What we’re doing to help your business And yes, there is something you can do to help, too

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Many of you have asked us how the coronavirus and economic situation will affect our business here at the Business Record. Following the success of our first free Coping w/COVID virtual event last Wednesday, many team members and attendees asked similar questions: Will we offer the same products and services in the same way? And if there’s anything you can do to help?

We’re fortunate to have a strong business, which we recognize is largely attributable to being in a strong and supportive community. The decisions we are making about our own business model — what we produce and how we generate revenue to make it sustainable — are based on our belief that not only are we here to meet the needs of the community, but also that our community needs, wants and values what we produce.

I ask that you stay with me a few minutes to fully consider the work our team is doing during this most challenging and transformative time and consider sharing your support of our local news organization. We do this for you — our resources are your resources.

We too are a locally owned small business. Like so many, we are navigating these turbulent times. To be here for Central Iowa, we will need the continued support of Central Iowa.

Our Commitment

Our commitment is to provide the full weight of our company’s resources and talent to help you and your business do business better and to keep you fully informed as we manage through this together.

As we’ve been adapting our business to best achieve our mission of helping businesses do business better in spite of the tumultuous environment, we are committing to three things:

1. Continuing our free COVID-19 coverage

Our newsroom’s ongoing coverage of COVID-19 will continue to be free and open as a public service. This coverage isn’t just news releases, but the deep, quality type of original reporting that only comes from investing in a staff of experienced reporters who work hard to not just repeat the news, but help you understand and digest the news. That coverage is available in our daily e-newsletters and for free at our newly created website www.businessrecordcovid19.com.

2. Launching a new Coping w/COVID virtual event series 

To ensure you have the information and business connections you need right now in this time of social distancing, we created a new Coping w/COVID event series. These virtual events will continue to be free and open to the public through the month of April. We will be bringing you weekly programming in an effort to help us all learn, digest and adapt to the rapid changes. You can learn more about the events here: Coping w/COVID event series

3. Sharing your non-COVID stories

Against the backdrop of pandemic and the overwhelming storyline of COVID-19, many of you might be wondering whether you should still be sharing your company’s non-COVID news. The answer is an overwhelming YES. Business goes on. People are hired and promoted. New products and initiatives launched. Businesses merge. New initiatives get launched. Parallel to our coverage of COVID-19, we’re committed to covering your news, and I’d argue it’s never been more important for the leaders in our community to continue sharing the “regular” news that will provide a sense of normalcy and reassurance that business goes on even in the midst of uncertainty. If you’re worried or have concerns about an item’s relevance or how it might play against the backdrop, just reach out to our newsroom; I’d encourage you to contact Associate Editor Emily Barske at emilybarske@bpcdm.com and send news releases to newsroom@bpcdm.com.

How you can help

There are two primary ways you can help ensure we can continue to bring you quality reporting and informative events through this time. 

1. Continue to invest with us

Sponsorships and advertising make what we do possible. Through multiple downturns, history has shown that the companies that strategically invest and maintain visibility emerge as industry leaders. If you or your company or organization is an advertiser or sponsor, we ask for your continued investments. And if you have a need to share your company’s story or services, please reach out to Director of Advertising Sara Brown at sarabrown@bpcdm.com to learn more about new and continued opportunities for maximizing your brand and message with your customers, prospects and other key decision-makers. 

2. Begin a membership

If you’re not already, I encourage you and your colleagues to begin a membership, which will provide the weekly Business Record, insider coverage, the annual Book of Lists and specialty publications. You’ll be helping ensure we can continue to keep the community informed. If you are already a member, please consider providing the annual membership subscription package as a benefit to your managers and other leaders in your network – so they can receive the weekly print products at their homes and have access to all of our digital newsletters, dailies and webinars. You can add a membership for a valued team member, business partner or friend at www.businessrecord.com/membership or contact Vice President of Operations Jason Swanson at jasonswanson@bpcdm.com.

While your advertising commitments and subscriptions clearly provide the financial support we need to run as a locally owned business, please know it also energizes us. You are the reason we do what we do, and it gives us great purpose to find innovative solutions to provide you the news you need, and to bring the community closer together during this time of social distancing. 

So thank you. Be safe. And know we’re here with you now, will be through this period, and will be there to help provide the community with the information it needs to emerge even stronger. 

Chris Conetzkey
Publisher & Executive Editor
chrisconetzkey@bpcdm.com  |  515-661-6081