Below you can find:
COVID-19 Business Tips
SBA Disaster Relief Loan Information
Upcoming Programming

COVID-19 Tips

• Communicate with your customers. Whether you own a storefront, go into people's homes, or people come to you in another capacity. Tell them what you are doing to practice increased hygiene, social distancing, and how you are keeping their safety and health front of mind while protecting you and your staff. If you expect a delay in shipping or a service, be sure to let them know.

Update your:

• Website
• Social Media Accounts (if they are active & you have followers)
• Put signage in your storefront windows
• Your voicemail 

• Invite your community to invest in the future of your business. You can do this by offering pre-sales, a special sale, gift card or e-gift cards (Square offers an E-Gift card option). Your community wants to help but we have to ask for help to receive it. You can decide when and how to do this. Some businesses may choose to wait and others may want to reach out now. 
• Make videos of your product or service and put them on your social media accounts or YouTube and share with your customers. These videos can be a how-to, highlight a product that you are selling virtually, provide comic relief and build goodwill. The videos don't have to be perfect but make sure they align with your product or service. For example, if you are a hair stylist, record a short video of how not to trim your own bangs (comic relief) and offer some alternative hair styling options or offer a front porch trim service that doesn't require them to come to you. 
• Use any customer outreach as an opportunity to build your mailing list and customer goodwill. Collect email addresses and contact information. 
• Offer services virtually (if you can). An example would be to offer a virtual workout session or virtual consultation. Easy to learn and integrate services for going virtual are Zoom, Facebook or Instagram Live, and more. 
• Evaluate your business financials. Negotiate any expenses that may be reduced (lease, payment terms, etc.,). 
• Follow our Facebook page for continued ideas, live updates, and tips (plus my own version of #momjokes).

*Currently, there have been (4) designated areas for SBA Disaster Loan Assistance related to COVID-19:
-California
-Maine
-Washington
-Connecticut

 
We expect more disaster areas to be designated in the near future, including NC, however this is yet to be determined
 
Visit SBA.gov  for the most up-to-date information for North Carolina businesses.
 
Process for Accessing SBA’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disaster Relief Lending
 
= The Small Business Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Upon a request received from a state’s or territory’s Governor, SBA will issue under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the President, an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration.
 
=Any such Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance declaration issued by the SBA makes loans available to small businesses and private, non-profit organizations in designated areas of a state or territory to help alleviate economic injury caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
 
=SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance will coordinate with the state’s or territory’s Governor to submit the request for Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance.
 
=Once a declaration is made for designated areas within a state, the information on the application process for Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance will be made available to all affected communities.
 
=SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance and can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.
 
=These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses without credit available elsewhere; businesses with credit available elsewhere are not eligible. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%.
 
=SBA offers loans with long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of 30 years. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay.
 
=SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans are just one piece of the expanded focus of the federal government’s coordinated response, and the SBA is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible.
 
For additional information, please contact the SBA disaster assistance customer service center. Call 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or e-mail disastercustomerservice@sba.gov.