Gearing Up For A New Season In the “New Normal”

Last year, the lockdown had hit right about the start of spring. We were told that we just need to wait it out, flatten the curve, and things will go back to normal. Of course, that hasn’t happened. We had the second wave, the third and so on. The vaccination will not be complete until at least fall, and even then, it is a tall order. But even those getting the vaccine still have to maintain all of the precautions. So there is absolutely no guarantee that by the end of September we will be back to normal.

In fact, many say that our current situation is going to become a part of a “New Normal”. What’s more, the pandemic and the following quarantine haven’t created a change, so much as they accelerated existing trends. Things are unlikely to go back to how they were.

One such change has been a reversal of urbanization. On one hand, more remote work opportunities means people can leave the expensive areas and expand outwards. On the other hand, the less densely populated areas received less restrictions, as per the Ontario zone system. Even now, during the lockdown, people from more dense parts are visiting the less restricted areas to do their business. While this presents health challenges, it is also a great opportunity for small businesses in smaller communities.

Of course, moving your business to a new area is a difficult task and not everyone is up for it. This is where the need to digitize comes in. Now, more than ever, having an app or an e-commerce site is going to be vital to show off your business to potential clients – something that we can provide for very reasonable prices.

Another strategy is to reassure your clients that you are doing everything in your power to keep them safe. Consider the following – Belarus did not implement any quarantine measures. Yet despite that, “Research shows that the number of passengers on the Minsk subway fell 25 per cent over the period. Restaurants revenues went down 80 per cent and the sale of non food items 20 per cent”. What this means is that even despite any lockdown measure, people are still concerned enough to avoid risky situations. We print custom, durable, colourful and eye catching stickers that you can use to let your customers know where the social distancing spots are, to provide directions, and to reassure them that the surfaces are cleaned frequently and thoroughly.

Personally, I think that many Canadians are getting restless and tired under the lockdown, and so they will use the lack of restrictions as much as they can. Which means that the usual avenues of advertisement will work as well. Now, under the lockdown, one in three entrepreneurs are considering closing. This is a very tough situation for any business to be in these days, especially since businesses closing and people being out of jobs leads to decreased spending, a domino effect that negatively affects everyone, those who permanently closed and those that remain. However, to the survivors, this also presents a golden opportunity, as they will face less competition and can take a larger share of the market going forward.

With the lockdown measures lessening, now is the time to get as much business as you can – advertise, go digital, and COVID-proof for success!