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Life moves online... will small business follow?

As restrictions and closures pile up, the Internet provides options.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Futurists have been predicting it for some time now: life online.

Naturally, as cyber capabilities grow, humanity will shift more and more toward the Internet for everyday life. The rapid shift induced by the coronavirus may not have been exactly what they had in mind.

So with a realized digital society coming ahead of schedule, small businesses could be forgiven for a lack of preparation. That doesn't mean they can't get up to speed in time to save -- or bolster -- their commerce.

"The first thing you're gonna want to do is get a web hosting space of some sort," says Rick Vidallon, creative director at VisonEFX, a web design and development company.

According to Rick, that's just the first step on a journey toward replicating and enhancing brick-and-mortar services online.

The ability to create online ordering, chat with customers, communicate with employees, and even post updates on the coronavirus are among the many features at the fingertips of any small business owner. 

"I have a family like everybody else. I want people to stay home, I want to help small businesses that have to shut their doors. Let's think of some creative ways to help them weather the storm," Rick said.

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