Post Pandemic: A Small Business Renaissance

What we learned from the pandemic as vaccine distribution programs rolled out nationwide, returning to normalcy became a reality. During the pandemic, Main Street USA bore the brunt. However, many small businesses such as neighborhood restaurants offering take-out; independently owned coffee-shops; family-run hardware stores; small, local grocers; bakeries; hair salons; home-town-based service providers like auto mechanics, lawn-care, handymen, and home repair companies – were bolstered by support from within their communities. Customers learned a new appreciation for their local businesses that provided them with critical services and the comforts of a personal connection during months of distancing and isolation.

How can small businesses leverage this loyalty moving forward after emerging from the pandemic?

Small businesses discovered that success came from engaging with customers on multiple levels. Many businesses implemented smart technology plans like online ordering options and maintaining connections on social media. Curb-side pick-up and virtual payment became the norm for many restaurants, grocers, and brick-and-mortar establishments. At the same time, small shops and boutiques understood the value of creating personalized shopping experiences. Safe environments such as those put into place by salons: temperature checks, barriers between chairs, social distancing, and limited occupancy – were welcomed by clients desperate for an anxiety-free beauty refresh. Most importantly, the desire to stay close to home during the pandemic allowed small businesses to create relationships in the community and build or burnish their brand.  Retail experts predict this loyalty to continue and grow post-vaccine – if businesses understand how to harness it and meet their customer’s expanding needs. The past year saw the shuttering of malls and large chains: department stores and eateries. Surviving small businesses are poised to recover and thrive as consumers are hungry to return to their favorite pastimes of shopping, dining out, and traveling.

Signs are the original socially distanced, a contactless, remote form of advertising!

Except for online, virtual advertising, signs can communicate to your customers before they even enter your shop or visit your website.  Signs can capture the attention of passers-by, piquing their interest and prompting them to find out more about your offerings, driving them to your online presence.  There is a greater variety – and more affordable – sign options than ever before for the small business owner.  Post-pandemic, customers are looking for businesses and brands that express a bright newness, cleanliness, and fresh beginnings.  Does your brand need a refresh or update? The ID Associates design team can help you craft a new brand image tailored to deliver your message.

Signs of Success for the Small Business

Is it time for a new exterior sign? Signs that are broken or faded or with burned-out lighting components can adversely impact your business and revenues. Advances in lighting technology mean we can save you money with greener alternatives such as new LED lighting components. Colorful, large-format graphics can transform your interior space and are an affordable, high-impact way to convey your brand, products, and services on site. Greet your customers with a fresh vibe and energy. We can design custom graphics to make your environment stand out from the rest! Virtual work, virtual school, virtual concerts, and virtual family visits – the restrictions resulting from the pandemic have made all of us more tuned in to our screens. Digital signage shares that same ability to grab our attention and elicit the most direct response from customers.  Whether at street level or your physical location, this type of signage has the power to entertain, influence, and inform your audience.  The versatility of digital signs and interactive screens is almost limitless. Use this medium to communicate your story, product, process, policies, and philosophy. ID has the right digital sign for your small business. The pandemic has shown consumers that small, local businesses are the heart of the community. As we look ahead to a post-pandemic society, it’s important to put together a plan to position your small business for growth. New signage from ID Associates can help you raise your profile – and your sales numbers, contact us today to get started !