Closed unexpectedly? A quick card

For a storm, a repair or anything unplanned. Do these three things in order. A short, calm message beats a long one.

Step 1: Tell customers on your site

Write one or two sentences that say three things: that you're closed, since when and until when (or "until further notice"), and how to reach you. Say only what you know. Then choose one:

• Email hello@zossoz.com with the words and dates, and write "Urgent" in the subject. We'll put a banner up as quickly as we can and write back when it's live. A closure notice always goes up first, even when your changes for the month are used up.
• Or do it yourself. Log in to your site editor, open your homepage and look for the banner or announcement bar at the top. If your site has one and it's switched off, switch it on. Type your message, check it in the phone preview, and publish. If you don't see a Publish button, tell us and we'll publish it for you.

Step 2: Update your Google profile yourself

The banner on your site doesn't change your Google profile. Sign in with the Google account that runs it and choose Edit profile.

• A closure of up to 6 days in a row: add special hours. Choose Hours, then Special hours, and pick the date.
• A closure of 7 days or more, or you don't know how long it will last: use Google's Temporarily closed setting.

Your screen may word these a little differently. See Add holiday hours and Update your hours.

Step 3: When you reopen

Email us the day you reopen, and your new hours if they changed. We take the banner down and update the site. If you put the banner up yourself, switch it off or delete the text, and publish again. Update your Google profile yourself too, so it shows you're open. Then test your contact form from a phone.

Before the next one

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Send us a standing closure message ahead of time and we'll keep it on file, and choose one person at your business to send us dates and updates. A storm can knock out power and internet for us too. If we're slow to answer, we'll reply as soon as we're back online. See Get ready for hurricane season.

Need a hand?

Email hello@zossoz.com with your business name, the words and the dates you want, and write "Urgent" in the subject. We'll put the banner up as quickly as we can and write back when it's live. We only post closure messages that come from you. See Put up a closure banner.