Additional actions to engage with your community during COVID-19

As social distancing grows and more municipalities institute protective measures of varying degrees, we at MtnStuff want to continue to share ideas of how you can continue to support and connect with your community.

Marketing

  • Encourage people to get outdoors locally. 

    • It’s important that we don’t all rush into small mountain towns to recreate. Spreading viruses to these small communities can put a disproportionate strain on their small community health resources.

  • Remind people that public lands are vast, isolated, and open

    • keep 6 feet between you and others on the trail

  • Check with local officials on any access restrictions or closures before pushing people toward a particular location, and pass on any accurate and official information you can.

  • Encourage people to try something new

    • new activities like mountain biking or trail running, visiting new trailheads, etc.

    • If you are able to support this with rentals in a safe and healthy way, all the better

  • Update people on your business.

    • Folks are more involved on social media than usual, and they are looking to connect and take action. They want to know how you’re doing and how they can help

    • provide action items like “please help support our business by purchasing a gift card” 

  • Try Facebook Live, Instagram Live, or another social video platform for a virtual meet up.

    • Have a slide show, or informational presentation. 

  • Check out Verde PR for additional communication suggestions 

  • Try something new for your business. 

    • Experiment with a new social media platform like TicToc. 

    • Check out Locally.com

Gift Cards/Certificates

  • As mentioned above, people want to help

  • Sell gift cards and/or certificates online or over the phone

  • Explain what’s going on in your shop and how every little bit helps

  • Share the #SaveYourLocalGearShop campaign from SNEWS

Volunteering & Fundraising 

  • Encourage your staff and customers to do something in the community

    • Better yet, organize something

      • Contact community leaders and see what needs doing. 

      • Meals on Wheels, homeless outreach, grocery delivery, animal shelter volunteer and foster, etc. 

  • Help raise money for those in need

    • Donate 10% of your sales to a local cause

    • Not only will you be doing good, but it may generate some much needed cash flow for you

  • Host a food drive 

    • Offer discounts or swag to anyone who brings in items for your local food bank 

Store Projects

  • If the store is slower than normal, it’s a good time to execute some long forgotten projects and keep the staff productive

    • Reorganize the shop

    • Replace light bulbs

    • Dust high shelves

    • Paint walls

    • Build fixtures

    • Update your website

    • Start a youtube channel

If you’re open (or when you reopen):

Cleanliness

  • Clean store 

  • Disinfect surfaces 

  • Wash your hands 

  • Disinfect products 

  • Repeat 

In-Store Social Distancing Suggestions 

  • Limit the number of people in your store at a time

  • Limit staff contact. 

  • Fit from a distance. 

  • Place options for customers on a rack or table top, step away and then have the customer pick them up and compare.

  • Track product customers handle.

    •  Have a spot for them to place any products they touch and have staff clean it (wipes and/or steam) and replace on the floor.

  • Reduce Store hours to limit possible exposure

Other Social Distancing Measures

  • Offer free local delivery

  • Offer free shipping

  • Curbside pickup


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