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02/262021

Planning Your Post-COVID Business Goals & Strategies for Success

Sponsored by SPARK Networking Group & Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and the anticipated economic recovery, now more than ever business owners and executives must be focused on defining their post-COVID business goals and developing the roadmap to get them there. In this presentation and work session, business and executive coach and business owner, Ken Malouf, shares some best practices in defining your post-COVID business goals, some of the highest priority business goals that he works with other business owners on through coaching, and some valuable tools, principles and approaches to kickstart your thinking and planning for these priority areas. At the end of the presentation, time will also be provided for Q&A for those in attendance.

09/092020

Upcoming Chamber Events – September 2020

Chamber Events

Join Spark Conejo and Conejo Chamber of Commerce for a slew of upcoming in person and digital events. We continue to follow the CDC guidelines with social distancing and wearing a mask. We look forward to seeing you at these events. Feel free to contact Spark if you have any questions.

03/192020

Conejo Valley COVID-19 Resources

During this time your Chamber is here to help you navigate resources and answer any questions you may have.

Click Here for our Coronavirus (COVID-19) resource page.

Click Here for Frequently Asked Questions.

Click Here for Resources for Employers.

We’re receiving continual updates from Ventura County and LA County Public Health as well as our local cities and state officials.

If you have any questions we’re here to help. Our phone is 805.370.0035.

Are there any sources of funding to help my business during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Yes! There are two main sources of financial support for businesses – the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Economic Development Collaborative.

The SBA offers low interest disaster assistance loans for businesses affected by COVID-19. Loans can be for terms up to 30 years, in order to make the payments manageable. In some industry categories a company under 500 employees qualifies as a small business.

Apply at https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance.

The Economic Development Collaborative offers low interest micro loans from $5,000- $50,000 through their Disaster Loan Fund to give a cash flow boost to businesses impacted by reduced sales, supply chain disruption or other challenges related to COVID-19.

Contact Marvin Boateng, Lending Manager to apply at marvin@edcollaborative.com or call (805) 409-9158.

Is there anything that I can do to support employees that will be impacted by my business shut down?

If your employees have their hours reduced or are temporarily or permanently laid off, then they should qualify for unemployment benefits from the Employment Development Department (EDD).

Employees can apply for benefits immediately after a work cut back or stoppage.

The website to apply for benefits is https://edd.ca.gov/Unemployment/

Also, if a child’s school is closed, and employees have to miss work to be there for them, they may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits. Eligibility considerations include if they have no other care options and if you are unable to continue working your normal hours remotely.

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02/272019

Is Direct Mail Marketing Still Relevant In Today’s Digital World?

Direct Mail Marketing marketing

My name is Stella Rowley and I am the Regional Manager for the Conejo Valley / Ventura County area. My job is to strategically help connect businesses like yours that are seeking new customers, to their prime audience. Valpak can meet your customer where they are! Whether it’s in their mailbox with print, online with digital, or on their cell phones with our mobile app. It’s the perfect tri-fecta, no matter where your customers live, Valpak is in the neighborhood! The icing on the cake is that Valpak can track your ROI, by reporting ALL of the actions that result from your ad. This is just one of many features that set Valpak apart from our competition.

In this blog you will get a taste of the method to our madness.

WHY DIRECT MAIL?

70% of consumers prefer traditional mail for receiving unsolicited offers from companies and 54% want to receive mail from brands they’re interested in.

IT’S MEMORABLE

Your message and brand are more likely to be remembered by consumers who are introduced to your business when they receive your promotion in their mailbox. Recall with direct mail is 70% higher than with digital and requires 21% less mental effort to process.

IT GETS RESPONSE

Even online retailers are embracing direct mail. Jet Senior Director of Digital Marketing Emily Frankel, said they mailed 35 million direct mail pieces last year because they’re effective at reaching new and repeat shoppers and attract more urban, affluent shoppers. Online retailer Boxed also increased spending on print ads by 80% in 2017.

Jet and Boxed both recognize direct mail gets higher response rates than all digital channels – up to 5.1% versus a high of 0.6% for digital.4

PRECISE TARGETING

Many advertisers are now experimenting with new ways to send out direct mail, often dialing in on consumer behaviors or shopping trends to improve their responses. Direct mail can target specific households based on purchase behavior, income, or demographic. In the same way digital advertising does, use online browsing and buying data to send relevant coupons and ads to homes in a format that consumers prefer.

RELEVANCE

By 2020, millennials, the largest labor force of any generation, are estimated to have a spending power of $1.4 trillion per year and are in tune with direct mail despite their perceived affinity for digital.5 89% of millennials will pick up their mail at the first opportunity, 77% pay attention to direct mail advertising and 52% will switch brands if they have a coupon.

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01/212019

37 Remarkable SMS Marketing and Text Messaging Statistics

SMS Marketing text message marketing

Cell phone communication is breaking all usage records and becoming an increasingly vital tool for marketers to connect with consumers, both around the block and around the world. According to research, 2019 will be the biggest year on record. Recent reports shed light on the opportunities and help us grasp the enormous potential and impact this has for businesses.

The point: SMS marketing can play a major role in developing a relationship with your customers and converting prospects. But don’t rely on our word for it, BizText247 has collected the most up to date and compelling SMS texting numbers for you to see for yourself. Do your research, because at the end of the day the information will lead you to build a marketing strategy that propels your business forward.

Worldwide Text Messaging Stats

If you need a feel for just how many people use mobile devices to communicate these days, and just how much we are attached to our phones, these text messaging numbers will illustrate that for you.

1. 5 billion people globally send and receive SMS messages. That’s about 65% of the world’s population.
2. 292 million people in North America use text messages — that’s 80% of the total population.
3. The country with the highest percentage of mobile users is Russia where 89% of the population sends and receives text messages.
4. China and India have the most people who send SMS messages – China comes in first with 1,082 million people and India second with 732 million.
5. The mobile industry had a revenue of $1.06 trillion in 2018. That’s a 1.65% annual increase.
6. 3.4 billion people access the internet via mobile.
7. Most people are using smartphones these days — 58% of mobile users own a smartphone.

The Future of Texting

The numbers show that text messaging and mobile usage isn’t slowing down any time soon. In fact, reports project it will keep growing at a strong pace through 2019 until at least 2025. It’s not a trend that will pass us by, mobile is a force that’s here to stay.

8. Globally, the amount of people who send and receive text messages is predicted to rise to 5.9 billion by 2025.
9. Smartphone usage is expected to increase to 77% of the global population by 2025.
10. By 2025, two-thirds of mobile connections will be on high-speed networks.
11. Researchers predict 6 billion people will send and receive SMS text messages by 2025.
12. By 2025, a predicted 61% of the world’s population will access the internet from their mobile phones.

SMS Marketing Numbers

So even if you know a lot about the market, how does any of that apply to your business? These SMS marketing numbers will give you an idea of how text messaging is capturing marketers and strategies they’re trying to implement in 2019.

13. People will definitely see what you send them — SMS open rates are as high as 98%.
14. You can start a conversation — As many as 45% of people reply to branded SMS marketing messages.
15. Gain an advantage over your competition — about 61% of marketers still don’t use SMS.
16. Across markets, mobile’s use is becoming more commonplace. 52% of business leaders in North America said it’s already a major factor in their industry.
17. Out of all the consumer behaviors that mobile is changing, 46% of North American marketers said it’s having the most impact on mobile commerce.
18. Retail is viewed as the industry in North America using the most innovative mobile marketing techniques by 47% of marketers.
19. Despite statistics on mobile’s rise, 65% of brands still don’t have a formal strategy in place with text marketing to take advantage of the amount of time we spend on our phones.
20. Numbers show that 73% of businesses expect their SMS marketing budgets to increase in the next year.
21. About 33% of marketers expect to prioritize mobile loyalty schemes and coupons in their plans for next year.

Other Important SMS and MMS Numbers To Know

One specific way to reach people on their mobile devices is through SMS and MMS marketing. Research proves that this is a very effective way to reach your consumers. More importantly, polls indicate this is the way they actually want to hear from you. People don’t enjoy receiving phone calls or emails from brands as much as text messages. They’re excited about text messages from businesses — the numbers show it. Source for statistics below.

22. 88% of people surveyed said text was the number one thing they use their phones for.
23. Don’t rely on the old methods of getting in touch – 90% of businesses said they leave voicemails to talk to consumers, but only 29% of consumers said they listen to those voicemails.
24. 92% of U.S. adults carry text-enabled phones, 98% of smartphone users use text on a regular basis, but only 14% of companies text with consumers. There’s a huge opportunity few businesses are taking advantage of.
25. 85% of customers prefer receiving text messages over a phone call or email.
26. Numbers show that 64% of customers want to use text messaging to make or update a reservation.
27. 71% of consumers say using text messaging to communicate with a business was effective.
28. More people send text messages than own personal computers or landline telephones.
29. 64% of consumers think companies who text value their time, are progressive and would recommend them to others.
30. 53% of consumers say they feel more positive toward a brand that uses mobile messaging to communicate.
31. 45% of consumers say the ability to send mobile messages is what could convince them to choose one brand, product or service over another.
32. Polls predict that by 2020, 85% of interactions between brands and customers will be managed without speaking.
33. 97% of companies found they communicated with consumers more efficiently after launching texting initiatives.
34. One group of early adopter of MMS for business is insurance agents. 67% of agents send and receive MMS messages to send quotes and claims. They report consumers respond “within minutes” to text messages.
35. 94% of businesses who already use text messaging would recommend it to a friend or colleague.
36. Interactive content, like some SMS or MMS campaigns, generate conversions 70% of the time, compared to passive content numbers at 36%.
37. 95% of millennials send messages daily, while four out of five consumers in total send daily messages.

How To Get Started With SMS or MMS Marketing

If reading these stats has you interested in trying SMS marketing for your business, 2019 is year to get started. Here are a few simple actions you can take to get started.

Find A Complete Solution

Instead of trying to do it yourself when it comes to text marketing, while you’re learning it’s a good idea to partner with a provider who has experience creating text campaigns and can walk you through a simple platform to launch your own initiatives. Find a SMS software service that can spend the 1 on 1 time to get you educated, help plan your campaigns, and automate some of your text messaging. BizText247 provides this exact type of hands on support and an easy to use platform to get started.

Create A Text Marketing Plan

Like any marketing initiative, it’s important to go into text marketing with a strong plan in place so that you can be decisive and cohesive with your communications to consumers. If you need some ideas on how to create a plan, we can provide those for you! Remember to become familiar with text marketing best practices if you’re just jumping in.

Review Your Strategy

Once you’ve initiated a marketing plan make sure you regularly review it against key performance indicators. You want to make sure your marketing dollars are well spent. If you find you need to go a step further with your strategies, implement advanced SMS marketing techniques to take your campaigns to the next level.

Conclusion

The text messaging statistics speak for themselves – mobile is growing and businesses that adapt are positioning themselves in the best place to make consumers happy. Don’t be afraid to embrace mobile marketing, adapting to it gives you a strong advantage over businesses who are slower to see the potential.

Sources:

– GSMA Intelligence
– Mobile Marketing Association
– Express
– AT&T Business
– CTIA

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12/102018

Where Are Interest Rates Headed in 2019?

Real Estate Advice real estate, tim joyce

Article from one Spark’s resident real estate agent, Tim Joyce. He’s been in the real estate game for 19 years and has a sensible approach when helping his clients purchase homes.

The interest rate you pay on your home mortgage has a direct impact on your monthly payment. The higher the rate, the greater the payment will be. That is why it is important to know where rates are headed when deciding to start your home search.

Below is a chart created using Freddie Mac’s U.S. Economic & Housing Marketing Outlook. As you can see, interest rates are projected to increase steadily throughout 2019.

How Will This Impact Your Mortgage Payment?

Depending on the amount of the loan that you secure, a half of a percent (.5%) increase in interest rate can increase your monthly mortgage payment significantly. But don’t let the prediction that rates will increase stop you from purchasing your dream home this year!

Let’s take a look at a historical view of interest rates over the last 45 years.

Bottom Line

Be thankful that you can still get a better interest rate than your older brother or sister did ten years ago, a lower rate than your parents did twenty years ago, and a better rate than your grandparents did forty years ago.

What If I Wait A Year to Buy a Home?

National home prices have increased by 5.4% since this time last year. Over that same time period, interest rates have remained near historic lows which has allowed many buyers to enter the market and lock in low rates.

As a seller, you will likely be most concerned about ‘short-term price’ – where home values are headed over the next six months. As a buyer, however, you must not be concerned about price but instead about the ‘long-term cost’ of the home.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae all project that mortgage interest rates will increase by this time next year. According to CoreLogic’s most recent Home Price Insights Report, home prices will appreciate by 4.8% over the next 12 months.

What Does This Mean as a Buyer?

If home prices appreciate by 4.8% over the next twelve months as predicted by CoreLogic, here is a simple demonstration of the impact that an increase in interest rate would have on the mortgage payment of a home selling for approximately $250,000 today:

If buying a home is in your plan for this year, doing it sooner rather than later could save you thousands of dollars over the terms of your loan.

Tim Joyce, Realtor CalRE#01382672
The information contained, and the opinions expressed, in this article are not intended to be construed as investment advice. Tim Joyce does not guarantee or warrant the accuracy or completeness of the information or opinions contained herein. Nothing herein should be construed as investment advice. You should always conduct your own research and due diligence and obtain professional advice before making any investment decision. Tim Joyce will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on the information or opinions contained herein.

11/062018

How One Non-Profit is Making a Difference

Business Networking, Non-Profit charity, donate, networking, non-profit, ventura county

One of our SPARK Members, Many Mansions, does so much in our community to give back! One of the ways they bring awareness to their cause is through their Bowls of Hope event that took place November 4^th, 2018 at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks for the 17^th year!

WHAT THE EVENT IS ABOUT

The Bowls of Hope event is designed to spread awareness of the need for affordable housing in our community as well as the importance of on-site services and programs provided by Many Mansions. Many Mansions, if you don’t know, is a non-profit organization that provides affordable housing for low-income families, homeless, and disabled individuals in Ventura County. They are the leading provider of Permanent Supportive Housing in the area, and they take pride in the quality of their homes!

WHY BOWLS?

Hundreds of ceramic bowls have been created by local community leaders to keep as souvenirs. You can see the array of designs and colors of these awesome symbols on the Many Mansions website! Many other businesses within the Conejo Valley also threw their hands in the game! Many gourmet soups, salads and breads were donated by local restaurants and bakeries. This year, their servers were dignitaries, civic leaders and veterans and over 400 guests in attendance!

WHERE THE PROCEEDS GO

The proceeds from this event will benefit the residential service programs put on by Many Mansions, including veteran services at their new site in Oxnard! The way this non-profit lives out it’s mission statement is inspiring at best. The Family Housing provides affordable, income-based rental housing to low-income families. With beautiful properties families are able to find a place to live that they can afford and thrive in. At these sites they offer Children’s Programs to support the resident children and their families in safe, supportive programs that are right on-site. Food bags are also offered, monthly, at each property through our local food pantry, FoodShare.

Many Mansions also provides Supportive Housing for individuals and families who are formerly homeless and/or have a disability. A specially designed Supportive Services Program is offered on-site at each of these properties. This unique program is meant to provide safe, family-friendly housing with life-enriching services designed at bringing a family out of poverty and into a prosperous life. Services are essential to the lives of these people, and allow them to not only maintain housing, a feat in itself, but to grow into more stable and enriched individuals.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Many Mansions welcomes everyone to join them in their efforts to break the cycle of poverty! They are always accepting donations however, be sure to keep your eyes open for the Bowls of Hope Event for 2019! It is sure to be spectacular!

Your donation makes a difference — it positively impacts the lives of more than 1,200 individuals, 300 of whom are children. When you donate, you help Many Mansions provide important services like; computer and school supplies for after-school and literacy programs, self-sufficiency like skills for single mothers and fathers, emergency food assistance to many families each month, and much much more!

09/202018

How To Spot A Phishing Email

Phishing Scams phishing emails

Phishing emails are the most common way for criminals to distribute malicious software or obtain sensitive information. Is your business safe from these attacks? We have some tips that you can follow to make sure your business doesn’t become a victim!

In a previous post, we gave you the top 3 email security tips for your business. Unfortunately, phishing emails are a more common occurrence now than ever before. According to Symantic, the average user may receive on average 16 phishing emails per month. With so many avenues of attack available to phishers, businesses should prioritize their security standards to make sure that they mitigate the risk of a compromised system.

07/032018

5 Tips On Building Business Relationships

Business Networking 2

When starting your own company you soon realize that without quality relationships it can be hard to thrive. Whether your building up your customer base or setting a solid foundation for networking one thing is clear…learning how to create and keep lasting business relationships will measure your success! Below we have 5 tips that will help you do just that!

Know Your Audience:

First things first, what type of relationships do you want? You should already have a good understanding of your industry, so, who fits into your category? If you are a real estate agent then it may be beneficial to reach out to an insurance provider. Together you can send each other referrals based off of your customers needs! Say someone just bought a house from you and they now need home owners insurance. This would be a great referral to pass along to your connection. You are now more valuable to your customer and have helped out your business colleague! With one easy relationship everyone benefited.

Be Your Best Self:

No matter what industry you’re in, the personality you show people is the one they will remember. So bring the best version of yourself to the table and people will naturally gravitate towards you! We come in contact with so many individuals throughout the day and naturally we choose to spend time with those that lift us up so be that person to someone else. Energy is magnetic, you’ll soon realize how easy it is to start building and creating lasting business relationships simply by making sure you have the right attitude!

Get Involved:

You won’t make friends if you never venture into the sandbox! Getting involved in the community where you work is a great way to meet like minded professionals who could be your next best business relationship. Look up your local Chamber of Commerce to instantly be welcomed into a thriving business environment. See if there are any charitable organizations that you’d love to be apart of. Every step you make to reach out to others will be another step in the right direction to gaining those relationships your business needs!

Be Engaged In What Your Doing:

People can tell if you aren’t interested in or care about what they’re saying. So, show them you care! Be engaged in what those around you are talking about. Show interest, ask questions, and answer them truthfully. If you think their business could blend well with yours tell them! People love to know that others are genuinely curious about what they do and there is no bigger complement then when someone wants to work with you.

Network Yourself:

Networking is one of the quickest ways to start building those business relationships you need! Find a local networking group and if you’ve already joined a chamber check out which networking groups you may fit into. These groups are designed to bring companies together and to offer referrals that can lead to lasting customers! At SPARK we have helped join multiple companies together and have not only contributed to lasting friendships but have helped the businesses within our group to thrive!

Whether you are just starting out, or have been in it for years, building relationships is a key component to any successful business. Make sure you are taking the right steps towards building your relationships to help develop an even stronger economic environment in the 21st century!

06/052018

Why SPARK Stands Out Among Networking Groups

Business Networking

No Referral Pushing

I’ve worked with a lot of business owners and entrepreneurs and the number one thing that often turns them off from joining a networking group is the fear of referral pushing.

A lot of networking groups operate on the pretense that at each meeting you must bring up to 3 qualified referrals for another group member. This can be a daunting task! Not only are you working day and night to grow your own company; you are also straining to find leads and new customers for a business that isn’t yours. Some networking groups will even ask you to leave if you don’t produce.

It is easy to see why some avoid organized networking groups.

The SPARK Relationship

The SPARK Networking Group believes in igniting your businesses through relationships. In other words, they work hard to develop lasting friendships, business relationships, and a working comradery that naturally produces leads for the group members. Just ask Candu Graphics, a printing shop located in Westlake Village. Through their participation in the group they have obtained many customers simply through word of mouth and testimonials.

Another business to benefit has been Office Evolution also in Westlake Village, an establishment that provides business services and has been able to help many companies within the Conejo Valley.

SPARK believes, not in forcing members to produce referrals, but rather, encouraging the participation and ongoing motivation to get to know their fellow members and from there the referrals organically come in.

I’ve seen in my years of business, that when people are simply working from a genuine setting leads will manifest and success comes with ease!

Informative Marketing Tips

The world of business we live in today is constantly changing and with the rise of technology it can be difficult for a new company to stay up to date with all those changes. At SPARK they understand this! Their meetings are filled with not only presentation from current group Members but also with guest speakers to talk about the new facets of marketing, social media management, and staying fresh in a market that is constantly growing!

Whether you work in finance, construction, real estate, or retail you will benefit from the informational seminars held for SPARK members only!

Check out our Instagram and Facebook Pages to learn more about SPARK and if you are curious about joining then visit our membership sign up page!