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This post is geared toward helping small businesses and entrepreneurs at this time of COVID-19. Squarespace can quickly help any business owner adapt to these circumstances.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has forced many small businesses to get super creative in how they generate income. Many brick and mortar restaurants are closed altogether or have shifted to "no-contact" solutions - offering takeout, curbside pickup or delivery. Service-based businesses have created unique online offerings as well. Communities are banding together to keep local businesses afloat during this unique time in history. The outpouring of support from your community can never be underestimated. Pivot, adjust and focus on what feels right.

I have reached out to a number of my clients and have asked them how they are adapting their business and Squarespace website to the changing times. Most, if not all, have created some sort of online store for their business, or, at minimum, a form that collects interest in a service. Setting up an eCommerce store can seem overwhelming, but it does not have to be, especially if you are utilizing the intuitive Squarespace platform.

Below is just a sample of how my Squarespace clients are adapting. As you will discover, there are a number of different ways of pivoting.

1 - Run a Presale Event

Bedford Farms Ice Cream, a popular, local, old-fashioned ice cream stand located in Bedford and Concord, Massachusetts, temporarily closed its doors when the pandemic was evolving to ensure the safety of their customers and staff. As the weeks went on, the owner decided to test out running a presale and we worked together to convert their Squarespace website to an eCommerce online shop. He began to churn out his fresh-made ice cream while working all aspects of the business. He wanted to limit the staff to only himself and his immediate family members, abiding to the restrictions imposed by the local Board of Health. Together, we built out an eCommerce portion of their Squarespace website for online ordering as a presale event and made it available for a couple of days before closing it. They promoted the event through their social media platforms - Facebook and Instagram. Over the next few days, the customers came by their shop during designated pickup times to retrieve their orders. By spacing out the pickup days, they were successfully able to limit crowding, ensure social distancing, and deliver a no-contact experience while putting smiles on people’s faces.

2 - Package your most popular products together for curbside pickup or local delivery

The Craft.ed Studio in Concord MA, a brick and mortar craft studio that hosts in person workshops and birthday parties, has put together “to-go” kits that are available for purchase through her online Squarespace shop. Every couple of weeks, Sue, the owner of Craft.ed, offers her kits as “limited releases” as she gets supplies. She prearranges the craft kits, sets her inventory on the backend of her eCommerce shop in Squarespace and simply opens up her online shop. At checkout, her customers indicate whether they want to pick up their project at The Craft.ed Studio on the porch that is located outside their storefront or take advantage of the free local delivery option to neighboring towns. Sue promotes the kits through her mailing list and via her social media channels. She arranges the pickups and deliveries like crazy, and then is able to dial it back to catch her breath and replenish her inventory. Due to high demand, Sue often sells out all the craft kits!

You could apply this same approach to the restaurant industry. Many restaurants have shut down in response to this crisis, or they are running a reduced, take out style operation where often just the owner and limited staff is on site. Restaurants could offer take home family packs which include all the necessary ingredients and step-by-step instructions for a family to make their recipe at home. For instance, a local restaurant can create a “Make at Home” kit such as pizza kits, pasta making, sushi rolling, or taco kits. A baker could have a “Decorate Your Own Cookie” or a “Frost Your Doughnut” family pack. All of these “kits” can be prepped ahead of time and made available only on certain dates. Not only does this eliminate a trip to the grocery store, it makes it a fun night at home with your family while supporting a local small business.

3 - move your in-person workshops and birthday parties online

Birthdays should be celebrated, especially during pandemics! Again, The Craft.ed Studio in Concord, MA, is offering their popular themed birthday parties over Zoom. Sue, the owner of The Craft.ed Studio, is still running her popular youth birthday parties, but has moved everything online. The party guests are given the materials they need ahead of time as well as a link to the online Zoom party! During the Zoom call, the party guests will be lead through step-by-step instructions on how to arrange that particular craft in real time. According to Sue, the response has been very positive, and she has received requests for adult craft nights for mom groups as well as book club groups.

4 - Utilize virtual meetings for service-based businesses

Service-based businesses have been directly impacted by this situation, as many would normally require “in person” or “on location” meetings. These businesses have no choice but to pivot their approach. For example, Julie, an interior designer and owner of design 2 order, is continuing to work with her clients remotely by reviewing current remodeling projects via Zoom. Julie works alongside her clients virtually, so they will be ready to proceed with their construction project as soon as the ‘stay at home’ order is lifted. In addition, Julie and her peers in the design industry are offering virtual paint consultations and guidance in furniture selections. In order to give a visual when formulating home offices or accessorizing, designers are pulling together room options with products that can be purchased virtually. Developing checklists for homeowners to use for home renovations and upcoming construction projects has also been part of their offerings. All of these virtual services and digital products can be set up as a Squarespace online storefront.

5 - offer online memberships for your classes

Those in the health & fitness industry are now in the midst of a complete shift. For these professionals, it is of utmost importance to continue to serve your community. Many are offering free live sessions via Facebook (*if you are offering these, watch my tutorial on how to embed Facebook live events onto your Squarespace site here), but some clients are desiring additional services. Maybe it is simply offering virtual private or small group sessions. However, if you have already created a number of videos, written meal plans or specific health & fitness tips, and you plan on continuing to develop this content - why not package these together for a recurring online membership option? You could have multiple tiers of membership and offer it as a recurring monthly charge for full access of new material as it is released. You’ve already done all the work, so why not take it and have it work for you?

6 - Offer Gift Certificates for future services

You can set up an option for your clients to support your business even while your doors are physically shut by giving them the opportunity to purchase a gift certificate from you. This does not have to be overly complicated. For instance, a PDF of a gift certificate can be uploaded as a digital download on the backend of Squarespace. The gift certificate can be saved for future use when your doors open again. This feature could also be set up through your current payment processor. For instance, Yoko of Bedford Acupuncture, has a successful acupuncture practice and uses Squarespace for her website and integrates FullSlate on it as that is her scheduling and payment needs. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions, Yoko’s acupuncture business is temporarily closed. The community and her clients still want to support her business at this time, so she has set up an option for them to purchase gift certificates online. She simply created gift certificate packages on the backend of her FullSlate account and embedded this data on her Squarespace website.

7 -Collaborate with other local businesses

Think outside the box, ask yourself… Are there other local businesses within your town or area that you could partner with for a weekly offering? For instance, what if a restaurant, a bakery, a florist, and a toy shop teamed together to offer a package for Family Fun Friday nights? Each could contribute one aspect to the package - such as a meal, a dessert, a bouquet of flowers and a family game. Sell the package online specifying pickup or delivery criteria. This is an effective way to cross-market and team up with other local businesses.

8- optimize your Google My Business account

Google My Business is the most important free tool in getting found online, yet it is underutilized by most small business owners. Not only does it provide you with a tremendous amount of SEO juice to your website, it is often the first thing people see when ‘Googling’ the name of your business.

To set up or claim your Google My Business listing, simply go to business.google.com. It takes five minutes to enter in your business information and request to be validated. Once you are verified, you will have access to the entire Google My Business platform. Don’t know if your business has been claimed by you? Simply ‘Google’ your business name, and if it displays “Do you own this business?” beneath your listing, then you have not successfully claimed your account. This should be first on your to-do list.

Here are some key Google My Business Tips

If you are a brick and mortar business, it is important to keep your shop hours updated, especially during this time.
Ask your loyal customers to write reviews for your business.
Publish posts regarding the unique services you are offering through this time of crisis.
Set up “Make an Appointment” or “Shop” buttons right on the backend of the platform.

There you have it! I hope these tips help get you thinking on how your business can adapt during these trying times. If you have any questions on how to implement any of these tips on Squarespace, definitely feel free to reach out to me at hello@greybarnmedia.com.