NEW ME XICO SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT UNM By Cyndi Jarvison This year has brought changes that not many businesses could have foreseen. Interactions with our customers and vendors taking place in a virtual world is necessary now more than ever before. It is critical to adapt in order to maintain growth and exceed customer expectations. Remember, you are not in this alone; the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is here to help. Our goal is to develop skilled entrepreneurs and strong businesses. Some items to look at right now are: Take a Good Look at Your Budget and Operations Start here. It is always good to prioritize your costs and check insurance coverages to see if there is a disaster coverage clause in any of your insurance policies. Review the expenses in your budget and project upcoming revenue. There are many resources for small businesses and most are at no to little cost. SBDCs, SCORE mentors, WESST, chambers of commerce’s, and so many other organizations statewide are eager to help. No cost, interactive webinars are available at www. nmsbdc.org, along with other helpful information and links to COVID-19 resources. Begin to Educate Your Customers Start adding messages to your communications to encourage your customers to be supportive of your business and other local businesses such as: #ShopSmall #ShopLocal Here is another message: As we watch how other small businesses around the country are being impacted by COVID-19, we can’t help but feel thankful for all of you. It is in times like these that we realize the value of community, and we are grateful for the love you show our business day in and day out. Prepare Your Crisis Communications Policies Businesses and non-profits of all types in our area have received a huge education on the fly about how to communicate in a crisis. This is actually a very predictable process, but it is awfully difficult to think clearly and create a message when you are in stress mode. The good news for you is that there are a lot 8
November 2020
