While many may not have imagined our present day back in March, and to what extreme we would be doing things “remotely” and via “hands-free contact”, we have to give some credit to small business owners who remain flexible and have pivoted to stay afloat. They deserve major credit on adaptations they have made (and possibly investments) in new technology (ordering online, online payments) especially at a time when their in-person revenues have taken a hit.

There are various marketing buzz words being used lately to say “let’s keep our distance”, including: curbside, to-go, hands-free, no contact, delivery only, order via app, social distancing and #wearamask.

The thing is, if you really think about it, small businesses are always in evolution mode – they have to pay attention to consumer consumption and behaviors that can shift quickly in order to stay relevant and utilize their marketing and advertising budgets wisely. They heavily rely on positive customer reviews and word of mouth recommendations because they may not have the budget for large scale efforts.

For example, we use Lyft or Uber vs calling an individual cab owner; we order on Amazon vs shopping at a local mom-and-pop shop; we download and make playlists of music vs going to a record or music store. Small business owners are constantly fighting to keep up with the big guys and have to take into account how their product/service has relevance, and if it’s easy for people to attain. In current times, they’ve had to place major efforts into contactless experiences that often require utilizing a digital platform.

If stores or restaurants didn’t already have an online ordering platform, they had to implement one. Many may have already had a way to order online but once they were forced to close their dining areas, they had to figure out how to collect payments safely upon pickup; this may have required them to implement a new system. Many restaurants also had to restructure pick up and to-go orders, whether it was adding additional signage or reconfiguring their pick up space to make sure people were able to easily practice social distancing.

According to this article from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, “Studies have shown that 73% of small businesses are not aware of digital resources, such as online payment processing tools, online productivity tools, e-commerce websites, online marketing and other tools, that can help them reach customers around the world. If small businesses had better access to global markets, it could increase the GDP of the United States by $81 billion and add 900,000 new jobs. During the pandemic, this could also mean the difference between thriving and closing for good.”

There are some larger corporate technology companies offering ways to support small businesses whether it’s through small business grants from Google, resources and grants from Facebook or Verizon giving them a break on their telecom bill. The challenge with this may be whether or not small business owners are able to find time from their intense focus on surviving to applying for these grants and managing all that admin time. Many business owners may be focusing on what technology they have and can upgrade, or what they need to implement – most likely while seeing a loss in revenue. So, it can be a tough decision to make new technology investments.

It does seem like many have made incredible strides, and quickly (which is impressive), to still offer their products and services to customers – whether it’s a contactless pay method, free delivery, or even reservations to ensure limited capacity and socially distanced visits. There are still some that just haven’t able to do that yet, and may be looking at other ways to take their business to a wider audience online.

We would encourage, if you can, to support small businesses in your community as often as you can. Understandably there are times that it’s easier to order on Amazon, but if there is a way you can pick up something from a local brewery or family-owned business, this may be the lifeline they need to survive and/or to invest in new technology to help them adapt.

Side hustles have become the name of the game, and especially during these turbulent times, we have to get extra creative when it comes to making money. With so many of us making moves and so much noise, it can be hard to get the word out and stand out when sharing your side hustle.

Reuben Jackson of Big Think shared five ways that you can market your side hustle (we added a sixth tip for good measure), and comment with your thoughts and ideas on the subject:

1. Referrals: Don’t Be Afraid to Ask!
   If you’re going to make a splash, you have to be willing to ask for favors. Reach out to your network and ask them to help spread the word on your new venture. This can be as simple as asking your friends to share a Facebook post with information that refers them to your page or website. Word of mouth is still important and incredibly effective.
2. Start Where You Are
   Immediately running an expensive ad right out of the gate may not be the most effective use of your (likely) limited funds. Use the resources you do have to your advantage – especially if you’re just testing things out to see how the side hustle goes in the real world. You can do this by creating a simple, informational landing page for a small fee. Or, if you’re not looking to put any money into it right away, create an enticing email signature that explains what you do in a concise and eye-catching way. Check out these tools to create a kickin’ email signature.
3. Gather Positive Reviews
   If you’ve performed a service or sold a product, ask your customers to write a review on the experience. Never underestimate how many potential customers read reviews before choosing where to spend their money, so this is an incredibly important asset. Once a service is completed or a product is sold, send a thank you note to your customer and kindly ask them to write a review. Be sure to provide them with links to easily drop a line on Yelp or your company’s Facebook page.
4. Be Strategic With Social
   It’s common to think that you have to have a presence on all channels right away. Start smaller. Think about your demographic and do some research on which platforms reach that demographic most effectively. From there, put your time and energy into building a presence on one or two channels. Post consistently and engage with followers. After you’ve developed a solid following, you can then expand to other platforms.
5. Give Paid Marketing A Shot
   Once you’ve made a dollar or two, try experimenting with some Facebook or Twitter ads. They’re relatively cheap to run and can attract people you may not have otherwise had a chance to reach out to. Again, the key is to start small and don’t get discouraged if these don’t have people knocking your door down; it may take trial and error to create the perfect ad for your hustle.
6. Go Local
   Local newspapers and magazines are always looking for news on what local residents are doing. Send an email to your town/city’s journal or local Patch affiliate. Let them know what you’re up to, offer yourself for an interview, and give enticing information. The key is doing this in a way that your hustle is seen as beneficial to the public, and is not just an ad.

These days, it’s not enough to be a household name. Heck, we’ve already learned that branding means next to nothing in today’s society, especially if said brand has garnered a bad rap for being offensive in nature. And the fact is, with millions of companies struggling to stay afloat, it’s no longer enough to get your proverbial foot through the door just through brand loyalty. You also have to prove your value to your customer base in order to be able to keep it there, too.

That’s why it’s more important than ever for companies to take a hard look at how they run their businesses. The ability to remain flexible during these uncertain times may make all the difference in whether a company remains solvent, or if it collapses under the mounting pressure of a recession-bound coronavirus economy. So what’s a company to do to keep from joining the ranks of other businesses that have gone under in recent months? Is there any hope left for them?

Surprisingly enough, the trick to not succumbing to bankruptcy may lie in a company’s ability to pivot. Now, this doesn’t mean that you’re going to do a shimmy and a shake and a hip pop next (though, to be fair, it may look cool to see a bunch of octogenarian CEOs getting groovy on the dance floor). In this context, pivoting is remarkably simple in nature — but may be a near-impossible feat for companies that aren’t willing to approach their branding strategies with an open mind.

Pivoting is a novel way of approaching how you run your business. Instead of getting trapped in a dogmatic, my-way-or-the highway-mentality, these business owners need to find a fresh approach in how they offer their goods and services to their customers. Take, for instance, Spotify. This music streaming service has largely depended upon advertisers to earn revenue, which meant that unpaid subscriptions were their bread and butter. One might think that with more people staying home and listening to their jams to stay upbeat during quarantine, Spotify would flourish.

The reality was though, that ad revenue dried up as their advertisers cut their budgets. Spotify remained undeterred, and thus their own pivot emerged. Instead of letting this potentially catastrophic loss of income lead to their demise, they took a unique approach to remaining relevant: they allowed users to host their own original content. Suddenly everyone had a voice, and they wanted to make it heard to their doting public. Spotify found themselves signing deals for celebrity podcasts, and even the average user wanted in on the fun. By going this route, Spotify was able to remain relevant.

How does this translate to other businesses? And is pivoting applicable in real life? Well, sure. Take a look at restaurants. They’ve been hit harder than most, and many restaurant owners found themselves permanently shuttering their doors in the aftermath of the coronavirus quarantines. However, by pivoting, many of these restaurants may be able to continue serving up fresh and delicious fare to their community. Perhaps by offering subscription meal services, or maybe a la carte entrees with cute little recipe cards for sides, tucked into the to-go box.

However, it’s not enough to just pivot. What’s the secret then, to not becoming the next company to suffer a premature death at the hands of coronavirus? For starters, a company needs to be able to capitalize on the new norms established by the virus. This can include working from home, or meeting broken supply chain demands. Secondly, the pivot needs to align with what the business already offers. Your local gastropub, for instance, isn’t going to start to offer a free haircut with every meal. And finally, the company needs to crystallize themselves as necessary in the eyes of their consumer base… and, ultimately, this perception needs to help them make money.

Unfortunately, it’s a sad reality that not every company has the privilege to deliver a good that regarded as a necessity. If they shift their model and how they provide their services to their customers, however, they can take the first step in presenting themselves as a product that we not only want, but also need, in this new economy. Compounding on their existing reputation, and maintaining an open mind about how they operate their business, can make all the difference in whether these businesses can stick around for another decade or two. Otherwise, they may find themselves to be next company folding in this coronavirus-stricken economy.