Author: Editorial Staff

Best Ways to Get Positive Reviews for Your Business

In the age of the internet many people like to “Google” a business, medical office, or restaurant before they visit it. It’s human nature to want to get an idea of what you’re “in for” before you visit somewhere you’ve never been. And the internet has made it easier than ever before to find out just what to expect.

Your potential customers will find two things as they search for you:
1. The stuff you are promoting about your own business
(What you want them to know)
2. Reviews that others have left about your business
(Some things you may fear them hearing about)

What You Want Visitors To Know

Every business owner wants their visitors to know the “good stuff” about the business. You want to share why the business is preferred by so many, how many honors, records, or awards you may have, and how much recognizable members of your community love what you do. A lot of this can be achieved through carefully crafted media. Media takes many forms, but most businesses these days start with a website.

Your Website
Your website is a place you can share all of the above, all while keeping within your brand identity. You can share photos, videos, testimonials, product details, hours and information all on a website designed to look and feel like your business. Not only can a great website promote the business itself, but it can add to it. Examples of this can be found in restaurants, retailers and medical offices that have added online ordering, curbside pickup, and appointment setting. All of these conveniences can make customer experience more positive.

Your Business Environment
How to people feel when they walk in? What kind of conveniences are in place for your visitors? If they have to wait,  what are you doing to make their waiting experience b? All of these questions look at your business environment. The physical space in which your visitors see and feel. There are many things you can do to create a more positive environment, but we suggest starting with the simple things like putting in comfortable seating and making conscious choices about what to put on your TV.

Your Advertising
How you portray yourself in the public eye will inform how people think of you. Advertising has long been a way to shape public perception. That’s why it’s so often used in politics and branding. Whether you are creating a billboard for the highway, or a TV commercial to air, there is great power in advertising. The more times people hear something the more they embrace it, so think of advertising as the way to get your controlled messaging across. 

Now advertising has come a long way in the past few years, and it’s not all about paid slots anymore. Airing a TV commercial on local cable can be really expensive, especially if you want to replay it a bunch of times. We’ve found that creating your own TV network within your business is a much more cost effective way to take advantage of the TV medium, without having to spend money every time you want to air the commercial. Platforms like It’s Relevant TV offer businesses an unlimited number of playbacks of their own ads within their businesses– while mixing them with TV content matched to their audiences. It’s a great way to create a comfortable and controlled environment for your visitors.

Improving Online Reviews

Every business owner wants their visitors to know the “good stuff” about the business, yet so many review sites seem to be filled with more bad than good. It’s unfortunate, but human nature favors something psychologists call the negative bias. It’s the notion that we are drawn more to the negative than the positive in many situations. Simply put, one negative review can do more to hurt you than 1 positive review can to help. You may even feel that 1 negative review does more harm than 5 positives do to provide good, because negativity is so much more powerful in society.

So how can you avoid these hurtful negative reviews? The best way to do this is to provide your visitors with positive experiences. Easier said than done right? It is, but it can be easier if you follow a few best practices:

Do the Best You Can To Start
Always put your best foot forward. Do what you can to make people comfortable in your space and address things you feel might be problems before they become them.

Communicate to Your Visitors
You want to let your visitors know that you care about them. Let them know what you are doing to make their visit a great one. We recommend highlighting things they may not know about on your TV or through another display. “Skip the line next time with our new mobile app”.

Get Timely Feedback
Don’t assume that you’ve done everything right. No one is perfect, and every business can improve. But it shouldn’t be a guessing game. The way we can all best improve is to solicit feedback from our visitors.Getting feedback from people while their experiences are freshest in their minds is vitally important.

There are a few ways you can do this. Send an email or text message immediately after someone visits if you have that info. If you don’t it’s even easier to post a message on your TV with a QR code that visitors can scan while they are there. Once they scan it they can answer a brief survey and you can get direct feedback, while they are still in the building.

Review Their Feedback
Getting great feedback is the first step, reading the feedback and understanding it is the next step. It’s best to have a member of your staff assigned to this role so that it is done regularly. This is not an old fashioned “comment box” mentality, opening the box up once a month and looking at some anonymous notes that you can choose whether or not to act upon. In today’s society people expect you to act quickly.

Act Upon Feedback & Communicate Back
After you have reviewed the feedback, and whether or not you intend to act upon it, you should communicate back with your visitor. Don’t wait more than 24-48 hours to get back to people that have left you feedback. You want to show your visitors that you value their opinions and they time they took to message you. If you do intend to make a change or if you have a solution for them personally let them know so that they feel that you have solved their issue.

Why it is So Important to Ask for Feedback

There is also an added advantage to soliciting this feedback. Often times when someone has a bad experience they want to tell someone. If they tell a friend it may cause their friend to not visit you in the future. And worse, if they go online and write a review it may cause a whole group of people that don’t even know them to not visit you. By focusing their feedback back to you not only can you address it directly and do your best to help, but you are also diverting the negative review away from the public eye, and keeping it private.

 

 

Free TV for Medical Waiting Rooms

Looking for a full-featured TV service for your medical office waiting for free?

There is no such thing as a free lunch, but is there a good free TV solution?

We all know that free isn’t usually free. There is typically a catch. We’ll examine the things to look out for in this article, but if you want to cut to the chase, TV services like this one, are as close to free as you’ll get; with features that make it worthwhile, and tools to even offset the cost.

Many of the self-proclaimed “free” TV services are giving you TV while they are taking something away from your office. Let’s examine some of the ways that “free” service can actually cost you:

  1. Most free services will put pharmaceutical ads on and confuse your patients into thinking you are endorsing the drugs on the TV.  This can lead to a lot more patient examination time having to answer a bunch of questions that were generated in your waiting room.
  2. Most free services have limited content that they provide. Many of the TV providers are operating with a limited library of content. They will continue to loop the same set of videos over and over, making your patients feel like they are waiting even longer than they really are. It can lead to poor online reviews and overall attitudes.
  3. Most free services have boring content. While many of the medical related TV services provide specialty videos and seem great on the surface, the content can be very off-putting to your patients. Medical content played over and over has been known to create a nervous/anxious atmosphere for folks as they wait. No matter what your medical profession you want to create a healing environment, not one that makes people feel worse when they come in.

Free isn’t always the best option

We all know the phrase “you get what you pay for”, well when something is “free” what are you getting? When something is branded as “free” it’s likely taking advantage of you in some way.

Is it too good to be true?

A free TV plus videos that you pay nothing for may seem like a win, but beneath the surface there is almost always something else going on. Because as a medical office with a waiting room, you have something these service providers want; a captivated audience.

Those folks who are waiting in your office are taking in what you provide them on the TV. It’s your choice what you want to provide them. Would you rather share messaging for outside businesses, drug companies and emerging brands, or would you rather have it focus on you and your partners?  You have the choice.

Recommended Read: “Top 5 Reasons a Free TV Service is Bad for Medical Offices“

Free Waiting Room TV that’s paid for by a local partner

You don’t want someone you don’t know to be controlling your TV and reaping all of the benefits from it. So there is an alternative that lets you pick your partner, have the partner pay for the service and you keep control.

It’s Relevant TV, provides custom TV networks that does just that. It offers medical offices a $0/month Sponsor-Supported package in which you choose a trusted company, organization, or partner to cover the cost. In exchange, you  feature their brand and messaging on your TV in a way that is mutual, non-intrusive, and most-importantly; safe for you and your patients.

If anyone should be making money off of the TV in your business or medical office, it’s you, or a partnered brand.

Do I Have the Licensing Rights for Using TV in My Waiting Room?

This question is becoming much more common these days as motion picture companies, television studios and others are sending threatening letters to business owners. It doesn’t matter what industry you are in– if you operate a medical office, restaurant, retail establishment or car dealership, you can be held liable for showing television content that you don’t have adequate permission to display.

And it doesn’t matter how you are playing this content, whether it’s on a DVD, or through a popular streaming provider like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+ or YouTube.  Showing that content inside a business is likely against copyright terms, and could put you in legal jeopardy. Hulu’s Terms & Conditions for instance clearly state that their service is NOT for commercial use. Therefore, you cannot use it in a public or business setting- even in a waiting room.

Did you receive a threatening letter from a licensing company?

While there may be many valid points in a letter you’ve received in the mail from a content licensing organization, you should read it carefully, and realize that there is not one licensing body for all content. In a lot of cases these letters are designed to scare you into using a service that they are selling. Many of these services will offer a solution that shows a limited library of uninteresting content, looped on your TV day in and day out. You don’t need to trade away interesting television for “safe” TV when there are options out there that are both safe and interesting.

Just know, you are not obligated to use any specific licensing service in your business or waiting room. You just need to be sure that whatever service you are using has secured commercial playback rights for the content you are showing.

There are TV Providers that Include Business Display Licensing as Part of the Service

While Hulu, Netflix, Sling, Pluto and other streamers do NOT provide commercial licensing at the time of this article, there are other providers who do. And that’s what you want to utilize in order to keep your in the copyright-clear. It’s Relevant TV is one service provider that was built with integrated commercial licensing from day one. It’s cost-effective, easy-to-use, and features a growing library of over half-a-million videos. In addition to being the best streaming option for businesses, it’s also the best cable replacement on the market.

 

Top Waiting Room Digital Signage Systems: Finding the Best

We all know that a good waiting experience can lead to a great visitor experience. And great visitor experience is the surefire way to get incredible online reviews. So, what are you doing to make the experience great?

The Best Customer Experience

Your visitors’ experiences begin in your waiting room, and what you have in the waiting room can influence patient/customer mindset for their entire visit. If you stumbled upon this article through an online search, you probably already had it in your mind to employ a digital signage system. Digital signage is exactly what it sounds like; a sign that displays on a digital screen instead of being a static print.

Digital signage systems use televisions to display your messages, text, images and even videos for your videos to see. But not all systems are created equal. In fact, most of them are known to create a repetitive experience that leaves a negative impression on your guests.

People enjoy watching TV. The vast majority of Americans spend multiple hours a week in front of their TVs, because they want to watch. But even though digital signage is seen on TV, it’s not TV. At least, not the TV people would look forward to watching.

When’s the last time you said, “I’m going to go sit down and watch a sign”?

Probably never.

So why would you force your visitors to watch a sign as they wait? Especially when they are forming their opinions about their experience from the moment they walk in.

“Oh, well our patients barely even wait, they are only there for a few minutes”
We’ve heard that one a lot. But even if everything goes perfectly and your patients are only waiting just a few minutes, why not give them the best experience possible? 3-minutes of enjoyment certainly beats 3-minutes of boredom.

This is why we recommend looking at Custom TV over Digital Signage. Custom TV can integrate all of the things you wanted to get out of Digital Signage, and more, while keeping TV on the TV.

Custom TV for Businesses, Offices, and Waiting Areas

The pioneers of Custom TV can be found at a company called It’s Relevant TV. Based just outside of New York City, It’s Relevant licensed top television programs and effortlessly combines them with your own messaging, images and videos. It gives your visitors the best of both worlds; the ability to see and understand what you want them to, while having a positive experience from the start with great programming they will enjoy. They even have self-install kits that make it easy to transform your TV without any advanced technical knowledge.

What if Your Waiting Room TV Goes Out?

Coloring Books for Adults

There are a lot of different ways to go about setting up a waiting room in your business, no matter what kind of business it might be. But as we’ve noted on previous occasions, the most effective way of improving the patient waiting room experience is by installing a TV and choosing content to show. Most waiting rooms have TV at this point, which tells us two things: first, that it’s a tried-and-true concept, and second, that patients (or customers) at this point expect to see TV.

As wise as it is to set your waiting room up in this fashion however, a TV can also go out at any time. Whether the machine itself stops working or whatever content you’re showing on it is for some reason compromised, it is always possible that this little patient distraction can go dark. This isn’t a huge problem, and more often than not it’s one that can be fixed fairly quickly. With that said however, it is still a good idea for every place of business with a waiting room TV to have a few fallback options in place.

The following make for simple, affordable backups plans that can keep patients occupied and even entertained in the event that the TV goes out.

High-Speed Wi-Fi

One simple truth today is that many patients in waiting rooms will be looking at their phones as much as any TV to begin with. This doesn’t help you if you’re running business-related information or advertisement on TV of course. But when it comes to providing something for people to do while they’re waiting, high-speed Wi-Fi will be appreciated. While the acceleration of 5G adoption may be moving us closer to a point at which people rely more on public networks than Wi-Fi, we’re no there yet. So, ensuring that your waiting room has a strong connection (provided it won’t interfere with any aspects of the business) is a very nice gesture to patients.

Board Games

Not long ago, stocking a waiting room with board games might have seemed like a dated option. Now, however, these same games are trendy. This is in part because of a spattering of celebrities who have become somewhat famous for enjoying their board games (naturally leading fans to follow suit). For instance, Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe evidently loves board games, according to one write-up on the actor’s interests. According to a broader list of interesting movie star hobbies, Fast & Furious actor Vin Diesel and acclaimed director Quentin Tarantino enjoy board games as well. There have even been reports that former President Barack Obama likes a tabletop game now and again. All of these influences — plus an apparent desire among younger generations to find ways to socialize in person — has made board games trendy again. Thus, having a few popular games stashed in a waiting room makes for great outreach to a lot of possible patients. Many will enjoy playing even portions of games while waiting.

Puzzle Books

The only downside to board games is that they’re often hard to finish in a waiting room (even if as noted many will enjoy playing even for a short time). Puzzle books offer a similar form of casual entertainment to people waiting with less of a concern about finishing, or having someone to play against in the first place. The only problem with this idea, naturally, is that books fill up, meaning any business taking this step needs to be diligent about replacement (no one wants to pick up a waiting room puzzle book only to find it mostly filled in already!). The good news is that puzzle books of all kinds are quite affordable, and it’s manageable for offices to stock up on extras to have on hand.

Adult Coloring

Not entirely unlike board gaming, adult coloring has become explosively trendy in recent years. In this case it’s less because of celebrity attention (though there are certainly some famous figures who are in on coloring), and it has nothing to do with a desire to socialize. It is actually primarily about coloring’s association with mindfulness. Many have come to see coloring as a soothing activity that can ease stress and promote calm, and as a result there are now people of all ages who regularly take time to color. Here, as with puzzle books, you may run into a slight hassle having to restock books. On the other hand, you can also find lots of coloring templates that are available for free online — meaning you also have the option of printing out stacks of papers for people in your waiting room to use if they please.

Ultimately, TV remains the best option, and should be the top priority in all waiting rooms. But for those times when the TV may go out for whatever reason — or for those patients who might simply be looking for something else — these are some other interning options to consider in addition to television.

Using a Smart TV as a Cable Alternative in Your Medical Office

Are you looking to get rid of cable TV in your medical office or waiting room? You don’t even need a cable box anymore with so man affordable smart TVs out there now. More and more owners and office managers are becoming grossly aware of cable’s rising costs. Their monthly cable bills just aren’t worth the mediocre content and the risk of upsetting patients. With a smart TV armed with choice apps, you have much more control over your TV’s content. Content, in this case, is really what makes a smart TV stand out over cable; because what you choose to put on your TV will determine its success.

It’s Relevant TV is the Best Smart TV App for your Medical Office

It’s Relevant TV is the TV programming you were looking for when you decided to get rid of cable. IRTV has the content (half-a-million videos), the variety, (40+ categories), the customizability (upload your own videos & messaging), and features such as social media integration and Competitive Ad Block.

In 10 Words or Less: It’s Relevant is innovative TV that visitors enjoy watching.

It’s Relevant TV sets itself apart from waiting room TV software that is strictly medical, or boasts “patient education videos.” For reasons described in this article, you might be surprised to learn that well-intended medical content does more harm than good. It all boils down to patients finding medical content boring, or even graphic and unsettling at times; which if you’re stuck in a waiting room for however-long, it can be pretty stressful – especially if it loops every 5 minutes. Medical-related content can be appealing to doctors and office managers looking to put something “fitting” on their waiting room TVs, but they get carried away and forget that visitors most often find it a lot less interesting than they do.

TV Tip: Don’t fall for the “Free Waiting Room TV” scam.

The Smartest Thing you can do with your Smart TV

The It’s Relevant TV app is the best in custom television for medical office waiting rooms because it’s patient-focused, and designed to generate success for your practice. Start your search at itsrelevant.com, chat with the TV experts there, and see what a custom TV network can mean for your waiting room. It’s Relevant is available on many smart TVs including Amazon’s Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku.

Related: “Top 3 Waiting Room TV Services for Medical Offices.“

New Ways to Advertise on a Limited Budget during COVID-19

The coronavirus (COVID-19) is forcing the ad market into a tight corner as major restaurants and retailers are closing their doors. Since mid-March, major sports organizations such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB have suspended their games; adding the sports entertainment industry to the list of industries impacted by the outbreak.

According to a 2015 study, the sports industry alone accounted for an estimated 37% of total broadcast TV ad spending.

Experts are predicting the ad market to suffer a decline of up to $3 billion in 2020. With so many industries shutting down and customers staying home, businesses across the country are experiencing big budget cuts. However, advertising and marketing are just as important as ever. Despite their limited budgets, business owners are looking for new ways to advertise.

Adjusting to the Ad Market Crisis: How to Advertise on a Limited Budget

Make your spending count.

People quarantining themselves and practicing social distancing doesn’t change the fact that your business has products and services that you need to sell. If you’re intent on keeping your business open, you need to get those services noticed. Traditional television advertising is still among the most expensive advertising mediums, so now’s not going to be the time you’re likely going to want to make a large TV ad spend. But, you can put ads on your own TVs for close to nothing. If you have a television in your business, consider putting your ads for those products and/or services on your TV itself; target consumers while they’re physically in your location.

Advertise directly to your visitors when they’re in your business.

The corona-crisis has created a unique opportunity for in store advertising. People are limiting how frequently they go outside; however if your business sells essentials, or provides a comfort food or service, you can count on repeat business from your loyal customers during this time.

Give them more reasons to come back. Or, gently educate them on any goods, services, or specials to take advantage of while your customers are there. A custom TV network for your business is the best way to achieve either; both because it’s cost effective, and the best way to captivate visitors.

A COVID-free TV is better for your business.

Advertising Platforms to Avoid

WARNING: Avoid Billboards and Outdoor Advertising!

Outdoor advertising is only effective when the message is getting MASS amounts of exposure. The high cost alone is hard to justify, especially in the case of small businesses. However the combination of working with a limited budget, and the limited number of people going outside during the outbreak makes outdoor advertising a poor investment at this time.

Advertising Platforms that are Still Relevant

CONSIDER: Social Media and Free Streaming Platforms

According to Forbes, more people pay for streaming services than cable, with 69% utilizing at least one internet streaming service. Additionally, those who use internet streaming services are subscribed to 3 services on average. Because of the increased amount of people staying at home during the outbreak, experts anticipate a growth in ad spending on geo-targeted streaming platforms like Hulu, and social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.

A Service to Consider for your Business

Recent changes to the ad market are forcing businesses to get creative. Previously suggested in this article; a custom TV network is the solution that forward-thinking business owners are turning to instead for advertising.

Bridging the gap between TV Networks and a DIY TV display is It’s Relevant TV.

Business owners are uniquely positioned to take advantage of the TVs inside of their locations by transforming them into effective marketing tools. Whether your goal is to improve visitor experience, promote your services, or get people to come back more often, a custom TV network is the best, most cost-effective way to achieve all of the above.

If you are ready to jump into having your own TV network, It’s Relevant TV operates an online store that allows you to pick up everything you need with an inexpensive self-install kit here: http://rele.tv

How the Global Health Crisis is Making Social Media More Social

Social media has garnered a lot of flak for getting in the way of organic, human relationships in recent years.

Because people were so attached to their gadgets, connecting outside the screen became less of a priority. In fact, a study on Thrive Global reveals that more than 50% of people reported social media as having a negative impact on their relationships. It’s easy to say that we should all just ditch Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter altogether. But with the ongoing health crisis keeping everyone at home, social media is back in the spotlight — only this time, as a force for good.

These are some trying times that we live in right now, as we’re all forced to adapt and connect with our loved ones in new ways — from family dinners over Zoom, to dates on FaceTime. In this regard, social media has provided a lifeline for everyone in self-isolation. Moreover, our “new normal” has caused many of us to reconsider what really matters to us, which is another reason we’re all longing to strengthen our ties more than ever.

So how exactly is the global health crisis making social media more “social”?

Group Fitness

The benefits of exercise go beyond improving strength and physique. According to doctor Katharina Star, group workouts, in particular, can provide great support and motivation. With gyms closing their doors temporarily, people are taking their workouts to social media. On Instagram Live, Olympian Shawn Johnson, model Olivia Culpo, and countless other fitness influencers are sharing their workouts and encouraging their followers to get active. Apart from being free to participate in, following a live workout routine can make users feel like they’re back in the gym with friends. If you’re a health or fitness business owner, you should consider conducting your own live workouts as a way of increasing your social media presence, too.

Virtual Hangouts Via Video Games

Video games are proving to be one of the most social (and fun) digital activities people are doing during self-isolation. After all, it’s a great way to spend time with friends and do activities online. It’s no surprise that newly launched games like Call of Duty: Warzone reached 15 million players in just four days following its release. Apart from this hit title, the gaming world still has much more to offer in helping people stay connected. In fact, even friendship-themed games are on the rise. The Best Friend Formula by Gala Bingo is a simple but interactive game that explores “the science of best friends.” Plus, it reminds players that sometimes all you need in life is a few close friends. Indeed, these games provide the comfort that our friends are just a click away—even if it means hanging out on a Minecraft or Animal Crossing server.

Creative Communities

Social media has always been a platform for artists to share their work. But with a lot more free time at home, many creatives are making the most out of their indoor-living situations. For instance, TIME Magazine shared how some photographers have started sharing their recreations of classic paintings — be it Grant Wood’s “American Gothic” or works by Edward Hopper. Meanwhile, on the more performance end of things, Gen Z social media users have been devoting their time to practicing new TikTok dances with their friends. And on another note, people have also been sharing their baking creations online — comparing sourdough bread and exchanging recipes with each other. All in all, the health crisis has pushed people to look for new skills to learn and share with their social media followers.

Top Free TV Service for Medical Waiting Rooms and Lobbies

Browsing the internet for a free TV service for your waiting room? The leader in patient-focused TV has recently announced a new subscription plan that’s available to all medical offices. Whether you’re a hospital, urgent care, doctor, dentist, or medical specialist; the sponsor-supported subscription option allows you to utilize the premium service, but without incurring the cost.

A “Free” TV Service Vs. It’s Relevant TV’s Sponsor-Supported Service

A “free TV service“ is exactly what it sounds like on the surface. It’s a TV service with no cost, which you pay nothing for– at least insofar that you’re not spending any “money” for it; but that doesn’t mean it’s not costing your medical office something else.

Read: Top 5 Reasons a “Free” TV Service for your Waiting Room is Bad for your Medical Office.

TV providers who offer that kind of “free waiting room television” are only able to do so because their services are actually paid for by pharmaceutical ad support. You might be paying $0 for the service, but you get what you pay for in this case– likely generating $0 for your own practice from it. Instead, the revenue generation is completely taken by that provider. What’s worse, you’re left with TV that you have little control over, and may upset your patients.

While you are not paying any money out of pocket for that kind of service, it could be costing you money, and your patients’ trust. It goes against the spirit of creating a good patient experience when you allow your visitors to be subject to ads which might make them feel like they have X symptoms, or need Y drugs.

Best practice: Avoid TV services that put anything medical-related on the TV that you don’t endorse yourself.

Patients don’t need to be bombarded with drug ads, and pharmaceutical companies shouldn’t be invading and monetizing your waiting room. If someone should be generating revenue off of your TV, it’s you!

It’s Relevant TV: A No-Cost Waiting Room TV Service for Medical Offices

Let’s compare the traditional “free TV service” described above to It’s Relevant TV’s sponsor-supported service. Instead of your service provider profiting off of your waiting room TV, you do. It’s Relevant’s unique approach is for a sponsor, of your choosing, to pay the cost of your subscription in exchange for having their brand on the TV.

It’s a great way to strengthen relationships with local businesses.

This way, you’re in control; you control who, and what, shows up on your TV.Sponsor-supported subscribers don’t miss out on any of IRTV’s premium content. Over +1,000,000 minutes of fun and interesting content is available for your visitors to enjoy, coupled with the ability to promote your services in a more meaningful way. This allows you to generate positive feelings among patients, and more revenue on the side to improve your medical office.

Visit: It’s Relevant TV: Medical Custom Networks to learn more.

Should I Close My Business During the Corona (COVID-19) Outbreak?

A number of restaurants, offices, and even large retailers are closing up shop in response to growing concerns about the corona outbreak. Some are even required to depending upon choices made in local jurisdictions. If you’re a business owner, you might be asking yourself the question:

“Do I close my business?”

Many businesses are. The answer really depends on you, your staff, and your industry. Are you noticing an alarming decrease in visitors, or sales? For some business owners, temporarily closing; whether it’s for a week or two, or for a month, is the best option for your business. However if it’s a restaurant that you own, this article for restaurant owners might help you identify some says in which to stay open during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Retailers, on the other hand, may have it much harder as people aren’t as likely to buy non-essentials during a health crisis. Below is something to keep in mind if you ultimately decide to temporarily close shop, and help you bounce back once all of this is over.

Focus on Your Strategy for Reopening Post-Corona

Have a solid game plan to hit the ground running.

More important than the decision to close your business for a time is figuring out how you’re going to reopen in the near future. It can be tough, and extremely stressful to deal with the financial impact of closing. Take advantage of the time you have, and strengthen your strategy for when your doors are open again.

A major part of that strategy should be growing your business from within. Work on your website. Make phone calls, research new vendors/partners you may want to work with. Every brand has loyal customers, yours will be waiting, and even excited for you to reopen. Reward those loyal customers for coming back; give them reasons to be excited about returning, and reasons to refer their friends.

Utilize Your TV’s Full Potential

When you eventually reopen your store, you’re going to have a lot of messaging that you want customers to see, and certain programming you may want to remove. Putting that messaging on your business’ TV gets it noticed. Whether it’s a big sale, a referral bonus, or a reminder to follow the brand on social media for even more deals; utilizing your TV is the least expensive way to get customers informed.

Consider a custom TV network to help kickstart your store’s marketing messaging for when you eventually reopen. It’s an inexpensive way to market to your loyal customers and earn back their repeat business.