Last night I walked my dog. The air was crisp, not cold. In the silence of the dark night, the tall pines pointed to the stars in the sky. They were still shining, even though the world below them was frightened and businesses, one after the other, began to go as dark as the sky.

We will all continue to shine through this darkness. This morning, the birds were singing as they do every morning.

Now is not the time to go dark. For businesses that have had to shut their doors, it feels frightening. What will the future hold? None of us knows, but I want you to know that now is not the time to shut the doors, go home and do nothing. Take a few days to relax and gain perspective, but know that opportunity comes from adversity. I can help you communicate and innovate in these times.

I worked in the newspaper business for many years before founding Maureen Sullivan Media. I learned how to pivot and shift gears when crises hit – The Blizzard of ‘82, the Challenger disaster, 9/11. The Coronavirus is different from any of these, but in the face of these disasters, I shifted gears, put our planned marketing programs on hold and led my marketing team to produce marketing and communications that helped to inform readers and advertisers about how the newspaper was providing necessary information and coverage.

I helped advertisers craft appropriate messages and stay top of mind with their customers.

This is what you, as a small business owner, need to do. Create content that engages your customers. Think about ways you can continue to connect and ways you can create new streams of revenue.

While I don’t have a magic wand, and no one knows what will happen as a result of the Coronavirus, I do know I can help you communicate in these times and help your business pivot.

I am offering a complimentary marketing consultation to any business owner – retail, restaurants, and others who are not sure what to do next. We’ll work together and I’ll help you think of new ideas. Please message me or email me at maureensullivanmedia@gmail.com

We will all survive and thrive.