Reopening Arizona: Tips for business owners
As many businesses prepare to reopen or resume business operations as COVID-19 restrictions ease, small business owners in Arizona and throughout the country are wondering how to go about re-engaging with customers. What should you share with customers and how should you reach out to capture their attention as we begin reopening Arizona and the rest of the country?
Your No. 1 goal should be to keep your customers informed. Keep them informed about your reopening hours, your, new safety procedures, and changes in how your business is being conducted. These are a few of the different things to keep in mind as you beging reopening and easing back into business operations as usual. Here are three tips from AZ Media Maven about what to share with customers as your business resumes normal function:
1. Safety Precautions for Reopening
If you operate a brick-and-mortar business, the first thing you’ll want to share with customers is how you plan to keep them safe when they visit your business. Follow your county and national guidelines. Many people will understandably be cautious about interacting with others given the current circumstances, so it’s important to explain the precautions you have in place to promote social distancing and a hygienic environment.
Share your information with customers via your social media platforms, customer newsletters, and with flyers on your door and throughout the location. Not everyone is inclined to follow rules, so you may have to designate an employee to help enforce distancing, one-way aisles, seating arrangements, and appropriate spacing near the cashier.
2. New Rules or Processes as Reopening Begins
While you want to resume normal business operations, it’s possible that certain activities, tasks, processes, or regulations have changed as a result of the pandemic. One thing to share with customers as you reopen is any changes that might impact them. Many businesses are permanently shifting part of their work online, for example, including client meetings and consultations.
Others are keeping their normal hours of operations but are adapting how their staff move around the building to keep the space as clean and safe as possible. If you’re making changes, give customers a headsup so that they know what to expect and are a bit more understanding if they find themselves inconvenienced as a result.
3. Discounts/Exclusive Content for Loyal Customers
Finally, keep in mind that the quarantine has not been kind to many people. Finances are tight and you might see a dip in business as a result. Consider offering your customers some kind of exclusive content, product, or discount to help offset this hardship and encourage continued patronage. Make sure that this information is easily accessible to existing and potential customers alike.
The road to post-pandemic normalcy might be a long one, but you can get a head start on the reopening of Arizona by sharing important information with your customers and keeping them in the loop as you resume normal business functions.
AZ Media Maven is based in Laveen, AZ, a suburban village in the greater Phoenix area. Owner Rose Tring has 25 years of journalism experience as an editor and writer, many of those years in business news. AZ Media Maven was created to serve other business owners in learning how to best use social media. Reach AZ Media Maven by emailing azmediamaven@azmediamaven.com, or calling (602) 373-8371.
