing did you do last year? Expect to repeat this year?  What worked/what didn't? It’s important to set a budget for marketing/advertising that reflects a portion of sales or a set amount based on anticipated sales.  We can help get you to the right plan and budget.

__18. Are you planning any direct mail or event marketing? We can help with preparation and followup.

__19. Have you considered a 'customer appreciation' day/event/mailer/gift/handout? No budget? We can help you get creative!

__20. Are you making the most of your local Chamber of Commerce and trade/networking organizations? These are a great place to pick up new ideas, connect with business owners, find new vendors and promote your products and services.

Need help with this list? CALL-ISG! 973-334-3110 www.callisg.com

Your Email Address Tells a Story

Do you email any of the companies you do business with such as your utility company, phone company, your favorite snack manufacturer?

Do any of them have an email that ends in yahoo.com, gmail.com, hotmail.com, etc?

Of course not! Those are personal email carriers and very useful to keep your personal email separate from work.

You can even forward your business mail to your personal.

But if you expect to be treated professionally or taken seriously in your business....Get a domain email!

Some small biz owners make the investment in a great domain name for their website and then email me from their 'companyname@gmail.com'

What?! What would you think if you  received an email from pseg@aol.com?
You better delete it. It surely is NOT a business email.

A simple task of creating a business email will immediately upgrade how your prospects view your business BEFORE they meet you and as your relationship with them develops.

Don't we small business owners need all the help we can get? Small changes can make a big difference.

Need help creating a business email or forwarding to simplify? Call-ISG. Or better yet email us at: office@ callisg.com.