With all this focus on social distancing and physical events moving to virtual events, many of us are resorting to a looming end as we won’t connect with our customers and we will all lose a ton of business in this. In the event that your business does get quiet and you don’t get the same flood of new customers or jobs flying through your doors. I’m sure you can think of a hundred things that you have been wanting to do but simply never found time. Well, time found you.
I’m standing in front of Brainless Tees, a screen printing business owned and operated by Adam Funderburg. Adam’s been a good friend and customer of Ryonet since he left his public waste career just seven years ago and started working for himself. I’m sure many of you know how risky that is as you took a similar plunge. I’m over here this morning because my head was spinning on all the media information and real-life changes that are happening in our world and foreseeably impacting our global and local communities, our families, and our lives. It is now to the point where some of us were hopeful it would not progress to, but has continued to spread while escalating and is now “our problem”.
Oh no, what now?
Don’t fall victim to the doom and gloom and instead focus on all the potential you and your business have. It isn’t about what happens as much as how you let it affect you and your mission. This creates a major opportunity that through this crisis we are able and now willing to harness more of our technology in not only our personal lives but now into our professional lives as well. It makes me think about my own behaviors and my habits while I am working vs. not working. Why don’t we think about saving time/money at work as much as we do at home? Is it because it isn’t our wallet? Actually, it is.
I don’t deny that your business may be affected. However, who are we to say that people won’t adapt and demand will instead increase? If event sponsors and vendors save time and money on travel, set-up, shipping, and festivities, what are they going to do with this offset of funds? Would it be out of the question to ask if they instead would like to invest into more apparel and more products to enhance the original reason for having an event which was to promote their causes?
If your business is negatively impacted you should connect with (SBA, U.S. Small Business Association) to see what options are available for you.
WE MUST KEEP ON KEEPING ON.
If your mission is strong and your will is stronger, you will persevere. Adam spent the weekend coming up with new marketing campaigns that he has been looking forward to spending time on and the time is right now to move forward on. His shop is about 500 ft. from Ryonet’s offices in Vancouver, WA. However, you and the other 20,000+ printers who rely on Ryonet and screenprinting.com are not at all close to us. That hasn’t faulted our ability to serve you daily and assist in your growth, share success stories and laugh over funny events we experience together. We give over the phone free tech support, connect with you in virtual proposals for larger equipment additions, and take more than 300 of your orders a day through our website/app and also the phone/email lines. Many of you text in orders like you were saying hi to your friends right from your phone.
In so many cases, this is an opportunity to be less dependent on manual processes and limited options of pick-up and delivery. With planning and using technology, we are now able to be anywhere, anytime, for less money and resources put forth. But, we are also able to get anything sent directly to us for a nominal price. Ryonet ships all consumables straight to your door for no charge when your order is only $200. That is a couple gallons of ink and a pack of film. It doesn’t take much. Seems like a lot of products and you only need a small order? We’ve got you covered. This week use code SMALLORDER to get free shipping on an order less than $200.
What if your business does slow down?
It’s time to make the most of it. Clean your shop. Reach out to past customers. Spend time on your yearly plan and be sure to create projects for your most impactful objectives. Write some standard operating procedures that have lived only in your head and should see the light of day in document form to better sharing and self-servicing by your staff. Heck, maybe simply for you to review and pick apart. Why do I do it like that? Lean out your processes. Find out which of your tasks you perform daily or ask to have performed are business value add and something that customers would pay for. If the answer is none of those, try and avoid or automate. Read a book and gain some knowledge in a subject that is relevant and may have been causing you some unneeded anxiety. Are all your company eggs in one big basket? How can you diversify? What can you be the best in the world at? How are you and your services differentiated and how can you better message to the world what those are? We are giving away our “Made to Make It” book written by our owner, Ryan Moor. In case you also can spare time for reading. Use code GIMME at checkout for your FREE digital copy of Made to Make It, along with your next order.
BE DIFFERENT AND SHINE BRIGHT.
Remember why you started your business and what your customers will gain by your business remaining strong. In this day and age, I urge you to think differently and put more awareness on how we all can streamline what we do everyday. The change is small and the impact is massive. If we all do a little better each morning, then tomorrow is brighter than today.
Be safe, and be assured this too will pass. #dontstopthepresses #poweringtheprint
Brandon Schmunk
President | Ryonet
