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  • Continuing your business

Guide to continuing your business

This guide provides positive steps you can take to help keep your business operating in times during emergencies and natural disasters.

1. Plan your recovery

Business planning will help you identify your critical business areas and plan your next move.

Create your business continuity plan

Learn how to create a business continuity plan to help keep your business running.

Develop an emergency management plan

Update your business plan

Your business plan helps you to outline new business goals and adapt to sudden change.

Develop your business plan

2. Get support and assistance

Government funding and support programs can help pay your employees and get your business through this difficult time.

Ensure your ABN details are correct

Make sure your ABN details and business location are correct on the Australian Business Register (ABR). Government agencies use this information to check if you are eligible for financial assistance, grants or support during emergencies.

Prepare your business for an emergency

Find COVID-19 grants and support

If your business has been affected by COVID-19, there may be financial assistance and support available to you. 

Find help if you've been affected by floods

If your business has been affected by recent floods, there's a range of support available to help you get your business back up and running.

Assistance for businesses affected by floods

Seek expert advice

You don't have to do this all on your own. Consider talking to a business adviser, accountant or solicitor for advice. Try one of our low-cost business advisory services for help.

Adviser finder

Find support for your mental health

It's important that you and your employees get the right emotional support.

Mental health and wellbeing support for business

Find tax support

Find tools to help you continue to meet your tax and super obligations.

Taxation for your business

3. Assess your finances

Take charge of your business finances and learn how to analyse your cash flow and manage your debt. If you need help, consider speaking to a financial adviser.

Review your finances

A review of your finances can help you keep operational. Find out how to update your cash flow statement and budget and who to speak to for help.

Review your finances

Manage your debt

Find out what to do if you haven't been paid and how to deal with business debt.

Manage being in debt

Get support for your business finances

Find professional advice and services to help you manage your business finances.

Support for your business finances

4. Keep your operations running

If social distancing restrictions have changed the way you operate your business, it's important to stay up-to-date with the latest advice to help you adjust.

Run your business from home

If you or your staff need to work from home, there are tools and resources available to help you. Learn about the tax deductions you can claim and where to go for support.

Home-based businesses

Find tools to operate online

Using digital tools and software, you could help improve your business. They may help you increase efficiency, operate more securely or find new opportunities.

Digital tools and software

Sell your products or services online

Selling your products and services online can allow you to keep running without a physical shopfront, and can even open your business to a wider audience.

Buying and selling online

5. Reach out to your customers

Communicating with your customers has never been more important. Get tips on how to engage with your customers through different channels and keep them supporting your business.

Look after your customers

While this is a difficult time for business, you still need to look after your customers. Know your customer rights and how to keep them supporting your business.

Customers

Market your business

Effective marketing gives your customers a reason to purchase from you instead of your competitors. It can also help you to keep your customers loyal to your business until you are up and running again.

Marketing

Use social media to connect

Social media can help you to market your business and connect with your customers.

Social media for business

6. Protect your business

Keeping your business healthy is more than staying coronavirus free. Find out how to stay safe and stay open.

Update your policies, procedures and processes

Having clear policies, procedures and processes in place create standards and helps everyone to know how to operate, especially in a time of change.

Policies, procedures and processes

Be aware of scams

Unfortunately, scammers can take advantage of situations to exploit and play on the fears of businesses and consumers across Australia. Learn more about potential scams and how to identify them.

Cyber security and your business

Keep you and your employees safe

Follow our steps to ensure the health and safety of your workers.

Make your workplace safer

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