Small Business during a Pandemic
Nearly six months from when the US shut down for several weeks has passed. When the MI Governor first shut our state down I spent the first few days lying on the floor worrying about how my business would survive. The store was finally hitting the open five-years mark (which is supposed to be a turning point), and up until then every month was better than previous years. So realizing I might head backward was disappointing and scary.
After a few days I realized this was not going to help my store (or my sanity for that matter), so I started coming to the store everyday (I was by myself), and working four-five hours every day. In the past I posted daily about new items, or pics of piles of new vintage delivered to the store, or I posted without prices or measurements.
Totally changing how I posted saved my store. I started posting vignettes (with prices clearly marked), and every day in the afternoon I posted a dozen pics on Instagram stories. Those posts also had measurements and prices. After a while I started posting larger furniture items on Facebook Marketplace. When curbside pick up was the only option I saved my store too.
Thankfully the post office is essential and I went there twice a week with lots of boxes. (SO SO THANKFUL). During this time I learned so much about packaging!! And after putting a local call out to my area I had more than enough boxes, wrapping paper, papers and air pillows that I didn’t have to purchase additional shipping supplies (which can be so expensive).
Prior to Covid I had shipped to customers, but I never really promoted. So I started posting pics of “shipping day” and labeling packages with the states they were headed for. It really helped get the word out (I posted this in stories on both IG and FB). I used to ship maybe 10 packages a month, and now I average 20 packages a week. During the lockdown I was shipping approximately 35 boxes a week!
So, we are “somewhat” on the other side of the lockdown. My store can be open with regular hours and I’m wearing a mask and wiping surfaces down all the time. It’s certainly easier to sell at the store (vs packing etc), but I am so thankful that I’m still doing a lot of shipping in addition to the store being open.
And I’m still practicing a lot of the things I learned: I include prices and measurements, I still post stories on IG every afternoon, I try and keep several items listed on Marketplace, and I still share in stories when I’m shipping packages.
All of this worked because people have stepped up to love on, and support, my dream store. I’m beyond thankful that I have a solid, repeat, customer base. And a great following on many social media platforms. So not sure how this would have worked in year one or two for me (add Pandemic to another new business struggle!).
In the end…..I have to own how much I learned. How critical social media is to my business, and how important it is to continually have your business “out there”……and we all know there will be more learning “opportunities” coming for me and my little store.
Thank you to everyone for loving on small, local, vintage stores. You DO make the difference between staying open and closing. <3
