Today Governor Cuomo announced that bowling alleys will be able to open on Monday, August 17th providing that they follow safety protocol guidelines. These include:
  • 50% occupancy
  • Everyone in the bowling alley must have a face covering
  • Parties must remain at their designated lanes at all times
  • Every other lane must be closed
  • The lanes must have cleaning and disinfecting protocols in place
  • Food and drink can be provided by a server to the lane
  • The bar area will remain closed

Businesses will need to have established a safety plan, which includes guidelines and safety protocols designed to protect their employees and customers. These guidelines need to be printed and displayed onsite. Businesses will also have to self-certify their safely plan by filling out and submitting the NYS Business Affirmation Form. All of these documents are organized by reopening phase and industry sector and when released by NYS can be found here.

Governor Cuomo also announced that safety guidelines for gyms will be announced early next week. We will let you know when that information is available.

Wondering when your business can open?

New York State has designed a lookup tool to assist businesses that want to know where they fit in the reopening plan. Use the NY Forward Business Reopening Lookup Tool to learn more.

Lights! Camera! Sales!
Webinar
Thursday August 20th

The Niagara SBDC and and two local marketing experts, Omerie Monroe and Chris Wronski, will help you learn how to create video content for your online platforms.

Why Video??

  • 97% of marketers claim that video helps customers understand products (Hubspot)
  • Over 80% of all traffic will consist of video by 2021 (Cisco)
  • 81% of businesses are now using video for marketing. (Hubspot)
  • 90% of consumers claim a video will help them make a purchasing decision. (Social Media Today)
  • 74% of people who get an opportunity to see a product in action via a demo video will buy it (Wyzowl)

Join us on Thursday 8/20 to learn:

  • Why having videos matters
  • How to create engaging content
  • What types of videos will work best for you
  • Tips for making your videos look great

Program will end with a Q & A session.
 
The webinar, to be held live at 9 am, is provided free of charge through a grant from the Verizon Media Community Benefit Fund. 

Call the Niagara SBDC office
if you have questions 716-210-2515.
2020 Global NY Export Webinar Series

Empire State Development’s Global NY Division has begun hosting a six-part webinar series which will last throughout the month of August.

Each presentation will feature a foreign office representatives - from Canada, China, Europe, Israel, Mexico, and South Africa - who will share in-depth research on market trends and doing business in their respective countries.

During these sessions, the representatives will be available to answer all of your export questions. Companies may also schedule additional, one-on-one consultations with the representatives after the series has ended.

Whether your company is export-ready, or you’re interested in entering the global marketplace, the series offers an excellent opportunity for your business to connect with trade experts and explore new markets around the world. Information on how to join the webinar will be sent via email prior to the event. Click here to learn more and to register.
Have you completed the 2020 Census yet? Visit my2020Census.gov to fill out your questionnaire. It's fast, easy, and completely confidential, and it's our civic duty. Please share this with your employees and encourage them to participate as well, to help ensure that we receive our fair share of federal funding for essential services.
Stay engaged to Keep Up to Date on the Latest Developments

Continue to look for emails from our office in the coming days and weeks updating you on the latest reopening news and what assistance is available to help you through this difficult time. Our staff is working hard to compile a complete list of guidelines, safety protocols and programs that are available. We will also share upcoming webinars and training that you can participate in to assist with your reopening. To learn more, be sure to visit our website and bookmark it. Once there, look for the COVID-19 tab.
Sincerely,

Niagara County Center for Economic Development
(716) 278-8750