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Keeping our members informed on the region, best business practices, and marketing. The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce is now accepting articles from members to post as blogs on the Chamber’s website. These should contain useful information relevant to your industry and might solve a problem member companies may be having or alert members to and describe a new trend. You will get by-line credit for writing the article and we encourage you to include a brief bio about yourself and your business or organization. These are not intended to be a sales pitch. All articles must be approved by the Chamber staff before they are posted to the website. Depending on the number of submissions, we reserve the right to schedule articles for later postings. If you have questions or would like to submit an article contact Nick Sharps at nick@garrettchamber.com or (301) 387-5237.
Monday, January 17, 2022What Customers Want Post-Pandemic
The results of a recent survey commissioned by GoDaddy and conducted by OnePoll of 2,000 Americans and what they want from small business going forward, shouldn’t surprise business owners. But if you’ve been thinking that some of the things you did for safety purposes can be phased out once we start beating the numbers on this virus, you may be in for a rude awakening.
Christina R. Metcalf
Friday, April 30, 202125 Marketing Questions You Need to Ask Yourself Today
If recovery is right around the corner, now is the ideal time to revisit your marketing strategy and plan. Making critical changes now can bring you into alignment to make the most of recovery. Plus, it’s possible the needs and desires of your target audience have changed. Asking yourself the following questions about your business and marketing can help ensure that you have the data and information you need to make the most of the looming recovery.
Christina R. Metcalf
Friday, December 18, 20203 Small Business Lessons to Learn During COVID
This has certainly been a weird year. As we begin to adjust to our new reality, there are some things you could be doing in your business that may help you out in the post-COVID time. We can’t say it will ever be a return to normal. We’ve lost our innocence in some ways. Preparing for the worst in the past would never have (completely) readied us for this. But hopefully we’ve learned a thing or two to help us with future business.
Christina Metcalf
Monday, October 5, 2020Business Advice for Restaurants Reopening After COVID
Every few weeks or so the dining regulations are changing as we’re reopening in a phased approach. But “open” isn’t as easy as flipping a switch. There are some things you should keep in mind that will help your customers feel welcome and safe. These things go beyond what a local or county ordinance requires of you. But they’ll go a long way in helping your customers choose you over the competition.
Christina R. Metcalf
Tuesday, August 25, 20207+ Must-make COVID Content Changes for Improved Engagement
Our lives and our businesses have changed a lot during the time of COVID. We have changed how we reach customers and likely how they buy from us. Some of us have had to shut down. During this time, your website should be one of your strongest sales tools. Just as your business has changed, your content should have evolved as well. Are you doing these things to help remain viable in these challenging times?
Christina R. Metcalf
Monday, August 10, 20206 Things People Want in Businesses Operating During COVID
Six months into the COVID and we’re all still trying to figure out what’s going on. Should masks be required? Will kids be going back to school? Do we need goggles? But what we do know is that a lot of customers are still concerned about their health and the health of those around them. Because of that, there are several things you should be doing (and marketing) in your business.
Christina R. Metcalf
Friday, July 10, 2020Addressing the COVID Customer’s Content Needs
If ever there was a reason to increase and alter your social media and blog posting, it’s COVID. At first, with so much of the workforce at home, there was a lot of traffic online. You may have been happy with the number of reactions and shares you were getting. But let's face it, people were bored or they were stressed. Either way, they were looking for an outlet and entertainment. Some wanted to use this time as a way to advance themselves professionally and they launched into all sorts of personal
Christina R. Metcalf
Thursday, June 4, 20203 Common COVID Personalities and How to Market to Them
People handle challenges in different ways and this pandemic is no exception. While your business may target a particular demographic, it's likely this demographic has split since COVID-19. You now have people who while they may fall into the same age group, income bracket, gender, geographical region or other similar characteristics, their reaction to the coronavirus may differ greatly. As things begin to open up, it's essential that you understand the personalities you're dealing with and how best to
Christina R. Metcalf
Friday, May 1, 2020Get More Customers with Facebook Ads: Pandemic Version
Have you been hesitant to pay Facebook for your content to appear in your audience’s streams? Maybe you still remember the days when you could get good reach through just normal, consistent posting. Those days are long gone. If you want your audience to see you--and you really need that especially now--then you're going to have to “pay to play.” But just handing over the money to Facebook won't bring you the traffic and sales you want. You need to learn how to write effective social media ads. And during
Christina R. Metcalf
Thursday, March 19, 2020How to Write an Effective Coronavirus (COVID-19) Message for Your Business
If you have had time to look in your email inbox recently, it's likely cluttered with messages from big brands telling you what they’re doing as we're facing the global pandemic of COVID-19. The point behind these communications is to quell fear and reassure people that it’s safe to patronize these businesses. If you have a physical location, it's likely you need to write one too. People are scared and when fear is a motivator, logic goes out the window. Business owners must convey important messaging to
Christina R. Metcalf
