Wednesday, 29th April 2020 | Management
How Canadian businesses are reinventing themselves during the pandemic
Stories of resilience, adaptability, and creative thinking that have allowed some Canadian businesses to pivot and thrive.
With limits on travel and social interaction, and the evolving needs and desires of customers, virtually every business is experiencing some sort of disruption to everyday operations. There’s no shortage of stories about struggling small businesses but it’s not all bad news. There are many stories of resilience, adaptability, and creative thinking that have allowed some to pivot and thrive. Read on to learn about small business successes from coast to coast.
Retailers
While online retailers may have seen a spike in sales, brick-and-mortar stores have had to adjust—and fast. For Toronto home goods store, Spruce, this has meant providing free local deliveries. “We chose to close the storefront for the safety of my employees and the community,” says owner Kim Alke, “but I take orders through my website and do contactless deliveries twice per week.” Glass Bookshop in Edmonton has taken a similar tack with free deliveries in the community and has seen sales shoot up, partly because reading is one of a dwindling group of safe activities but also likely due to the fact that co-owner Matthew Stepanic brings along his corgi, Bob, on book runs.
If pivoting to deliveries isn’t the right answer, maybe changing the product is. After initially shutting down, Toronto’s Bathing Belle designer swimwear shop reopened to sell cloth masks under a buy one-donate one model where each purchase triggers a donation to a long-term care facility in the city.
Gyms and fitness Studios
For gym and fitness facilities, going online is the only answer for safe classes. A quick response to the pandemic is what saved 3rd Degree Training in Stratford, Prince Edwards Island; within 24 hours of closing their physical location, the company began offering new daily workouts broadcast from the instructors’ garage to Facebook Live.
Toronto’s SAOR Studio made the same immediate shift to digital training and nutrition support—and went a step further. “We made our six-week training plan free to everyone and have had 1,500 people download it so far,” says founder Nathania Harrison. “We also lent all of our equipment like weights, tension bands, gliders, and yoga blocks to members so they could build their own studio at home.” They also expanded their merchandise and set up a simple ordering page on their website to boost their revenue stream.
Manufacturers
You might expect manufacturers to face fewer COVID-related challenges but that wasn’t the case for Stonex, a seller of natural stone that had previously used a traditional showroom to display and sell their products. Unable to invite customers into their showroom like before, they innovated, building stone sample boxes similar to the fabric swatches used by tailors and dropping them off curbside. Alongside toilet paper and non-perishable food items, hand sanitizer quickly became a scarce resource across Canada. Some alcohol producers, like Victoria Distillers from Sidney, British Columbia began using a by-product from their process to produce sanitizer for their community.
Even retrofit hand sanitizers need labelling and as soon as the COVID-19 epidemic hit, Lorpon Labels stepped up with free design and packaging. However, they quickly realized that their equipment—which could cut acetate—could be used to manufacture personal protection equipment. In cooperation with a foam injection company, the label company temporarily retrofit their operations to produce protective equipment.
Restaurants
Although home delivery options have long existed for restaurants, restrictions on sit-down traffic and the sudden surge of home cooks have taken their toll on this industry. Most establishments can’t survive on take-out and delivery alone. Luckily, there are some very creative thinkers in the biz.
Chaeban Ice Cream, a popular artisanal and all-natural ice cream shop in Winnipeg, was forced to close due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Undeterred, owners Joseph Chaeban and Zainab Ali used their time off to come up with an all-new business model: The Chaeban Ice Cream Club. Their subscription service offers no-contact monthly ice cream deliveries to their customers’ door.
Ordering delivery is a good occasional treat but you can’t beat the freshness and taste of a just-cooked meal. This—and a desire to share Thai culture and cuisine—was behind Kasorn “Mo” Meepan’s COVID strategy. In response to the restrictions on dine-in eating, the owner of Sala Modern Thai Kitchen & Bar made the bulk of her menu available of ready-to-cook meal kits, bringing her customers food and the new skill of Thai cooking.
The plight of Canada’s restaurants has received massive amounts of attention, with many places worried that they won’t survive this period of economic instability. In a bid to support favourite establishments, we can all participate in the national #takoutday campaign which encourages purchasing a take-out meal each Wednesday (or purchase any day of the week).
For Canadian small businesses, the stakes of this pandemic are high but with some creative thinking and the willingness to support each other, we can make it through together.
Read Also
5 ideas for stimulating sales through this pandemic winter
For Canadian small business owners, the approach of winter without a COVID vaccine holds some uncertainty. Businesses that have managed to adapt and pivot during the first stages of the pandemic face another slow season—this is especially true for those in areas retreating back into stage 2 restrictions. With more time at home, people appear to be spending more time on social media, particularly on YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn. (Facebook has always had strong usage rates.) Whether it’s to connect with friends and family virtually, to search for jobs, or to enjoy online diversions, it’s clear Canadians are taking to social media. This is an opportunity for Canadian small business owners. Here are 5 fresh ideas to connect with buyers, increase awareness of the business and products/services, and deepen loyalty using social media.
#1. Make ‘em laugh
Canadians are under a tremendous amount of pressure. If you can engage your followers in a fun or funny way, you’ll have a good chance of not only keeping their attention but also leaving them with a positive feeling about your company. Skip cold corporate speak if favour of messaging with a light and relatable tone. Puns and in-jokes are great but make sure your humour is relatable and uncontroversial.
#2. Run a contest
Who doesn’t like the chance to win something? Engage your audience with a contest like this one by SAOR Studio that’s helping its members to stick to their exercise regime with a workout bingo. The game is proving to be almost as much fun as a night out at the bingo hall—members are even posting their progress on social media. The big prize? Complete a line and receive 15% off on gym merchandise—a win-win.
3. Use livestreams
Nothing stops the runway for Canadian fashion brand Miik. Using Instagram and Facebook Live, the Toronto-based clothier has taken the catwalk digital and now customers can tune in for virtual viewings and Q&As with the owners. Borrow this strategy to host industry “shows'' or to launch new products.
4. Post often
Even if you’re open for foot traffic, people are increasingly hesitant to be out and about, so posting regularly is more important than ever. Get creative with your content so you don’t give your customers social media fatigue. Consider the Halifax Thunderbirds. While this Canadian lacrosse team is side-lined, they’re keeping their audience entertained and engaged with squad news, fan pictures, and anecdotes from past matches.
The National Ballet of Canada is taking a similar tack by sharing behind-the-scenes posts of dancers in their homes and offering free, live virtual ballet classes and performances. The same strategy that works for athletes and performers can build relationships with retailers. Edmonton-based New Classics uses their Instagram to showcase their ethically crafted and environmentally conscious slow fashion items so customers can window shop from their couch before ordering online.
5. Be inspiring
Tone is everything and these days Canadians are looking for brands that make them feel good. Search out and post thoughtful and inspirational (but not saccharine) statements and ideas that show off your brand voice. Take for example, Mail Chimp, the marketing platform. They’ve peppered their feed with lovely, simple animations with positive, encouraging phrases like "It feels good to put something back into the world" and "Making the most of it sometimes requires a little something extra." Choose statements that are in line with your brand voice and couch them in your own design.
Canadian small businesses needn’t fear the coming cold months. With the right social media strategy and outreach, they can meet their customers where they are—in their comfy clothes, at home.
Marketing