The way small businesses or companies of any size operate has been upended by the coronavirus. So, addressing how to handle the coronavirus crisis and keep your company productive during this time has become paramount.
And this week’s roundup has an article appropriately titled, “How to Handle the Coronavirus Crisis and Keep Your Team and Yourself Productive.” It looks at how you and your team can work remotely and the tools you can use to make it happen.
Similarly, another article looks at the anxiety business owners and employees are experiencing brought on by the outbreak. This is a timely read for everyone as it lines out ways you can reduce your anxiety level with tips from experts in the field.
Last but not least is the government response to the coronavirus. From the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to the IRS extending payment and filing deadlines, the roundup has all the information you need.
Take a look at the rest of the roundup below as well as our Coronavirus Business Center page.
Management
How To Handle The Coronavirus Crisis and Keep Your Team and Yourself Productive
With COVID-19 (coronavirus) making its way around the world, hardly any economic sector has been left unaffected. As the wave is sweeping over the United States, a lot of businesses and organizations are taking measures to prepare themselves for possible quarantines and shut-downs.
The Small Business Mindset You Need Right Now
If you’re a small business owner, there’s really only one question on your mind; how do I stay in business through this COVID-19 crisis? We’ve never seen anything like this before. But then again, we have had disruptions that have shuttered businesses before.
Coronavirus Response Act Requires Businesses to Pay Sick Leave for Covid-19
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act affects all employers with 1-500 employees. And it also includes protections for those who are self-employed. President Donald Trump signed the Act March 18. And it will become law in 15 days. The act spells out the requirements. Employers pay sick leave for those affected by COVID-19.
Small Business Coronavirus Update
Small Alcohol Distillers Step Up to Meet Hand Sanitizer Demand
With hand sanitizers going out of stock in stores and distribution centers, it is leaving many without during the coronavirus outbreak. Alcohol distillers are trying to fill the gap. This is in part due to the Tax and Trade Bureau giving the green light for alcohol beverage producers a special exemption to make hand sanitizer.
Instacart Adding 300,000 Freelance Drivers to Meet Coronavirus Shopping Demand
To meet increasing customer demand for online grocery deliver and pickup during the COVD-19 pandemic, Instacart has announced plans to bring on an additional 300,000 full-time service shoppers across the United States during the next three months. Instacart’s grocery delivery platform allows users to shop from leading grocery stores, such as Costco and Safeway.
Hello Alice Launches Business for All and COVID-19 Business Resource Center
In March 2020, Hello Alice, launched its Business for All movement. The site provides step-by-step guides. You also find expert resources and collaborative communities of fellow entrepreneurs. And all on its small business accelerator platform.
Could Holographic Conferences Replace Live Ones?
Have you seen the hologram of President Reagan, maybe Tupac’s concert? Well, the technology has gotten much better and it is now being used to hold conferences and meetings by businesses. Considering the events of the past couple of weeks, this is a technology everyone will want in their homes as soon as it becomes affordable. And eventually, it will be.
IRS Extends Tax Filing Deadline for Individuals and Businesses
US Treasury Sec. Steven Mnuchin officially extended the IRS tax filing deadline to July 15, 2020, to help individuals and businesses adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. This updates a previous announcement earlier this week extending the tax payment deadline only to mid-July. Mnuchin made the announcement during a daily coronavirus briefing from The White House on Friday.
What is an Essential Business?
You’ve likely heard the terms “essential business” and “non-essential business” mentioned on the news quite a bit lately. But these are technically not new concepts.
Marketing Tips
How to Create an Unforgettable Unboxing Experience for Your Customers
Search for “Unboxing” on YouTube and you will get around 90 million results. Unboxing is a thing, and this, in turn, has made packaging your second product. So, consumers now see a memorable unboxing experience as valuable.
These Old School Marketing Techniques Are Making a Comeback
Old-school marketing tools like store signage and direct mail are enjoying a new popularity. In fact, eighty three percent of marketers surveyed say using tools like direct mail bumps up ROI. Small Business Trends contacted John Patinella, CEO of Money Mailer, and Kristin Gallucci, Director of Marketing of Signarama, to find out why these are popular again.
42% of B2B Marketers Say They Need Better Personalized Marketing
Are your B2B marketing strategies not yielding expected returns? If yes, then chances are you will need to personalize your marketing strategies. According to the latest survey from Folloze, 42% of B2B marketers said that their marketing efforts are not fully personalized.
Sales
How to Start Selling Gift Certificates
Gift certificates are being touted as a popular way for small businesses to continue earning revenue during the closures and social distancing procedures enacted due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, selling gift certificates can help a variety of businesses increase sales no matter the situation or time of year.
Small Business Operations
How to Work from Home
Many small businesses are now allowing employees to work remotely because of the coronavirus pandemic. Even aside from this recent reality, working from home has been steadily gaining popularity among business owners and employees for years. It’s not all bad, though. About 91 percent of workers actually think they’re more productive when working remotely.
Tips and Resources
How to Deal With Anxiety at Work
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines anxiety as “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. We live in more uncertain times and that heightens anxiety in our lives, but especially in our work life.
5 Business Improvisation Tips for Your Company
When you encounter an uncertain time like this, you could improvise and take this time to do things you were putting off. Business Improvisation Tips Here are 5 business improvisation tips to consider trying. Modify Business Objectives Evaluate if you can repurpose your business and retool to do something that could use the skills and tools that you have.
How Women and Minority Entrepreneurs Can Get the Best Resources
All entrepreneurs face difficulties in getting funding, customers, advice and other resources. But for women and minority entrepreneurs, it has always more been difficult than for the typical small business owners. On the Small Business Radio Show this week, Elizabeth Gore, the co-founder and president of Alice helps businesses launch and grow.
Technology Trends
How to Use Voice Assistants For Your Business
With the advent of technology, more business processes are getting automated, easily streamlined and getting efficient. Key to these rapid changes is artificial intelligence or machine learning where bots in programs now allows us to delegate manually redundant tasks to machines. Not only these but machines can now process complicated data and make intuitive projections and forecasts.
What is the Best Platform to Sell Products Online?
Retailing over the internet or e-commerce has forever changed the nature of retailing. The advent of digital technology has enabled small businesses to run their company more efficiently and profitably. By keeping their fingers on the pulse of technological innovations, small businesses can increase their productivity as well as their market share.
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