Mindful Marketing for Small Business and Causes
What should small businesses do right now about coronavirus?
Prevention, Communication and Financial Preparedness
Hello!

Many of our clients have asked us, "What can I do right now about coronavirus?" - So, we decided to conduct our own research, and would like to share our latest findings. At some point, COVID-19 will have run its course and things will get back to normal.

At DreamCa tcher, we will monitor the situation closely, and remain diligent in implementing the best health and safety practices possible.

What we know

  • The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic on Wednesday and major events have been suspended or postponed.
  • In the US, 1,832 people have been diagnosed with at least 41 coronavirus-related deaths. (Updated March 13 at 10am).
  • Air travel was severely restricted for 30 days from most European countries.
  • Broward and Miami-Dade have declared a state of emergency, thereby activating authorities and giving them access to federal funds.

What everyone can do to prevent the spread

- Discuss proper hygiene and respiratory etiquette. You know the drill!

Hum the “happy birthday” song while hand washing, stay home if at-risk or feeling ill, cover noses and mouths with a tissue, elbow or shoulder, get rid of kitchen sponges and bar soaps at work, avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth.

- Follow and encourage basic wellness steps.

Build your immune system: Sleep, reduce stress, take short walks, practice mindful meditation, boost vitamin intake, avoid toxins.

Sonia Tigero , Ayurvedic Nutrition Specialist, recommends "drinking Ginger tea, consuming Kitchari (it digests easily and has more than 10 pharmacological effects in the body), and drinking warm water with lemon first thing in the morning."

- Encourage employees to work remotely temporarily, if that is an option.

- Reassess workplace cleanliness… you must disinfect! Cleaning alone does not kill germs.

Reported as “effective” against coronavirus: Isopropyl alcohol, bleach solutions, household hydrogen peroxide. Sorry, vinegar and vodka did not make the list on Consumer Reports .

Myth Busters from the World Health Organization .

- Forgo the popular handshake!
At DreamCatcher, we’ve fully embraced high-fives in the air, as well as the “Namaste” greeting and the Martial Arts “wrapping fist” salute with a slight bow (image above).

Tip: While retailers are facing sanitizer and alcohol shortages, our neighborhood corner store’s shelves had plenty of supplies!

Communicating with stakeholders.

Yes, this also applies to micro businesses! Be sure to keep everyone informed and updated during the outbreak.

- Post visible Health & Safety policies and measures you are taking.

- Distribute periodic communications on your website, by email and/or on social media.

- Food-service establishments should visit Restaurant.org for resources, and can download and print this Cleaning vs. Sanitizing poster .

- When handling complaints, make sure your team knows how to: Listen, respond, offer solutions, go beyond, and learn.

- Google Business recommends updating your information and posting any changes, such as your business hours.

Preparing for the financial impact.

If you built an emergency fund over time, congratulations! Otherwise, be proactive and start making smart financial choices now. Also, it’s unlikely that most small business – restaurants, shops, and so on – carry insurance to cover unexpected major events. Should you consider it in the near future, ask your insurance agent to provide you with Business Interruption coverage options.

Government Emergency Preparedness.

Yep! We found that New York, San Francisco and Seattle are working on a financial ‘package of actions’ that provides relief for small businesses impacted. The possibilities include tax deferrals, stabilization funds, and utility payment relief, among others.

Meanwhile at home… A package of $27.2 million and support for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is making its way to Florida, allowing eligible entities to access SBA loans. We contacted Senator Michael Rubio to obtain more information.

If you suspect you have been exposed...

First, call your medical provider if you are showing symptoms .

In Miami-Dade: Call the Florida Department of Health at 305-324-2400.
In Broward: Call the Florida Department of Health at 954-467-4700.
For questions about COVID-19 in Florida, call the Florida Department of Health at 1-866-779-6121.

Resources


What we know about the 2019 novel coronavirus by The University of Chicago Medicine: “Most people will feel pretty miserable for a week and get better on their own. Some people won’t get as sick, but it’s still important not to be out and about, so as not to spread the disease. A minority of patients will get worse instead of better. More


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Hoping this blog is helpful in your decision-making. If you offer helpful services and tools for the small business community, we want to hear from you! Email Mari Naranjo at hello@dreamcatcherMKT.com or Simon Coulson at scoulson@dreamcatcherMKT.com. Thank you!
 
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