COVID-19 has changed the world. No doubt about it. Though we’re still in the thick of it, it’s important to look on the bright side. Things will get better and in Rochester, it starts with its core: Local businesses.

Unfortunatley, many businesses were forced to close their doors — permanently — due to the lasting impacts of the coronavirus. But for those who withstood this pandemic, the future is certainly bright. It’s just going to take some work.

Here are some excellent tips for Rochester business owners to ensure success in the near and distant future:

Be on the lookout for new talent

Since March 2020, unemployment rates have soared from 3.5% to 11.1% with a real rate of 18%. Despite this fact, millions of Americans are still searching for work. So it’s important to capitalize on this and spend plenty of time and resources on acquiring the best talent available.

A business is only as strong as its employees. You might be well staffed with a solid team of hardworking, competent, and experienced workers. But you could always benefit from adding another amazing worker or two. Spend some time browsing through job sites, talk to recruiters, and reach out to anyone who you believe to be a good fit for your business. There are plenty of great candidates in Rochester and even more who would be willing to relocate to this great city!

Focus on your brand and public image

You could have the greatest service in the world or the coolest products, but if your public image is suffering, you’re going to have a rough time. Organizational brand has never been more important than now.

One great way to improve your brand is to stay active on social media. By simply engaging in a positive and friendly manner with your customers, you’ll showcase your ability to be respectful and that you actually value your followers. Additionally, do whatever you can to avoid controversy and get out and volunteer as much as possible!

Prepare for the winter as early as possible

It doesn’t matter if it’s October or the middle of June, as a Rochester business owner, you need to be constantly focusing on what’s to come: Freezing winters and a lot of snow. Make sure you’re planning for emergencies and spend some time thinking about whether or not you can allow all or some of your staff to work remotely during those extremely snowy days.

Additionally, if you have a lot of valuable items that you can’t exactly leave outdoors during the cold and brutal winter Rochester months, you might want to take advantage of local storage units. The storage unit industry in the U.S. generates an estimated $22 billion in revenue.

Invest in cyber-security

Cyber-security incidents resulted in business losses of $45 billion in 2018. Hackers from across the world are spending all their energy on finding new ways to take advantage of businesses online. Luckily, cyber-security professionals are working just as hard — if not harder — to keep these criminals at bay.

No one knows when the pandemic will be 100% over. Hopefully soon, but no one truly knows. It’s on us to do whatever we can to limit the spread and, as far as business is concerned, to bring in as much revenue as possible and keep the Rochester economy booming.

Whatever your business is =- you can do this. Good luck!