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FREEMAN NEWSPAPERS • GMTODAY.COM 4 • SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY • NOVEMBER 2022 How to help Main Street rebound from the pandemic Main Street is the heart of many small communities. Small businesses have long been the drivers of both local and national economies. The impact small businesses have on their communities may have been lost dur- ing the pandemic, when so many establish- ments were forced to close. The good news is that many small business owners were hopeful that the effects of COVID-19 would soon be a thing of the past. Data from Bank of America, Data for Good and JPMorgan Chase indicates that 59 percent of entrepreneurs expect the impact of COVID- 19 to affect their bottom line for two years or less. That's encouraging, but in the mean- time community leaders can take various steps to promote everything Main Street has to offer. • Create an inviting downtown atmo- sphere. Main Street America® is a grass- roots network of small towns, mid-sized communities and urban commercial dis- tricts that work together to make downtown areas the heart of local communities. Ed McMahon, the chair of the National Main Street Center Board of Directors, notes that a healthy downtown area is vital to having a healthy town. Towns that want to revitalize their downtowns should aspire to create an inviting, inclusive atmosphere that cele- brates the character of the town, including its history. Main Street America® notes that people-centered, accessible public spaces can restore and revitalize downtowns, mak- ing them places locals and even non-locals want to visit. • Make it a partnership. Business own- ers in community centers and downtown areas have a vested interest in revitalizing Main Street, but they can't go it alone. Local government officials, chambers of com- merce, private sector businesses, and civic organizations all have roles to play in mak- ing Main Street a place where people want to spend their time and money. Local lead- ers should make a concerted effort to hear every voice as they try to revitalize Main Street. • Emphasize safety. COVID-19 changed how many people shop and dine, and those changes must be considered as Main Street is rebuilt. The Mayo Clinic notes that out- door fresh air is constantly moving and dis- persing the type of respiratory droplets that contain the COVID-19 virus. Because that air is constantly on the move, individuals are much less likely to get COVID-19 when spending time outdoors compared to indoors. Communities may be ready to get back to normal life, but it's important to do so safely. Many small towns closed Main Street and downtown areas to automobiles during peak shopping and dining hours, such as weekend evenings and afternoons, so local businesses could bring their offer- ings outside. Communities can keep such rules in place after the pandemic, as more outdoor seating at restaurants and less crowded walking areas proved wildly popu- lar among consumers. In addition, commu- nities must make a concerted effort to cre- ate and maintain a Main Street where resi- dents and shoppers feel safe at all times of the day and night. Communities can work together to ensure Main Street thrives as the world slowly emerges from the pandemic. The impact reviews have on businesses Online reviews have long been a mixed bag for small businesses. Though positive reviews can help businesses stand out from their competitors, negative reviews can be as harmful as positive reviews are helpful. That's true even when negative reviews do not reflect the average customer's experience. Search Engine Land, which covers digital advertising technology, reports 88 percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Unfortunately for businesses, Inc. magazine and entrepreneur Andrew Thomas found that a customer who has a negative busi- ness experience is highly likely to share that experience by leaving a bad review. On the other hand, someone who has had a positive experience is unlikely to leave a good review. Roughly 10 percent of happy customers say they were pleased by a product or service. Furthermore, Thomas indicates it takes roughly 40 positive customer experiences to undo the damage from a single negative review. Customer happiness should be the goal of businesses, with the added benefit of helping to generate more positive reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations. While that is happening, customers can think twice about online reviews. • Speak to product quality especially when you have a very good experience with an item. Many retailers request feedback via email shortly after consumers have made a purchase. Take advantage of this opportunity to offer positive feedback. • Companies gather personal informa- tion from customers so they can follow up in many cases. Great customer service helps prevent bad reviews and defines companies' brands. If you are asked for a phone number or email address, provide it. Doing so helps companies improve their products or services. • Happy customers can reach out to friends and family members to share their experiences with certain companies. Post- ing your own review on social media also can drum up business for a company you respect. • Customers should weigh their words heavily and think before posting a review. The marketing and consulting resource The Chat Shop says 31 percent of customers are interested in grocery store reviews, 60 per- cent are likely to read restaurant reviews and 70 percent rely on technology product reviews. Make an effort to discuss issues with a company before leaving a negative review. You may be pleasantly surprised with the outcome. There's no need to hesitate when leaving positive reviews. Simply explain why you were pleased. Reviews can make or break a company. Both business owners and customers have a role to play in making online reviews a valuable way to learn about a company.

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