The past few months have been a lot of things - strange, scary, painfully quiet and loud as thunder, full of so many questions - but now we’re getting back into the groove of what is going to be the new normal. We are so happy to hear our clients’ voices, read their emails, and interact in the smallest ways. There are steps that you can take to put yourself and your business in a better position as you reopen and figure things out! Check out the list below for some things we’ve learned along the way.

1. Be flexible. Everything is changing, and all businesses and markets are figuring out how to best serve their customers. Some things you do will work, and some won’t. Approach your reopening with an open mind and a little bit of flexibility.

2. Establish clear plans about your reopening, hygiene, policies, and team efforts, and communicate them clearly and often. Your customers want to know how you are going to tackle your reopening while keeping them safe and healthy. Take the time to make a plan, then train your team, and be sure to follow your plan. Can you wipe down areas of your store with a bleach solution? Are you requiring customers to wear face coverings? Communicate your plan to your customers through signage in your store, your website, your social media accounts, and your actions. Safety should be a top priority!

   Alpha Tip: We include a small card explaining our procedures with every order so our clients know we care about their safety and our team’s safety. We’ve had many thank you emails for this effort! Be sure to keep your clients informed.

3. Set the right tone - be thankful. If you have clients or customers coming to you as you reopen, set the right tone by showing your gratitude. We’ve found that this sense of genuine appreciation is what customers are looking for right now. If your customers are coming back to you, are you able to provide a small discount or gift card to repeat clients? A small show of gratitude will go a long way.

4. Embrace technology. Yes, you may be allowed to reopen your store based on local regulations, but that doesn’t mean that all your customers are ready to come back just yet. Some of your clients may have safety concerns, and you will need to be able to accommodate the way they are going to do business with you. Overall, we’ve found new ways to use the technology that existed, or implemented new technology to meet our business needs. Be considerate of all customers - whether they are coming into your store, or opting for pickup or delivery.

   Alpha Tip: While we love having clients in our shop, we know that it will be a while longer until we feel comfortable with this. We have converted our front lobby into a holding area for customer orders so that all orders are safe and sound for pickup. No customers or delivery persons are allowed past our front lobby. For clients who don’t feel comfortable coming to our front door, we also offer parking lot delivery - call us from your car, and our team will bring your order to you!

5. Communicate across all the channels available to you, and as often as you can. Many of your customers may still be telecommuting or waiting to go back to work, so utilize this time to communicate in a virtual space. Social media is a great (and free!!) way to communicate with your customers daily. Show them the ways you are cleaning your store, how you are training your employees, the great new merch you have in stock, what your family has been up to, and how your neighborhood is coming back to life. We’re spending more time at our computers these days, so use it to your advantage! Remember that all of your clients communicate on different platforms and have different preference, so use all the different social media accounts you have! You can also sign up for email clients (some of these are free, too!!) and send out product updates and newsletters to keep in touch. If you have your clients’ email addresses, social media handles, or other contact information, you can drop a friendly personal note, post, or call to let them know what is happening.

6. Take your services and products online. Do you have the ability to make an online store? Depending on the company you use to host your website, you may have this capability built-in, so it’s worth checking. Even if you need to confirm details of the order with your customer before it is finalized, an online store will give your customers the ability to find your services and products, and get an order started. Most website backends (like Wordpress and Squarespace) are fairly easy to set up and work with.

   Alpha Tip: So how did we offer custom graphics work in an online store? It’s easier than you might think! We used our website to build a special page for ordering COVID19 graphics and signage. All pieces are customizable. Our customers can choose the pieces they would like to order, select sizes and quantities, and pay online. It’s that easy!

7. Get new graphics and signage. Since people are out and about, this is a great time to elevate your game and look at how your shop or store appears to passers-by. Do you have shop windows that can be used for graphics or display? Is it time for a brand refresh? Do you have business cards to hand out or cards to write thank you notes? A fresh look for your store and other collateral may be just what new customers need to walk in your door. Plus, looking good never hurts!

As we evaluate what reopening looks like, feel free to take a page from our book, and see if these tips work for you! We’re always here for a virtual cup of coffee, a phone chat, or a good conversation over email. We would love to hear more about how our friends and neighbors are approaching reopening. Drop us a line!

And if you need any help with those new graphics, you know where to find us ;)

With all the love,

Team Alpha