The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t changed the world, but it has accelerated the rate of change that was already happening, according to Doug Griffiths, a best-selling author and consultant for community and business organizations.
In a video-conference webinar May 12 on the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on business organized by the Prairie Sky Chamber of Commerce, Griffiths said society’s reliance on the internet and online communication tools is now glaringly obvious.
“Connecting online is a necessity now,” said Griffiths. “The younger generation has been utilizing online tools for years. But now older folks are realizing that high-speed internet and connectivity are important. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that this is not something that’s going to go away.
“But at the same time, it’s also shown the value of local communities and the importance of local businesses.
“As much as people are pushed to go online, they also want to support their local businesses and be part of their local community.”
Griffiths, the author of ‘Thirteen Ways to Kill Your Community’, said local businesses need to adapt to the new reality by providing both a physical presence and an online presence.
“You need to have a parallel, online ‘Main Street’ so that people can shop online and also be drawn into the physical store downtown,” said Griffiths. “Gone are the days when you only sold commodities. Now you need to provide a service to go along with, and add value to, your commodities.”
Heather Thomson, a business consultant and Executive Director of the University of Alberta’s School of Retail in Edmonton, was also on the May 12 webinar.
She said local businesses actually have an advantage over large online shopping corporations like Amazon.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has focused people’s attention on the importance of shopping locally,” said Thomson. “This is an opportunity that is too good to waste. This is the time for you to stake your claim and market your brand.
“If you don’t already have an online presence, you need to get one up there now, because people’s new shopping habits are being formed now.
“Even if you’re not making money right now, you’re setting yourself up to survive once things return to normal.
“You can do that by offering a service like an online class or helpful hints. You need to have something out there now so that people don’t forget about you later on. If you are helping people now, they’ll remember you once the quarantine is over.”
Griffiths said while there is no one prescription that will guarantee the survival of small businesses, there are many alternatives that could potentially lead to success.
It’s just a matter of trying, he said.
“There’s always a way,” said Griffiths. “Think about the challenge, and find a way to turn it around. In every single challenge there is a new opportunity.
“Every time you say, ‘this won’t work,’ you prove yourself right. But it’s not a question of simply dwelling on whether something is a problem. It’s a question of finding a solution.”
Griffiths said the future of rural communities lies in finding opportunities for meeting the needs of people.
““There’s a renaissance happening across North America,” said Griffiths. “The new generation realizes the value of communities. By being connected electronically, they can work anywhere; but they want to live in real communities where they can raise their family and have a social life.
“In the past you had to move to where the jobs were. Now you can move to where you want to live.”
He said local businesses should determine who their market is and focus on those people.
“Quit trying to be everything to everybody,” he said. “You don’t need to attract the whole world, you just need to attract a few people through your front door. If you’re really good at it, you will see more people coming in because you’re part of their community.”
Griffiths said community newspapers are important sources of information about local issues and events that can’t be found anywhere else. There’s plenty of information through television and the internet on what’s happening with COVID-19 globally and nationally, he said. But the only place to get information on how the pandemic is impacting the local community is through the local newspaper.
“The number one sign that a community is dead is not the closure of the school or the hospital,” said Griffiths. “Statistics show it’s when the newspaper closes, and you lose your local trusted communication source. When a local newspaper closes, the public loses an independent observer at council meetings.”