Sandbox Blog

While the world is in full lockdown mode due to COVID-19, those involved in digital marketing find themselves in uncharted territory. How will the coronavirus affect consumer spending habits? How deep will the economic downturn be? And how long will its effects last? We don’t yet have the answers but we can draw comparisons from other economic downturns.

Today technology allows us to speak with others across the country and the world without having to leave our office.  This has become the new norm for almost anyone who has not been deemed an 'essential service' under the current COVID pandemic here in Canada. As is the case in the Sandbox Centre, there has been a shift toward open floor plan offices aimed at fostering interaction, energy and maximum communication. As Claudine Cousins, CEO of Empower Simcoe and the Sandbox HR CNNX group champion would agree, as human beings, we have an innate need to be connected to others, to belong.

About one-third of adults age 45 and older report feeling lonely — and experiencing social isolation

Alarmingly, due to an increase of aging adults, the number of people experiencing social isolation is growing. As Claudine Cousins, CEO of Empower Simcoe and Sandbox Centre HR CNNX group champion would agree, as human beings, we have an innate need to be connected to others, to belong.

The Social Enterprise Network of Central Ontario (SENCO) has dedicated the entire month of April to creating virtual spaces to connect, share and innovate as a growing sector. Let's use this time to support one another and put our #changemaking skills into action!

During current unprecedented times, the importance of mental health & creating connections is imperative as isolation may have different effects & meanings for everyone. You may be helping the greater good to social distance, however, isolating yourself from positive messaging and and uplifting knowledge to help better your journey to success isn’t the answer. NOW is the perfect time to come together to RISE, CONNECT, and EXPLORE what your journey to success can look like! The conversations don’t stop now – they’re just beginning.

The age of social awareness is upon us. As more businesses choose to include social objectives in business models, the hope for a sustainable economy becomes increasingly achievable. Developing a social enterprise takes some serious planning. There’s a lot of moving parts and pieces. How do you generate revenue while spending money on the good of your community, the environment, and your employees?

It's undeniable that the demand for personalization is increasing. Our prospects and customers want solutions and information tailored to them, "one size fits all" is no longer acceptable.

“Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the possible.” Recent words overheard from a television broadcast, that are an adaptation of an idea contributed to the Chinese philosopher, Confucius. Confucius’ theory was “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.” In today’s business terms, perhaps this is best represented by the concept of "MVP", or minimum viable product. Let’s unpack this concept as it is something that entrepreneurs may not understand, and also find it hard to implement in their go-to-market strategy.

Broad, open-ended sales questions are great for helping you find out what's going on in your prospects' and clients' worlds. They are essential to sales success. In fact, "listened to me" and "understood my needs" are two of the top five factors most separating sales winners from second-place finishers.

Thirsty for knowledge? The COVID-19 situation is changing rapidly, leaving so much unknown about how it will affect businesses and their continuity.