-
The Chamber Weekly Blog
A collection of articles that we believe will add value to you and your business!Friday, September 13, 2024No, this isn’t another article about how you can turn your hobby into a side hustle. But having a hobby can be great for your existing business. It may not feel like you have enough time for a hobby, but here’s why you should prioritize hobby time (or time spent cultivating one). Read moreFriday, September 6, 2024Social media is becoming more and more frustrating, right? If you have used it to connect with your audience for ten years or so, you undoubtedly have seen crazy changes in your reach. If you’re new to the social media for business scene, reaching 2% of your audience probably feels pretty normal. But if you’re not reaching your audience, how are they going to know who you are and all the wonderful things your business can bring them? When it comes to building a loyal following, there are several things you can do. Ultimately, reach is still dependent on the platform’s algorithm, but every social media channel claims to respond to value. To reach more people, you need them to see you as providing valuable content they want to interact with. Here’s how you can start doing that. Read moreTuesday, September 3, 2024Does your business seem to be a revolving door of employees? If so, there are several reasons why that could be true that have nothing to do with your business itself. It could be the nature of your industry. Some industries are seasonal or attract a more nomadic employee base that tends to wander. It could also be a problem with one of your managers or supervisors. Perhaps, it’s a lack of growth opportunities. If you’re shaking your head thinking, “No, that’s not it,” and you’re wondering what it could be for your business, The 2024 Intuit QuickBooks Allstate Health Solutions Benefits Survey may provide some answers. The survey of 1,000 employees from both small and large companies reveals just how important employee benefits packages are in today's competitive job market. Here’s a summary of the key findings: Read moreThursday, August 22, 2024I receive a lot of emails and as a marketing writer, I study much of what I get. In marketing, it’s important to stay curious and notice what attracts your attention and what misses the mark. There’s a ton to be learned from all that spam. So, let's take a look at the The 5 Most Common Mistakes Email Marketers Make! Read moreWednesday, August 14, 2024Have you noticed these days that everyone seems to have a course or at least a YouTube video on how they do what they do? Teaching has become a secondary (and sometimes primary) revenue stream for the small business professional. Marketers, eBay sellers, and even real estate agents are turning how-to instruction into a new business. Sure, it can enhance your brand, generate additional revenue, and establish you as an authority in your field. But it’s not always the answer for every business. Before jumping into becoming an online guru in your industry, it's important to weigh the benefits and challenges to instructional content creation. Here’s a guide to help you decide whether going that route is the right step for your business. Read moreWednesday, August 7, 2024If you’ve ever spent any time creating or consuming content, you have either written or read a piece that proclaims some marketing trend is dead or something is “king.” Be it a social media platform, marketing activity, way of doing things—one thing is always going out of fashion, and something is lauded as taking its place. This article is no different. Today, we’re asking the riveting question—Are blogs dead (or dying) and can we blame AI? Of course, I had to turn to AI for the answers. First, let’s see what AI has to say and then I’ll give you my marketing take. Read moreFriday, July 26, 2024Trust is the cornerstone of customer relationships, driving sales and fostering loyalty. Yet, building that trust swiftly, especially in a competitive landscape filled with countless options for consumers, can be hard. Establishing credibility and rapport takes time and effort. (It’s the one thing you can’t buy at Costco.) But strategic actions can accelerate trust building. By focusing on transparency, communication, and consistently exceeding expectations, you can cultivate trust quickly and effectively. If you want to build trust with current and potential customers, check out these important values. Read moreMonday, July 22, 2024Content helps you connect, right? It gives insights into your business, your personality, and your culture. But boy, can it be draining. And as awesome as AI is there are only so many times you can ask it for blog ideas for the exact same audience before it starts to sound the same. So where do you get new content ideas and inspiration to attract and retain customers? And how do you keep your content fresh and relevant? Let’s dig into some sources and strategies to generate, curate, and hybridize content for your blog posts, articles, videos, and social media. Read moreTuesday, July 2, 2024In my town, businesses of all types and industries are getting into the event business. They’re offering how-to demos, social gatherings, night outs, and a lot more. Best of all, they’re collaborating with some unlikely partners. Using a similar type of collaboration can help you reach new audiences, enhance your offerings, and drive sales. Here are 15 innovative partnership ideas that can benefit small businesses across various industries. Read moreThursday, June 20, 2024By building a community around a shared interest relevant to your target market, you can boost engagement, gather valuable insights, and ultimately drive sales. Read more