These are difficult times for many businesses. Your customers are in lockdown and shops and cafés stand empty. However, you shouldn’t give up. There are many things you can do to help keep your business afloat and also to support your clients. What options are left to avoid shutting up shop for good? Let’s look through some of them.

Options for cafés

Now is not an easy time for cafés. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, they have been forced to stop receiving visitors and close their doors. To stay afloat, many cafés could switch to delivery.

If you decide to change the nature of your business in this way for a while, be sure to use an SMS service to help you send out bulk messages to keep your clients informed of the readiness of their orders.

“Order No. 12345 accepted. Expect delivery within an hour”

You can also use SMS to simply support your customers and periodically remind them about you. For example, you could send them messages with recipes for your dishes. This can give them the opportunity to briefly imagine themselves in their favourite café while they are having dinner at home.

“Brighten up your evening with a dinner from your favourite café. Start with our signature salad. To prepare it, you will need…..”

Options for clothing stores

Clothing stores, especially small ones, are also suffering losses. In this situation, it’s time to switch to online sales. If you don’t have the opportunity to make a full-fledged website to go to online retail, then social media and SMS messages may be the way to go.

Create a page in social media where customers can see your goods. SMS messages can help you stay in touch. For example for notifying your clients about delivery times.

Why do you need SMS? Because not everyone is always connected to instant messaging services or social media. Using SMS widens your potential audience to reach those without smartphones.

“The courier will arrive at 2 p.m. You will have 20 minutes to try on your chosen clothes. We remind you that our couriers comply with all necessary protection measures. We ask you to show responsibility by also complying with these measures. Thanks for your order. Stay home, stay safe”

Options for cinemas

Cinemas are now suffering heavy losses, because it is impossible for them to transfer their activities online or switch to delivery. However, if you are the owner of a cinema, you can support people who are in isolation.

By sending, for example, a selection of films for weekends, you can show your concern for clients who won’t forget you when you open your doors again and they will be more likely to choose your place to watch the latest films.

“Self-isolation should not be boring. Our cinema has prepared for you a selection of the best comedies of the 21th century to brighten up your evenings. For fans of music and travel,we have Heavy Trip. If you’re missing zombies, then watch Zombieland. And if you’re missing views of small but beautiful European cities, your evening will brightened up by In Bruges”

Veterinary clinics

Although veterinary clinics haven’t been closed, as they are vitally important, nevertheless, under current restrictions, the flow of clients has decreased. In order to maintain client numbers, where possible, you could switch to the home treatment of pets, by sending vets out to call on clients, rather than waiting for them to drop in at your clinic.

You could also give online consultations or organize SMS mail-outs with valuable pet care tips. An example of a possible topic is how to cure food poisoning at home; what actions need to be taken and which medicines are suitable.

“If your pet has eaten something and feels bad right now, don’t panic. First, give them the necessary medicines [name of medicines], keep them well hydrated and give them lots of tender loving care. If you need any assistance, call a vet on our phone number;123-456-789”

Whatever your area of business let’s together try to be calm and adapt to circumstances of the lockdown.