Greater Memphis Chamber

Amy Daniels

COVID Unemployment Update: Memphis Unemployment lower than other TN Metros

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Reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), while the April 2020 unemployment rate for the Memphis MSA rose higher than its previous January 2010 peak, the Memphis metro has seen less dramatic impact to unemployment compared to other metropolitan areas across Tennessee. Unemployment in Memphis for April, the latest reported figure from the BLSs for metropolitan areas, was two percent lower than the April figures for the nation and the state of Tennessee, and nearly three points lower than the Nashville metro area.

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5 Things to Consider When Developing a Digital Marketing Strategy

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The success of any good marketing campaign is the strategy that supports it. Whether that is developed years in advance or crafted after a viral moment, marketing plans allow for a long-lasting effect to be made on consumers. The term “strategy” can often seem intimidating to those running a small business or team, but it doesn’t have to be. A solid digital marketing strategy can allow time and resources to be allocated where they will have the greatest impact on your communication goals.

More than half of all media spend is being used on the internet – that is a projected 12.4% increase from 2019, according to Ad Age. This number may trend even higher due to COVID-19. Stay-at-home orders have changed where and how people spend their time. This has created a vacuum that media companies – particularly digital channels – are striving to fill.

When it comes to creating a solid digital marketing strategy, there are five things all small businesses should consider.

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Chamber’s 2020 Mid-Year Chairman’s Forum to Focus on “After the Virus”

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On Tuesday, June 23,  join the Greater Memphis Chamber Chairman Willie Gregory for the Chamber’s first virtual Mid-Year Chairman’s Forum.  Chairman Gregory will give a brief update on the activity the Chamber has engaged in during the first half of the year.  Following Chamber updates, we will have Benjamin Pring, co-founder of Cognizant’s Center for the Future of Work, as the keynote speaker.

Ben will discuss “After the Virus.” His discussion will center around what is going to be changed?  What technologies we will use?  How we will go back to physical facilities to work? What about travel, security, health and safety?  Ben feels it is “unrealistic to think that we will go back to normal and we as leaders need to adjust.”  Ben has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, the London Times, Forbes, Fortune, the MIT Review, the Daily Telegraph, Quartz, Inc., Axios, the Australian, and the Economic Times.  

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Member Advice with Nancy Denning-Martin

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It takes hard work, dedication and sometimes good old fashion luck to build a strong, profitable business. One of the best pieces of advice for entrepreneurs and emerging business owners is to get smart insights from people who have been there before.

See what Nancy Denning-Martin of Bridges for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (BridgesWEST) has to say on how he keeps his business growing. 

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Resource Guide To Building an Equitable and Inclusive Work Culture

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As citizens across the nation voice their frustration and anger in the wake of civil unrest, we have heard from Memphis Business Leaders who want to create safe spaces for meaningful dialogue inside their organizations. In response, the Greater Memphis Chamber has created a list of resources for employers to use to help engage with employees to hold productive conversations and create opportunities to help build an anti-racist workplace culture.

Below is a list of resources business leaders can use to navigate this work inside their businesses.

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Industrial Construction in Greater Memphis

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The construction pipeline for industrial space in Greater Memphis, Tennessee set a new record as developers continue to be active in Memphis, according to CoStar, a global leader in commercial real estate information. In fact, in a February 2020 publication from Costar, they cite that Greater Memphis was on track to expand its industrial footprint at the fastest pace in the nation with more than 3 million SF has delivered in 2020 and had over 11.9 million square feet of industrial space underway.

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3 Reasons Why Public Relations is a Must for Your Business

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Public relations. What is it? What purpose does it serve? Is it necessary? According to the Public Relations Society of America, PR is “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” To put it more simply, PR helps organizations large and small (even nonprofits) gain exposure among key audiences in a variety of ways, and it is certainly not just spin or crisis work.

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My PPP loan was Funded….Now what? FAQ Part 2

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Since inception by way of the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been the prime focus for American small businesses. That focus has generated many questions and concerns as such a massive program pieced together in a very short period of time is inherently subject to ambiguity and unintended outcomes.

On Friday, May 15, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) released an application with instructions for how PPP borrowers can receive forgiveness for a PPP loan. The application addressed mathematical questions and provided some clarity on terms previously undefined, but much remains to be answered. Additional regulations and guidance are anticipated from the SBA to assist in completion of the application. Although the forgiveness application and instructions address some of borrowers’ questions, there are still questions many borrowers are asking themselves.

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My PPP loan was Funded….Now what? FAQ Part 1

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Since inception by way of the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has been the prime focus for American small businesses. That focus has generated many questions and concerns as such a massive program pieced together in a very short period of time is inherently subject to ambiguity and unintended outcomes.

[Read more…] about My PPP loan was Funded….Now what? FAQ Part 1