“Shop small!”
“Buy local!”

These phrases have become staples in our world over the past few years and for good reason. Spending our dollars in locally-owned businesses keeps more money in our own community and fosters a stronger sense of connection that can’t be found when buying at big box stores, retail chains, or online. For the past 10 years, ever since American Express started Small Business Saturday, customers have increasingly taken to the movement. Embracing the businesses that they know, trust, and love continues to be on an upward trend.

Unfortunately the pandemic threw us a curveball. Local businesses are finding themselves severely challenged. Stores have slowly reopened but with new guidelines and related expenses. As we head into the fall and holiday season we are facing a completely different landscape with new questions to ask. Are customers going to feel safe enough to shop in person? Are we going to have to shutdown again if we see another increase in cases?

What can small businesses do to continue giving their customers the opportunity to support them now and during the upcoming fourth quarter?

Although it may seem daunting and perhaps futile to try to compete with companies who have been online for years, it may also be an ideal time for small businesses to take the dive. This year has not surprisingly seen a drastic increase in online sales as customers have been shopping from home more. Adobe has reported that by October 5th of this year, online sales will have surpassed last year’s. Small businesses should be sharing in the fruits of this trend in a way that’s comfortable, affordable, and sustainable. Adding eCommerce will also give customers an opportunity to support their favorite local businesses. Last but not least, business owners may find that having an online presence creates a feasible new revenue stream. In the future they can continue to maintain or grow once our lives return to normal.

In this article, Burris Computer Forms^® would like to offer a few thoughts and pointers about taking this plunge.

It’s been a whirlwind these past few months, challenging everyone to stay flexible and creative. Until the pandemic is over, let’s do what we can to keep providing the magic that small, local businesses have to offer. Who knows? The changes we make today to keep ourselves viable may serve us well, even when this crazy time is just a memory.

If there’s anything we at Burris Computer Forms can do to help, let us know!

Mail Merge is a great time saver if you need to create documents that are mostly the same but unique in some way. For example, name tags for an event or envelopes with each person’s name and address.

Door hangers have many uses beyond “do not disturb.” A local health department, in conjunction with help from their police force, found them beneficial to spread the word about the Zika virus.

The Zika virus, spread by mosquitoes, became an issue of concern in Martinsville, Virginia in 2016. Therefore, to inform citizens on how best to protect themselves, the health department distributed informational door hangers along the streets.

Read on to see an excerpt from the Martinsville Buletin with greater detail. Also, check out our Create-N-Hang Door Hangers to tackle issues of your own.