According to a recent article from the Washington Post, more than 100,000 small businesses have closed their doors forever this year, and sadly, that number is still on the rise. 

This is scary numbers that keep small businesses up at night, but those who remain open know that to move beyond this moment, one MUST press forward.

I live in Arizona, and right now, we are in the midst of one of the worst heat waves in our state’s history. We’ve had over 96 straight days with 100-degree weather and 13 consecutive days over 113 degrees. And of course I writing this after our air conditioner decided to take a turn for the worse, so I can personally tell you, the heat is very oppressive.

So not only are we melting, but with COVID restrictions, people are staying put which of course is effecting the bottom line of the small businesses here in Arizona. Of course sales typically can be less during these months and are expected, but this year has proven to be more challenging than ever before.

Last night while searching Facebook (and hoping our AC would kick back on) I saw a picture of a small business trying to make light of this situation to help draw clients into their establishment. I laughed at first because I have been without air conditioning in my home for days now and thought to myself, “If I saw this sign, I would have gone in for sure and bought whatever they had to get time in that freezer!”. But this is the type of spirit that we need at this time. One that is not giving up and sees the small joys during the storm. This company is taking a negative and trying to work it into a positive one. This spirit is something we should all be doing, whether at work or home. 

What are you doing to adapt to the new situations around you? Are you trying to adapt to the change, or are you letting the changes destroy you? Sometimes you can’t control the outcome, and sadly for thousands of small businesses, that outcome has been to close their doors. But for those still open, still fighting the good fight now more than ever is the time to dig deep and look at ways to evolve in our new world.

As media professionals, we have the honor of helping small businesses realize their dreams and help them stay open during hard times. When going out into your communities, remember that your outreach to them could make the difference between closing their doors or staying open. Small business marketing budgets are at all-time lows. Still, with the right guidance from individuals such as yourself, those dollars can be maximized in ways they can’t think of on their own.

Listen, I am sure you are getting a lot of “no’s” right now when reaching out to the community, but remember that every no is bringing you to that yes. And a “no” isn’t “no forever”, it’s just “no for now”. There are people out there who need you, and their needs are changing on a daily basis.

If you are struggling with your approach to successfully reach people, we can help! We have a number of training videos that can give you the tools for success. Might I suggest watching courses such as Conducting the Needs Assessment and Staying Positive. Not a member of P1 Learning? Don’t worry, you can still watch these videos and others by registering for a free 7-day free demo, here.