In changing economic times, small businesses often have an advantage in adapting quickly to the new normal. Whatever that may be…
Adapting Locally
With a rapid shutdown, a number of individuals and organizations have moved quickly to help the community. The Chamber of Commerce recently created a Facebook group where you can view menus of local restaurants that are still open. DPGazette.com/dptakeout
Many of the churches in and around Deer Park are now streaming services online. See our article for more information at DPGazette.com/23rr2.
Ashley Greer, a local fitness instructor, has started a YouTube channel offering workout ideas often featuring her daughter. DPGazette.com/ashleygreer
Recently TRECpro announced a number of question and answer sessions on their Facebook page about the ins and outs of online business. The videos cover a range of topics and are free to everyone, look for the Let’s Talk videos on Facebook.com/trecpro
Ecommerce
Often the realm of giants such as Amazon, eBay, and other national brands. Local businesses can also sell online.
WordPress was created for blogs, however, it has been greatly enhanced and now powers more websites than any other system. The main reason for the popularity is that WordPress is flexible and free. Adding a free plugin called Woocommerce allows you to quickly start setting up your online storefront. For payment processing, Paypal, Square, and Authorize.net are popular solutions and for a good reason.
Shopify is also a popular platform for selling online. Getting started with Shopify might be one of the easiest options as just about everything you need is already part of the Shopify experience. Not only does that include payment processing, but it also includes wholesalers that will automatically create custom products and provide order fulfillment. Due to the impact of COVID-19, Shopify is offering an extended 90-day free trial. For more info see https://www.shopify.com/?ref=trecpro (Affiliate Link).
While having your own website and online storefront is great, it may not necessarily be the best fit for your business. Most of the products sold by Amazon.com are actually small businesses selling their products on the platform. Just below the “Buy Now” button is a little disclaimer to let you know who you are really buying from. For more information see https://sell.amazon.com
Office In The Clouds
When your team is suddenly spread out it becomes apparent that you need software and files that everyone can access. Both Microsoft’s Office 365 and Google’s G Suite are great options and provide a range of tools including apps and file sharing. Dropbox is also a popular file-sharing option. Whatever tools you decide to use make sure they are configured to meet compliance standards if needed for your industry.
Getting your team started with these tools can be an uphill battle. As early as possible make sure everyone has the training to feel comfortable with their new work environment.
Remotely Access The Office
Sometimes there really is no other option, you have to access software or files on an office computer. There are lots of options out there including Remote Desktop and Virtual Private Networks. In most cases, the best option is to work with your local IT service provider to help you configure and install the software. Doing something wrong here can lead to getting hacked.
Full disclosure: TRECpro is the parent company of the Deer Park Gazette. TRECpro either sells the services listed or provides consulting and training services for everything in this article.
