CMC Newsletter- SEO & Social Media Webinar

Chamber Connections

February 12, 2021

Small Business Webinar

SEO & Social Media

February 17 • 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Last Chance to Register!

Get Found. Get Noticed. Get Results

Social Media

Platforms
Social Media Management Tools/Schedulers
Design Elements/Hierarchy
Events (Pre, Day-Of, Post)
Cross-Platform content
Post Consistency/Timing (Relevant or filler (be honest))

SEO

What is SEO?
How SEO Works
Why you need it
Paid Advertising (And why you need it, too)

Learn from social media expert, Andrew Persaud, Co-Founder of AE2 Creative. AE2 specializes in helping you grow, and tie together elements that may otherwise seem hard to manage – while you focus on building your business. They offer services in Marketing/Advertising, Graphic Design, Website/SEO Services, Social Media, Photography/Videography, and Business Development.

Relief for Small Businesses

Sales Tax Credits for Small Businesses

The RELIEF Act makes a $300 million commitment to supporting small businesses with sales tax credits of up to $3,000 per month for four months—for a total of up to $12,000. This relief will directly help more than 55,000 Maryland small businesses.

This relief is automatic and based on a sliding scale up to $3,000. For example, if you are a business with $100,000 in monthly revenue and you collect $6,000 in sales taxes, you only remit $3,000. If you have $50,000 in monthly revenue and you collect $3,000 in sales taxes, you keep all $3,000.

Senate passes Hogan's Relief Act of 2021; bill now heads to House

Small businesses will also get various forms of economic aid. Hogan's original proposal included a provision to allow some 55,000 restaurants and small businesses to keep up to $12,000 in sales tax for four months. The amendments include an additional $125 million in business assistance including grants for entertainment venues, restaurants and other hospitality businesses.

The Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority will receive $10 million to provide grants of $25,000 to 400 disadvantaged businesses. Another $3 million will be spent to provide grants of $10,000 for 300 businesses in distressed communities.

Learn More

Join the Chamber Energy

Purchasing Cooperative

SAVE Money for Your Business AND Employees!

Everyone is experiencing the COVID Crunch. Money is Tight…Save Money with The CQI Energy Co-op. Join Now!

With elections over, COVID-19 vaccines being distributed, weather forecasts holding true, and an encouraging economic outlook, favorable third-party energy rates are just around the corner. There is no better time for members to enroll in the Chamber Energy Purchasing Cooperative Program.

The Central Maryland Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Nationally Recognized Energy Management experts, CQI Associates, to administer and manage the Chamber Energy Purchasing Cooperative. Competitive rates are obtained by leveraging aggregated usage from members of 23 Chambers of Commerce. The increased purchasing power allows members to receive lower rates than they could typically attain on their own.

Since 2004, the Cooperative Electricity and Natural Gas rates have been lower than both market rates and the weighted annual utility standard offer service rates.

TAKE ACTION REGISTER NOW in the current campaign which runs from February 1, 2021 to February 26, 2021.

TO ENROLL IN THE ENERGY COOPERATIVE:

Complete and sign the attached Letter of Authorization.
Provide one complete copy of your most recent utility bill(s) for all electricity and or natural gas accounts you are enrolling.
Scan and email copies of the above documents to Joe Tabeling at [email protected] or fax to 410-630-5911
APPLICATION DEADLINE February 26, 2021

To learn more about the purchasing cooperative and current market conditions, you can attend one of the following Information ZOOM Webinars:

To participate, select a date above and continue to the registration page.

NO ACTION will result in continuing to pay higher utility bills.

If you have any questions or require additional details, please contact Joe Tabeling with CQI Associates at [email protected] or 443-472-3870.

Letter of Authorization

Round 3 HoCo Rise Business Grants Now Open!

There are separate allocations of funds for the following:

Hotels ($ 1.6M)
Restaurants ($ 1.5M)
Home-based & Other Businesses ($ 2M)

To be eligible for any of the three, businesses must:

Be in “Good Standing” with Howard County and the State of Maryland
Business/Owner must be current on all applicable fees, taxes, penalties, and interest. (eg. real or personal property tax bills, water/sewer bills, fire inspections, landfill bills, etc.)
Business owner must complete a State Department of Assessment and Taxation (SDAT) business entity search prior to confirm “Good Standing” with the State of Maryland prior to making an application.)
Be open for business or pledge to reopen
Submit an accurate and complete application with the requested documentation

Learn More

Applications being accepted until February 24!

Central Maryland Chamber's

"Open for Business" Campaign

It is now more important than ever to show support for our small and local businesses in the Central Maryland region. The CMC's "Open for Business" campaign encourages local restaurants and businesses to fill out a short survey giving more information to the public. The survey will address whether a restaurant or business will continue to stay open, offer takeout or delivery, and if gift cards may be available for purchase.