Lessons I Learned About My Small Business — and Myself — in 2020

Do you feel as if you are emerging from a great fog and seeing the blue sky for the first time in a long time, like I do? As things started to shut down in March 2020, I realized our team needed to shift how we were servicing our clients and make it a priority to help them figure out how to pivot their offerings immediately.  My goal was to keep my whole team working through the crisis and to keep 100% of my clients. 

Recently, I’ve had time to take stock of what my business has experienced during the past 10 months and I’d like to share some of the ways I stayed on task to achieve my goals and stay sane during this time:

• Stay confident. I entered the pandemic with determination, not fear, knowing that I had built my company lean, nimble and built on strong pillars and this would keep us going strong until the crisis lessened. 

• Stay connected. Through the pandemic, I continued to network and reach out to those I knew would provide me with support. It’s crucial during difficult times to continue to invite people into your circle who can be your sounding board and cheerleaders. I dug in and made sure I was making time to join virtual Zoom networking meetings, call on clients and check in on treasured contacts.

• Stay organized. I made sure I had a To Do list for me and my team every week but kept it supple enough to change if need be. I had my team write down weekly goals and set up weekly meetings with clients to stay in touch and in the loop with our clients’ needs.

• Stay true to your mission but...stay flexible. This last one is probably good advice for any entrepreneur, even when you’re not in the middle of a global pandemic. Shift and pivot when you need to. Keep an open mind and know when to put your head down and move forward and when to come up for air and reassess. I strove every day to be the reed and not the oak.

I’d love to hear what you have been doing to keep strong and run your business during this challenging time.

Jessica Maarek, is the Founder and Owner of Red Root Marketing. This agency specializes in social media marketing for small businesses and nonprofits and focuses on community driven content creation and engagement. 

How to Market Your Business During COVID-19

Make sure your content is not tone deaf to the times

During these times it is extremely important to be aware of what is going on in the world. Be sure to plan to address the issues that are going on while making sure whatever you are putting online is not out of touch or will offend your audience.

Have appropriate graphics for your social media posts

You want to make sure your graphics reflect what is going on today. For example, if you want to post something about coming together during this time it may not be wise to post a photo of people holding hands. Be aware of what the rules are during this pandemic and make sure you are not posting something that may look like people are not social distancing or following the stay at home order. 

Showcase how your brand can help

In a time of crisis, it is important to offer support to your clients. If you are a small business or a large corporation it is a good idea to express how your brand is giving back or helping the community in any way possible. People want to help other people during this pandemic, giving them an option to either donate or raise money for another charity is a great way to let your audience know you are supporting the community.

Remind people that this will not last forever 

Offer some hope to your clients. Be positive, but not indifferent to what is going on. This can be a very negative time. Many people have lost their jobs, been placed on furlough, or unable to get unemployment right away. Be that shining light for them. Whether it be a positive photo or a hopeful message that one social media post may make a huge impact on somebody feeling down during this time. Don’t be afraid to share that positive vibe out on behalf of your brand. It could really brighten someone's day and make them have a positive view on your brand. 

Do not go radio silent

It is important to acknowledge what is going on during this pandemic. Some people may think that going silent is better than saying anything at all. During this time, whether your business is a small clothing shop, or a large corporate company, it is important to acknowledge the states of things. Some people may think if they do not have a business that pertains to the current virus it is not important for them to acknowledge this pandemic. On the other hand, people are looking for what other businesses are saying on social media. If your social media is not mentioning COVID-19 at all, people will think your social media is inactive or apathetic and may possibly unfollow your account. Stay up to date with real life news and let your followers know you are aware of current situations. 

By Alexa Ferragine, Red Root Marketing, Social Media Operations Manager

#GivingTuesdayNow: May 5, 2020

Giving Tuesday usually takes place the Tuesday after Small Business Saturday, but due the pandemic and the need, there will be an added Giving Tuesday this year!

Here are some tips taken from https://now.givingtuesday.org/ on how nonprofits and small businesses can participate:

About Giving Tuesday, May 5, 2020:

●        #GivingTuesdayNow is a global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5, 2020 as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.

●        #GivingTuesdayNow is an opportunity for people around the world to stand together in unity--to use their individual power of generosity to remain connected and heal.

●        People can show their generosity in a variety of ways during #GivingTuesdayNow--whether it’s helping a neighbor, advocating for an issue, sharing a skill, or giving to causes, every act of generosity counts.

●        At a time when we are all experiencing the pandemic, generosity is what brings people of all races, faiths, and political views together across the globe. Generosity gives everyone the power to make a positive change in the lives of others and is a fundamental value anyone can act on.

●        #GivingTuesdayNow emphasizes opportunities to give back to communities and causes in safe ways that allow for social connection and kindness even while practicing physical distancing.

●        We all have gifts to give, and with social media, online giving, delivery, mail, and phones, there are limitless ways to use your generosity to support others. 

Dos and Don’ts:

Do:

●        Go digital - make sure your web presence is optimized, make use of content you already have, think about a video from your ED.

●        Be nimble. Everything is changing moment by moment. We need to be making quick decisions and always have a backup plan.

●        Do communicate clearly and authentically.

Don’t:

●        Don’t be afraid to fundraise! Now is the time to be vulnerable. People really want to help. It makes them feel empowered.

●     Don’t ask people to do things that may endanger themselves or others. Be aware of CDC and WHO guidelines.

How to Participate:

Just like regular GivingTuesday, #GivingTuesdayNow is not exclusively a fundraising day - it’s an opportunity for people around the world to stand together in unity - to use their individual power of generosity to remain connected and heal. While you certainly can use the day to raise critical dollars for your mission, here are 10 Ways to Participate in #GivingTuesdayNow without Fundraising.

●        Share good news stories. Both from your organization and other stories that inspire you. Check out GivingTuesday’s social channels for examples. Showcase all the good happening in your community.

●        Thank your supporters - host a virtual thank a thon or add to a virtual donor wall

●        24 hours of gratitude - post once an hour about things your organization is grateful for

●        Amplify others - fundraise for another organization, create a Facebook album to share your partners’ work

●        Go live - share how your organization has been responding to COVID-19 and how it’s impacted your work. You can do this from your couch!

●        Ask your supporters to get involved in your organization virtually, what can they do from their couches to move the needle on your cause.

Get Your Social Channels Ready

●        Brand your personal and nonprofit’s social media accounts with GivingTuesday graphics and be an ambassador for the movement. Download Facebook cover images and more in the Social Share Toolkit.

●        Announce that you’re participating in #GivingTuesdayNow and build anticipation with a countdown to May 5!

●        Use the hashtag #GivingTuesdayNow – the buzz amplifies your reach by expanding your normal audience +  encouraging new supporters to get involved with your nonprofit! (Please use “camel caps” in your hashtag for accessibility!)

●        Create content that shows your mission is something people want to get behind. Educate people about your cause area + what your organization is doing to make our world a better place particularly during the global pandemic. Be honest about the situation your organization is and what your needs are.

Rally Your Supporters Online

●        Go classic: encourage your supporters to share their “unselfie!” No printer? No problem. Use our digital unselfie sticker on Instagram! (Just search “Unselfie”)

●        Encourage your supporters to run a p2p fundraiser on behalf of your organization.

●        Encourage Twitter users to change their display name for the day to show that they’re supporting your organization for #GivingTuesdayNow (see example at right).

●        Organize a Twitter chat about your mission or Ask Me Anything with your team members

●        Don’t forget about the new Instagram donate stickers! (Here’s how to get your nonprofit set up)

●        Ask your social media followers to share stories of why they support your organization. Retweet their replies!

●        Organize a challenge (on TikTok or any channel)! Encourage your partners and friends to spread generosity on social media by getting creative.

●        Share the map!  We’re mapping generosity around the world. Encourage your supporters to share what they’ve been doing in response to COVID-19 and spread generosity in their local communities.

For more information and ideas, go to: https://now.givingtuesday.org/ or contact Red Root Marketing to set up a consulting session to get your business or nonprofit ready for Giving Tuesday!