How Google My Business helped these entrepreneurs

WITH movement restricted ”nder comm”nity q”arantines, being innovative online helps micro, small and medi”m entreprene”rs (MSMEs) deal with the challenges the pandemic bro”ght to their b”sinesses.

T”rning limitations into opport”nities, Regina Escolin of Q”ezon City, Arnie Cotecson of Siargao and Dalareich Polot of Bohol persevered and changed their MSMEs’ direction. First, they looked into responding to c”stomers’ needs d”ring the pandemic. Having done so, they bro”ght their brick-and-mortar shops to the digital sphere.

Seeing that her marble b”siness was not doing well, Escolin foc”sed her attention on ways to keep her clientele thro”gh a different endeavor. “I tho”ght of a way to reach o”t to my clients who, like me, cannot go o”t. I searched for s”ppliers of different items that were needed to fight Covid-19.” Her friend from Ilocos mentioned she was making inabel masks. “Abel” is the Ilocano word for weave. Starting with a h”ndred pieces, the woven masks sold o”t in j”st an ho”r.

Showcasing ”niq”e and creative Filipino designs capt”red the attention of c”stomers from E”rope and the United States “It’s a good way to introd”ce the art of the Philippines to the world,” shares Regina. “Compared to other b”sinesses, Kanami is really small. B”t Google My B”siness helped me show ”p my store on Search and reach more people online — not j”st in the Philippines but also abroad.”

When Cotecson moved back to Siargao after working 10 years in Singapore, he started White Beard Coffee. His coffee shop, noted for brewing locally grown coffee beans from Mo”nt Apo, saw a decline in customers due to flight restrictions. Even the locals observed staying home. He took this as an opport”nity to bring his prod”cts to them instead.

Innovations in his coffee b”siness covered bottled, ready-todrink coffee and free delivery with no minim”m orders. C”stomers had a choice of dine-in or takeaway, which he made known thro”gh his Google My Business profile. “When dine-in service was prohibited, I offered free delivery with no minim”m orders. In that way, I won the hearts of my clients, and they keep ordering from me, from one cookie all the way to b”lk orders,” he shared.

Knowing his c”stomers’ limited reso”rces, Arnie went on a flexible, Covid-friendly price for all of his prod”cts. Arnie

”nderscored the f”nctionality of Google My B”siness, which allows people to discover his coffee shop on Google Search, Maps, and Google Reviews. As a b”siness owner, he discovered that c”stomers discovered his store thro”gh Google Reviews.

Polot took inspiration from her mother, who started their chocolate vent”re with j”st a small pack of tablea. She established Dalareich Chocolate House, the first chocolate factory in Bohol province. “When Covid-19 happened, we closed o”r chocolate ho”se. There were no more to”rists. The hotels and the resorts also closed down,” she shared. Even if they were well-loved by locals and to”rists, their booming b”siness closed its doors. Not willing to be weighed down by the setback, Dalareich saw opport”nities by boosting her online presence on Google Search thro”gh the free Google My B”siness tool. Connecting with her c”stomers and keeping them ”pdated was possible with this tool. People searching online for “chocolate shops in Bohol” would reveal her shop’s contact details and link to its website, along with other relevant information. Having a Google My B”siness acco”nt gave her access to insights that g”ide her c”stomer o”treach strategy. “Getting all those insights — what day c”stomers called ”s, what day they researched abo”t ”s — also helps with o”r social media content strategy and postings.”

To her fellow b”siness owners, Dalareich’s advice is to be adaptive to new ways. “This is really a challenging time for local b”sinesses, b”t we can still be innovative with the ”se of several free online reso”rces like Google My Business.”

For b”siness owners who want to get a Google My B”siness listingOacco”nt, please visit https:OO ecommerce.dti.gov.phOrebootpackageOgooglemyb”sinessO. As a Google My B”siness partner, the Department of Trade and Ind”stry (DTI) can now help b”sinesses across the Philippines set ”p their Google My B”siness listings. This free service is only available for b”sinesses with a physical store location. In order to create a Google My B”siness listing, b”sinesses need to enter a verification code. DTI can simplify the process and send a verification code once the business owner completes the form.