ARCHIVE 3/30-4/3.2020

APRIL 3, 2020

FIVE TIPS FOR MAKING GREAT VIDEOS FROM HOME

​Peter Gallo
MRCC Board of Directors President and
Owner and Operator
Envision Video Services

Video Production, Marketing & Training Videos & Video Transfer Services 

APRIL 2, 2020

FIVE TIPS FOR WRITING RELATABLE COPY

​Donna Gould
MRCC Marketing Committee and
President and Chief Story Teller
Open Heart Creative

Helping Businesses Tell Better Brand Stories

APRIL 1, 2020

FIVE TIPS TO KEEP YOUR IT SAFE WHILE WORKING OR LEARNING FROM HOME

Felicia Halpert and Costa Rodis
Bergen IT
​
6x Winner of Angie's List Super Service Award
​and 2019 Best of Bergen Award Winner

MARCH 31, 2020

FIVE KEY MARKETING TIPS DURING AN ECONOMIC HIATUS

KEEP YOUR FINGER ON THE PULSE OF YOUR CLIENTS
Stay connected!  Disruption changes the way companies do business going forward.  Stay in touch with shifts they are making so you can provide solutions during that process and be in line with their needs when things get back in full swing.
 
RESET YOUR MARKETING GOALS, STRATEGIES AND BUDGET
You need to look at your marketing plan and redirect to match the current landscape.  Two key areas to consider:

• ROI:  Invest in channels that give you the most return, remembering that time is money.
• Track/Analyze:  Data driven insight will provide direction and reap huge rewards. 

 
DON’T STOP MARKETING
Brand awareness is even more important when consumers are not buying.  They are still planning for when time is right.  Market when and where appropriate.  Even if you’re budget is tight remember:

• Advertising rates are lower during economic downturns.
• Less advertising by competitors makes your brand more visible.

 
THINK ABOUT PRODUCT INNOVATION
In the 2009 recession, Amazon grew in sales by 28% most notably by launching Kindle.  Not a response to increased need for delivery, but rather innovation during a time when consumers were spending less.  Kindle offered a cheaper, easier way to read. Really look at your business and consider new opportunities.
 
HELP!
There is uncertainty and stress, and people are looking for positive reinforcement.  Help wherever and however you can.  Share stories about your company and employees, positive quotes, and good citizens in the community making a difference.  While not conventionally something you would put in a marketing plan, this will make you and your employees feel better and your brand appreciated and remembered.  

Donna Johns
MRCC Marketing Committee and MRCC 2020 Business Growth Conference Chair
Marketing Strategist at promarkdirect
Finding Audiences, Creating Content, Delivering Messages

MARCH 30, 2020

FIVE WAYS TO ENSURE PRODUCTIVITY WHEN WORKING REMOTELY 

Curated from my bright, tech-savvy colleagues who have learned to love telecommuting, here are five tips:

Embrace technology
Use this opportunity to become familiar with collaboration tools such as Cisco’s Jabber, Yammer, WebEx Teams, Microsoft Teams, and Slack, which offer instant communication channels in a secure, connected way that spans devices and locations. File sharing programs such as Google Docs and Dropbox are also great ways to collaborate and maintain version control.
 
Testing and preparation
Make sure you have tested your collaboration tools in advance to avoid live issues – many systems have test features for this very reason. If hosting, go online early to open up the meeting and set up your screen for sharing.
 
​Keep security top of mind
Follow best practices for connecting, accessing data and collaborating with clients and colleagues. Always use a secure VPN connection when available and take advantage of multi-factor authentication. Konica Minolta’s IT security quiz can help identify possible risks and offer a potential action plan. 

Make sure your home office serves your needs
If you suddenly have multiple people at home accessing the Internet, make sure your current plan can support heavier usage. It might also be a good time to upgrade your Wi-Fi router, or at least make sure it’s running the latest firmware.

Maintain your sanity with some online fun
Host a Zoom happy hour or keep a Zoom meeting open throughout the day where people can pop in whenever to chat with others. You can also break up your day virtually with a visit to the NYC Metropolitan Opera,  NYC Museum or NYC Public Library.

Maggie Grande
MRCC Board of Directors and
​Public Relations Manager at Konica Minolta in Ramsey