I just jumped off Instagram to write this post because what I saw on someone’s wall about small business owners got me fired up. What I saw made me realize I’ve been thinking about doing what the meme says not to do:
offer my services for free right now because so many big-time online leaders are doing that in the current COVID19 crisis.
And then just as quickly, I came to my senses. In less than five seconds.
Let’s look at this for a minute.
I understand the impulse to want to help. Small business owners naturally want to be of service to others during a time of crisis.
I am as compassionate and caring as they come.
But! I am also a businesswoman who has bills to pay and obligations to meet to keep my business running.
Outside of my standard free 15-minute “let’s get to know each other” offer for people who want to give me a test run before signing up to work with me…
I will continue to charge for my services.
Last I checked, my landlord isn’t giving away free rent “until further notice.”
Costco isn’t handing out free megapacks of toilet paper.
Safeway isn’t giving away free roaster chickens.
And my bank certainly isn’t opening their vaults and letting customers scoop cash into a sack because of the COVID19 hysteria.
I also understand that times aren’t easy right now for a lot of small business owners. Local florists aren’t getting any help from the government to keep their doors open.
Neither are salons or day spas or restaurants.
We will be feeling the economic ripple effects of the current pandemic for months, if not years, to come.
Still. Current conditions are not an open invitation to lose our fiscal minds and make ourselves available as small business owners for 24/7 consulting via live stream or Zoom just because others are doing that.
We need to remember that money is still flowing. The coronavirus may be causing it to flow in new directions, but money is flowing. People continue to need help in solving their problems.
In fact, an entirely new set of problems is already emerging as I write this post. Plenty of savvy business leaders and small business owners will get in front of these new problems and make a killing.
Make sure that you’re part of that group. And make sure that when customers show up into your world, they pay you accordingly for your extraordinary and valuable help.
