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Information about the Kentucky State University Cooperative Extension Program

2020



# Ways to Operate and Improve Your Small Business When Customers Cannot be in Your Physical Space of Operation

Chris Cribbs, MA, State Specialist for Entrepreneurship

There will be times your small business will need to operate differently due to natural disasters, technological issues, man-made disasters, and certain government mandates like social distancing. This may reduce or stop customer interface at your brick and mortar business. Here are some ways to operate and improve your small business when customers cannot be in your physical space of operation.

• Sell items via social media.

• Sell items via your business web-page.

• Sell items via your cellular phone application.

- Provide service via curbside.

• Offer service via delivery.

• Receive business orders via text messages.

- Ship items free of charge or at a reduced price.

• Add an e-commerce section on your business web-page.

- Incentivize your goods by including crafts and games in delivery packages.

Place a sign outside of your business and notate via your business' web-page that you are open via drive-thru, call-in, text messages, social media, curbside orders, and or online orders.

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For small businesses that are unable to provide services in their physical space and or online, they can:

- Research and apply for local, state, and federal grants and loans.

• Complete and submit their business taxes.

- Update or create their business and disaster plans

- Read over, purchase, and or update their insurance plans.

- Re-organize their stock room, physical store space, and business files.

- Remodel their brick and mortar business.

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## Sources

1. Salesforce Leading the Way Helping Small Businesses Navigate COVID-19 With Care for Small Business Grants. (2020, April 8). Retrieved April 15, 2020, from https://thesbjournal.com/featured/salesforce-leading-the-way-helping-small-businesses-navigate-covid-19-with-care-for-small-business-grants/

2. staff, I. (n.d.). How to Provide Customer Self-Service Online. Retrieved April 15, 2020, from https://www.inc.com/guides/cust_self/20909.html

3. Creative Ways to Keep Business Strong through Social Distancing. (2020, March 16). Retrieved April 15, 2020, from https://www.newburyportchamber.org/creative-ways-to-keep-business-strong-through-social-distancing/

- OPEN

We Respect SOCIAL DISTANCING



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