Quick Wins for Local Businesses During Uncertain Times

Journal Entry – March 16, 2020

I’m tired. It’s Monday morning after a weekend filled with difficult news, hard decisions and uncertainty.

One of the most difficult decisions a business owner needs to make is whether to open their doors.

This isn’t a fancy branded post intended to drive you to our website or promote our services. This post is simple. As a local business owner, manager or decision maker, how can you keep the lights on, the doors open and continue to pay your bills?

Now is the time to be the business leader you always wanted to be. Here are just a few suggestions:

Use the tools and channels available to communicate with customers.
Post an update on social channels regarding hours or products/services available.
- Pin the post to the top of the page to make it easy for customers to find.
- Boost the post for $1 per day to people who Like your page to keep them informed.
Update your Google Listing here, with hours and content similar to social media. (This keeps Google up-to-date.)
Share your procedures with customers; and ensure your staff know you take it serious. Whether hand washing or table wiping, be sure staff and customers alike understand the severity and importance of these routine tasks.
Consider allocating special hours to vulnerable populations (seniors, parents with young children). IE First hour each day is only for vulnerable populations.
Add delivery or online options. Deliver your product/service where and when you can. If customers can’t or won’t come to you, take your product/services to them through delivery and online options. From food and diaper deliveries to counseling appointments online or via phone.
Change your hours to reflect your staffing levels. If the number of staff you have available is reduced, reduce your operating hours.

And finally, being with others is one of the most calming activities we can do. Just being with others in our homes, watching movies, talking and eating popcorn. Take this time to reset and connect.

We will never know if we’ve taken the right and necessary actions; but we will know if we’ve taken the wrong actions.

Keep well.

Barb

#GoogleGirl In Media

Online Scams Aren’t Just for Granny Anymore!

Protect Yourself Against Scams

When we think of scams, we often imagine people preying on vulnerable seniors, but as scams and fraud get more complex, more people are being socially engineered out of their money—including business owners and employees. Ahead of #PasswordDay on March 15, the Saskatchewan Better Business Bureau, the Saskatchewan Financial Literacy Network and Above the Fold are spreading the word to remind the nearly 150,000 small businesses across the province of what they should watch for.

“Scams and scammers are evolving and getting bolder all the time,” says Karen Smith, CEO of Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Saskatchewan. “Businesses and their employees need to be aware and taking active steps to protect their information—and their finances. And even the best protections need updating when scams change, so we encourage everyone to report any scam or fraud they encounter.”

The BBB has been sharing its National List of Top 10 Scams for more than a quarter century, and there are more than a few for businesses to watch out for. Phishing through fraudulent emails and fake websites can scoop business and financial information; employment scams have cost Canadians more than $4.5 million in the last year, and subscription scams can trick us with free trials and pre-checked
boxes that end in unwanted products and charges.

The Saskatchewan Financial Literacy Network indicates, “Being aware and educating yourself on the types of scams that are affecting Canadians is vital in managing your finances successfully.”

“Online scams are everywhere, and I hear from all kinds of local business owners about their fear of falling victim to them,” says Barb McGrath, Chief Marketing Officer at Above the Fold. “We are a Google-approved agency, so people are comfortable asking me what they can do to keep themselves safe online. Half of small businesses that were fraud victims were contacted by phone, and another 25 percent through websites and mail. The internet can feel like the wild west; I want my fellow business owners to know that there are resources locally that can help them protect their business.”

Lack of information is the top factor keeping small businesses from advancing their security efforts, followed closely by a lack of resources. The lack of understanding and training are other big barriers, but Saskatchewan businesses have access to help through these organizations supporting business. And despite the prevalence of online scams, news stories and word of mouth are still the top ways small business owners learn about scams. From getting training to reporting scams and frauds, these three organizations encourage small businesses to inform and protect themselves, including changing the passwords for their three most important accounts on March 15, #PasswordDay.

Find more Ready-to-Buy Customers with the Ultimate Google Listing Guide with Step by Step Instructions.

Get your free copy today!

Stephanie Cory

Barb is awesome to work with! She really understands our business and is very attentive to our needs. I’d recommend her services to everyone looking to grow their business’ online presence. Thanks for everything Barb!

Roxanne Brown

I’m looking forward to incorporating all of the great suggestions that I got to help move my company along in the area of social media.

Roxanne Brown

Karen Wotherspoon

Barb makes the world of digital marketing easy to understand for those of us who aren’t so technologically savvy! Its obvious she has tons of knowledge and is passionate about her work.

Angie Hicks

Barb brings you decades of marketing smarts combined with a deep understanding of how to use the latest digital tools to make sure you’re seen online. Get her in your corner!

Mark Melby

Barb is well versed in the digital world and knows what is currently working in the social media arena. Our visit and discussion around communication and it’s importance was very enlightening and informative. Highly recommend talking to Barb!

Robyn Michon

I came to Barb feeling frustrated with my marketing. It always felt like a guessing game. Barb has empowered me by showing me how to use data to purposefully decide where and how to market my services.

Michelle Sellars

Barb and her team are AMAZING!!! Their expertise and knowledge have brought my business to a whole other level. Thank you for everything you have done for me and my business!

Sherry Knight

Here I am trying to build a brand and along comes Barb McGrath showing me how to focus growing that image! Wow, it has been a wild ride – each time we meet I learn something new I can apply. It is exciting and daunting, all at the same time. Barb is there each step of the way and slowly, I am learning what I need to know in order to build that brand.

Thank you Barb! You are so knowledgeable and also such an inspiration – marketing in the digital world is different. Yet, knowing that and working with the digital world are so very different when it comes to branding and marketing.

Gary Weisbrodt

Comprehensive marketing knowledge delivered in an easy to understand way.

Luke Rossmo

Barb is exceptional in her domain. Her unique approach is invaluable and leads to increased exposure which leads to increased business. She is also very approachable and genuinely cares about her clients. She also effectively conveyed information in a way that allowed me to understand.

Nadine Howard

Barb has been a life and business saver for me! Building an online presence for your business isn’t easy and takes precious time, but Barb helped me tremendously! She knows what she’s doing, and so great to work with! I highly recommend her. I’ll definitely continue to work with her on an ongoing basis!

Jeff Salisbury

Barb is a pleasure to work with. She’s driven and incredibly knowledgeable with a multitude of digital marketing tactics and strategies.

#GoogleGirl In Media

Back to School for Local Businesses in the Google Era

Get Found Digital Marketing Back to School

Back to School for Local Businesses in the Google Era

Kids are back in the classroom, and it’s the perfect time for Regina’s local businesses to get into a classroom of their own to get help online. The Regina area is home to more than 10,000 businesses, and more than 90 per cent have fewer than 50 employees. One local business wants to help other local businesses get found on Google.

Above the Fold, along with sponsors, BLG Business Solutions, sMedia and Scotiabank, are hosting Get Found on Google Live, for local businesses interested in improving their online presence. It’s no small feat to be a Google-approved agency, but Above the Fold has done it and is sharing that expertise on Thursday, September 27, with Saskatchewan’s only in-person, hands-on workshop. It’s a full-day workshop, hosted by owner and Chief Marketing Officer Barb McGrath, to help businesses learn to use the free tools designed by Google to manage their online reputation, find more ready-to-buy customers, streamline their marketing and make their website easy to find.

Thirty-Nine Years in Business and Still Learning

“If you want to learn more about how to promote your business online, then Get Found on Google Live is just the right program for you, said Sherry Knight, CEO of Dimension 11, and business owner for over 38 years, in Regina and Get Found on Google participant. From the ins and outs of Google Analytics to how to make your website Google “friendly” this program is a must. And, on top of the technical aspects, Barb is able to answer the mundane, the “I have no idea what I am trying to say” and the deep dive questions so everyone can have a clearer understanding of what one needs to do to get greater notice on Google.”

Registration

The workshop provides hands-on training and one-on-one help with a local expert, plus access to Google tools and credits (not to mention great food, beverages and plenty of coffee!). The workshop runs 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on September 27 at the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Regina. Pre-registration is required at getfound.live.

“I know what it’s like to run a local business in Saskatchewan, and I know how important it is to make sure my online marketing is done right,” said McGrath. “There are lots of entrepreneurs and business owners in Regina who are uncomfortable in the tech space, but we are here to help. It’s back-to-school time for kids and business owners alike; my goal is to give local businesses the tools they need to show off everything we have to offer in this city and this province.”