Mediaboss Marketing

No matter how you look at it, 35 percent is a huge number of small businesses that have either temporarily or permanently closed their doors because of COVID-19.

Maybe we shouldn't be surprised. After all,aren't lockdowns and business closings something that we've seen in far too much abundance over the last year? I just finished reading a piece in Fortune that pointed out that more than 110,000 eating and drinking establishments in the United States closed for business (temporarily or permanently) last year, with nearly 2.5 million jobsbeing wiped out from pre-pandemic levels. And that's only last year. 2021's numbers should be equally or more frightening.

A recent poll of small business owners taken by the U.S. Census'Small Business Pulse Survey (SBPS) says that about 53% of small business owners dont expect to return to pre-Covid operations for at least the next six months...assuming they do at all.

CNBC.com:

On average across the 50 largest U.S. metro areas, only 26% of small businesses have at least three months of cash readily available, which is the minimum amount generally recommended as a safety net.

Let's shift our focus back to Illinois and that 35 percent of closed small businesses. Illinois Policy Institute has a piece up at their website that breaks down some of the numbers from Opportunity Insights Economic Trackerthat shows the 35 percent of closed businesses in Illinois ismore than any other Midwestern state except Michigan (38.2%). Illinois massive decline in the number of small businesses is eighth worst in the nation.

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that help is on the way for Illinois businesses, as Governor Pritzker is continuing to pursue new taxes totaling up to nearly a billion dollars on small businesses.

IllinoisPolicy.org:

The move was decried by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and Republicans because Pritzker is not closing unfair loopholes as he claimed, but rather trying to take back a deal he made early in his term for key tax incentives and deductions intended to create jobs.Pritzker is also rumored to be pursuing the cancellation a pandemic recovery tax credit for small businesses that would have taken from $500 million to $1 billion more from them as they struggle to recover.

The rest is here:
Study: 35% Of Illinois Small Businesses Remain Closed Due To Pandemic - 1440wrok.com

Are you an established optometrist who is looking to start their own practice? Or have you already launched your clinic and are looking for ways to grow your business? In either case, you must have already realized that running an optometry practice requires more than sound medical knowledge.

Heres the thing medical school only equips you with the right skills and knowledge to excel as an OD. But you barely learn a thing about building and managing your optometry practice. Nevertheless, you must devise a way to attract and retain patients, as well as amplify your revenue.

Otherwise, your business will fail to find its footing amidst other modern optometry practices. The good news is that growing your optometry business isnt rocket science. With new-age digital marketing and communication tools, its become easier than ever to promote your business to the right patients and boost patient loyalty.

All you need is the willingness to hone your business skills and the vision to propel your business to success. In other words, you should outline strategies to advertise your products and services, increase patient satisfaction, and motivate your staff.

In this blog, weve curated a few powerful techniques thatll help you take your optometry business to greater heights. Lets take a look.

First things first the fate of your optometry practice doesnt solely depend on your skills and expertise as an OD. You must first understand that youre running a business. This, in turn, means you need to sharpen your entrepreneurial skills and knowledge.

From business registration and tax filing to marketing and profit management you must be well-versed with various aspects of business management. Also, youll have to learn to delegate various tasks to staff members.

If you arent familiar with the nitty-gritty of running a business, its a good idea to join a short-term course to learn the basics. Or you could hire a business advisor who can handhold you through the process of launching and promoting your practice.

When running an optometry practice, it can be a challenge to do so on your own. We all need a support network at some point, and your business is no different. Connecting with an organization like PECAA can make the difference between getting by comfortably and feeling like its a constant fight.

You get to be a part of a thriving community of eye care professionals and access a wide array of tools and resources to grow your business. From marketing and training support to financial consulting and vendor rebates PECAA provides you with effective guidance at every step of running your optometry practice.

Patients are the lifeblood of your optometry business. Thats why it is essential to adopt a patient-centric approach that prioritizes client satisfaction and happiness. Whether a patient needs a routine eye exam or a special procedure, make sure you deliver a pleasant and seamless experience.

Start by ensuring flawless communication between your patients and staff members. Make sure you resolve all queries at every step of their treatment. Its a good idea to set up an online portal to provide patients with the necessary information and updates about their treatment.

This is crucial because ensuring ongoing communication between physicians and patients using online portals and apps helps boost engagement rates by at least 60%. Provide them with prompt and helpful customer support. Also, conduct patient satisfaction surveys to seek feedback from your existing patients.

Its just as important to create a striking first impression and make your patients comfortable at the clinic. Simple additions, such as a coffee machine and water dispenser in the waiting area, can go a long way to set your business apart from other optometry practices.

The quality of patient care your clinic provides will depend on the skills and motivation levels of your staff members. As a ground-rule, you should provide them with adequate training to excel at their job.

Also, you need to conduct regular team meetings and gathering to share your vision and make sure theyre on the same page. Hosting staff appreciation days and rewarding them for their hard work will motivate them to go out of their way to fulfill their responsibilities.

You cant build a business with a rock-solid marketing strategy. To begin with, you need a well-designed website that showcases your services and amenities. Also, you should build an active presence on various social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Its a good idea to start a blog and publish original, insightful content to position your business as an industry authority. Leverage social media ads and search engine optimization to further increase your reach and target more patients.

Do you have any other useful business management and marketing tips for optometrists? Share your suggestions in the comments section below.

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Running Your Optometry Business - The Southern Maryland Chronicle

A digital marketing company which lured some of the brightest brains in the business from Leeds back to Hull is bucking the trend again by expanding under lockdown with new recruits and new clients.

43 Clicks North opened its office at The Deep Business Centre in Hull in August 2019 with just five people, and as numbers grew managing director Mike Ellis made the decision to find the company a new home all to itself.

The complications of COVID-19 were such that by the time the company left The Deep in November 2020 it had a workforce of 12, all working from home.

But the recruitment continued, and by the time 43 Clicks takes the keys for its new office in the Old Town of Hull next month it will have 17 people with more on the way.

It will also have a work-from-home strategy which is likely to take the complement of staff beyond the planned capacity of the building.

Ellis said: Weve taken on five new people since we left The Deep, and four of those have joined since the start of this year.

We expect to hire another two or three after we occupy the new building in April and we think well be able to fit about 35 in there but with a rota which enables us to have a few more on the payroll.

Two of the recent recruits have joined from other tech firms in Leeds and are likely to stay in their home city and work remotely. Others have relocated from West Yorkshire to East Yorkshire, as Ellis and his colleagues did when they arrived at The Deep.

The expansion has been driven by the companys success in securing deals with seven new clients since November.

Ellis added: We came back to Hull to work and to build a digital community and weve surprised ourselves we thought that 20 people would be enough and we would hit that level and stay at The Deep.

But we found somewhere just for us because the business kept growing with new business and up-sales we exceeded our turnover from last year in just over three months from our year-end in November.

:::

Digital marketing agency Ascensor is scaling up its digital apprenticeships in partnership with The Coders Guild.

It is also creating ten leadership and management apprenticeships, delivered through Pareto.

MD Andrew Firth said: Training and development is a vital part of Ascensors business philosophy and growth strategy.

We develop and build Ecommerce websites and apps for successful businesses.

The digital sector is fast moving, and we always want to demonstrate that we are at the leading edge when it comes to the skills of our people.

Over recent years, Leeds-based Ascensor has supported many interns, undergraduates and apprentices across all areas of their business, including technical development, digital marketing and business development.

It is working with The Coders Guild to support its recruitment and training of developers and testers.

Firth added: The Coders Guild is a well-respected training provider with nine years experience designing and delivering high quality digital training.

They have helped to create national standards for digital apprenticeships, and we are delighted to be working with them.

The Coders Guild will help us to deliver and accredit our Level 3 and Level 4 Apprenticeship programmes. Our involvement with them dovetails perfectly with our current recruitment for a trainee website tester.

The agency is also providing leadership and management apprenticeship training for five team leaders, with another five planned in six months time. It is delivering these programmes in partnership with Pareto.

Firth said: We want to equip our team members with the skills to become the team leaders and managers of tomorrow.

We chose Pareto because their Operational Management Apprenticeship programme is designed to deliver the core competency requirements in a range of important areas, such as leading and managing people, communication, operational management, and performance management.

Since 80% of the learning is undertaken on the job, this is a relevant and valuable skills programme for our people.

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Leeds-based digital-first creative agency Rascal has expanded with the appointment of two senior roles to the team.

In a newly created position, Stephanie Pullen joins as head of digital strategy.

Previously with Brilliant Agency where she worked across creative strategy for clients including Very Lazy, Newmans Own, Yorkshire Provender and Mighty Pea; Pullen is now responsible for coordinating the overall strategic direction and growth of Rascal.

JJ Amos has taken up the head of design role, overseeing the execution of all campaigns and client work across creative, copywriting and videography.

Amos has previously held senior design and art director roles at agencies including Brilliant and Twentythree04.

Rascal founder, Joe Costandi, said: Im so pleased to have JJ and Steph as part of the Rascal team. Were in a strong growth phase and these positions are vital to our business, putting us in a perfect position to push ourselves even harder on our ambitious plans.

JJ and Steph bring a wealth of ideas and creativity with them and will be working with me to strengthen the team over the coming months.

:::

Consumer electronics company, Casio, has appointed performance marketing agency Journey Further to handle its performance marketing activity.

The appointment will see Journey Further, which has offices in Leeds, Manchester and London, manage PPC and SEO for the Japanese brand, with a focus on growing consumer sales of its timepiece range, including the iconic G-Shock watch.

The agencys remit will also include driving sales for Casios range of musical instruments and calculators.

Danny Power, ecommerce and digital manager at Casio, said: We are in a process of digital transformation and as such weve grown significantly in this area over the past few years.

We appointed Journey Further to supercharge our search growth and they impressed us with their flexible, data-driven approach. Its been a fantastic start to the partnership.

Chris Rowett, paid media director at the agency, said: Were really excited to be working with Casio, a brand with a fantastic range of products that are sold all over the world.

Our strong ecommerce experience combined with our data-led approach provides the perfect platform to help grow Casios consumer sales across a number of different products.

Go here to read the rest:
Agency roundup: 43 Clicks North; Ascensor; Rascal Creative; and more | TheBusinessDesk.com - The Business Desk

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Honeywell expects that as advances in quantum computing continue to accelerate over the next 18 to 24 months, the ability to replicate the results of a quantum computing application workload using a conventional computing platform simulation will come to an end.

The companys System Model H1 has now quadrupled its performance capabilities to become the first commercial quantum computer to attain a 512 quantum volume. Ascertaining quantum volume requires running a complex set of statistical tests that are influenced by the number of qubits, error rates, connectivity of qubits, and cross-talk between qubits. That approach provides a more accurate assessment of a quantum computers processing capability that goes beyond simply counting the number of qubits that can be employed.

Honeywell today provides access to a set of simulation tools that make it possible to validate the results delivered on its quantum computers on a conventional machine. Those simulations give organizations more confidence in quantum computing platforms by allowing them to compare results. However, quantum computers are now approaching a level where at some point between 2022 and 2023 that will no longer be possible, Honeywell Quantum Solutions president Tony Uttley said.

Honeywell has pursued an approach to quantum computing that differs from those of rivals by focusing its efforts on a narrower range of more stable qubits. Each system is based on a trapped-ion architecture that leverages numerous individual charged atoms (ions) to hold information. It then applies electromagnetic fields to hold (trap) each ion in a way that allows it to be manipulated and encoded using laser pulses.

The company makes its quantum computers available via a subscription to a cloud service and counts BMW, DHL, JP Morgan Chase, and Samsung among its customers. Systems residing outside of Boulder, Colorado and Minneapolis are made available to customers for up to two weeks at a time before being taken offline for two weeks to add additional capacity.

Subscriptions for the System Model H1 service are currently sold out, and each Honeywell quantum computing customer has previously tried to employ a different platform before switching to Honeywell, Uttley said. The company is now moving toward making a third-generation System Model H2 service available that will offer higher levels of unspecified quantum volume, Uttley added.

Honeywell has committed to delivering a tenfold increase in quantum volume every five years. The company has been able to deliver a fourfold increase in the amount of quantum volume it can make available in the last five months alone, Uttley said.

Quantum computers can process bits that have a value of both 0 and 1 at the same time, which makes them more powerful than conventional computing platforms. Advances in quantum computing, however, will by no means signal the demise of conventional computers, Uttley added. Instead, its becoming apparent that quantum computers and conventional computers are simply going to be better suited to running different classes of workloads, Uttley said.

These systems will run side by side for decades, Uttley added. Conventional computing platforms are not going to be replaced anytime soon.

Quantum computers, however, are better suited to addressing complex computational challenges involving chemistry, routing optimizations using, for example, logistics and traffic management applications, and even the training of AI models. In the latter case, a quantum computer can identify the starting point for the training of an AI model that would then be completed by a conventional computer. Other more intractable problems involving, for example, applications for ways to reduce the level of carbon in the atmosphere are only feasible to run on a quantum computing platform.

It may still be a while before quantum computing delivers on its full promise, but while the way quantum systems work may not be widely understood, there is now no turning back.

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Honeywell says quantum computers will outpace standard verification in 18 to 24 months - VentureBeat

Quantum computer is fundamentally different than conventional & supercomputers and use the technology based on quantum phenomena. Unlike classical computers, it uses quantum bits (qubits) to process the data. In addition, quantum computing performs complex calculations proficiently when compared with classical computers and this factor majorly fuels the growth of the enterprise quantum computing market application. Furthermore, it finds its application in aerospace & defense, BFSI, healthcare & life science, energy & utilities, manufacturing, IT & telecom, and other industries.

The global Quantum Computing market is expected to expand at a CAGR of +26% over the forecast period 2019-2025.

The report, titled Global Quantum Computing market defines and briefs readers about its products, applications, and specifications. The research lists key companies operating in the global market and also highlights the key changing trends adopted by the companies to maintain their dominance. By using SWOT analysis and Porters five force analysis tools, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of key companies are all mentioned in the report. All leading players in this global market are profiled with details such as product types, business overview, sales, manufacturing base, competitors, applications, and specifications.

Top Key Vendors in Market:

D-Wave Systems Inc. (Canada), QX Branch (US), International Business Machines Corporation (US), Cambridge Quantum Computing Limited (UK), 1QB Information Technologies (Canada), QC Ware, Corp. (US), StationQ- Microsoft (US), Rigetti Computing (US), Google Inc. (US), River Lane Research (US)

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Quantum Computing market has been studied in terms of all parameters such as applications, types, products and many other. Each and every data leading to growth or fall of the respective segments have been explained. Entire supply chain with respect to market is studied in depth and is conveyed in the most comprehensive way possible. The reasons there is going to be an increasing trend to this market are studied and are elaborated. Driving forces, restraints and opportunities are given to help give a better picture of this market investment for the forecast period.

Different global regions such as North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe, and India have been analyzed on the basis of the manufacturing base, productivity, and profit margin. This Quantum Computing market research report has been scrutinized on the basis of different practical oriented case studies from various industry experts and policymakers. It uses numerous graphical presentation techniques such as tables, charts, graphs, pictures and flowchart for easy and better understanding to the readers.

It also gives detailed insight into the competitive landscape and the vendors of Quantum Computing market with detailed business profiles of the key players. Data about the companies, specifications of their respective products, various portfolios, fanatical overview, generation of revenue, recent developments and upcoming challenges about market are well explained. A complete SWOT analysis including growth opportunities of this market is done to help make well informed market selection.

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Key questions answered in the report include:

Table of Content:

Global Quantum Computing Market Research Report 2019-2025

Chapter 1: Industry Overview

Chapter 2: Quantum Computing Market International and China Market Analysis

Chapter 3: Analysis of Revenue by Classifications

Chapter 4: Analysis of Revenue by Regions and Applications

Chapter 5: Analysis of Quantum Computing Market Revenue Market Status.

Chapter 6: Sales Price and Gross Margin Analysis

Continue for TOC..

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Explore why Quantum Computing Market is thriving worldwide by 2025 with top key players like D-Wave Systems Inc. (Canada), QX Branch (US),...