Top 10 Pandemic-Friendly Business Ideas

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many professionals who have been laid off have decided to forge their own paths and launch new businesses.

These newly-minted entrepreneurs quickly discover that there are many pandemic-friendly remote work or business ideas -- from digital marketing to online delivery services, and tuition centres that can be successfully executed and carry over into the post-pandemic world.

Here are top 10 pandemic-friendly business ideas, that you may start to future-proof your business.

1.      Social Media Services

Many small business owners know the importance of social media, but don't have time to learn about it themselves. If you have that expertise, now is a great time to launch a social media management company. Reach out to companies with little to no social media presence to run their accounts, and engage with their audience to boost sales and brand awareness.

2.      Culinary Classes

People love to eat and drink and are always looking for unique foods and cocktails to try. If you have a culinary background or just have mastered the hobby, consider sharing your expertise with the world.  You can start by offering online cooking classes taught via Zoom. As your business expands, consider opening a physical location as people begin to get comfortable with live experiences again.

3.      Online Reseller

In 2020, online shopping rose by 44%, a trend that will continue to grow beyond the pandemic. Becoming an online reseller allows you to capitalize on the e-commerce trend while helping consumers to earn cash for items they no longer need. You can buy products directly from a consumer and resell them, or help them find a buyer and take a commission for yourself.

4.      Consulting Business

From marketing to legal and finance, you can advise others in just about any area of business expertise as a consulting firm. You can connect virtually with clients and offer them your professional insights for scaling and improving their business to ensure stability during the pandemic.

 

5.      Digital Marketing Agency

Businesses are constantly looking for agencies to help them cut through the noise and stand out against online competitors. If you have a background in marketing, you can launch a digital marketing agency that offers content strategy, social media, SEO services, paid and targeted advertising, analytics, web design, consulting, and more.

6.      Graphic Design Firm

Most companies want to stand out with their graphics, but don’t have the in-house capabilities to do so. Whether it be their logo, event graphics, or marketing materials, companies need sleek and professional-looking designs and eye-catching graphics to stand out in today’s digital world.

7.      Delivery Services

During the pandemic, consumers are so used to having products delivered to them, the demand for online delivery services remains at an all-time high. These services mostly cover meals, groceries, and pharmaceutical goods, but there is also a market for miscellaneous product delivery services.

8.      Fitness and Wellness Programs

For over a year, the coronavirus caused people to work from home and stay inside most of the day. Right now, people may need some motivation to break through their pandemic health slump. If you have a background in health, exercise, and wellness, start creating content to help people better themselves and get out of a funk. Blogs and articles are a great way to share recipes and workout routines that people can easily practise from home with little or no experience.

9.      Commercial Cleaning Services

From the onset of the pandemic, professional cleaning services have been in high demand compared to previous years. Office buildings, medical facilities and public-facing businesses rely on professional cleaning services to disinfect their spaces. In fact, the industrial cleaning services market is expected to grow considerably from now to 2025.

10.    Online Tutorial Agency

As most schools remain closed during the pandemic, the demand for online tuition is likely to remain high.  Start a virtual tutoring agency by defining your expertise in various subjects.  Consider whether you want to work with parents with young children, high school students who are getting ready for examinations, or college students who need that extra push to get through their finals.

5 Ways To Keep Your Brand Consistent

 5 Ways To Keep Your Brand Consistent 

WHEN it comes to branding, consistency is key.

If you aren’t keeping your brand consistent, consumers can easily get confused.

If you are unsure about what your message is, your customers will be unsure as well. And confusion often leads to disinterest.

A strong, consistent brand is the result of top-tier marketing meeting psychology head-on.

Keeping your brand consistent is the only way for it to take-off, and the only way you can ensure that your brand will stand the test of time.

Here are five tips for a consistent brand that stands the test of time.

 

1. Know your message

A brand is essentially the personality of an organization, and personality starts with the message you are trying to convey to others with your appearance and actions.

What kind of message are you trying to give consumers? Are you going for a light-hearted feel? Are you focusing on a more serious, professional tone?

What do you want customers to feel when they interact with your company?

 

2. Know your audience

During the planning process for your message, you must also establish who your target audience is.

Having an effective brand doesn’t mean you target everyone — it means you remain consistent for the specific demographic you are targeting.

Understand that not everyone is going to want to be your customer, and understand you don’t need them to.

 

3. Align your actions with your brand

Every action, every message, every post on social media should be done with your brand in mind.

Whether it is a post on social media, a company policy or guarantee, or a motto or slogan, keep it at the front of consumers' minds.

Your actions have to align with the brand you create, otherwise, consumers will take note.

Keeping your actions aligned is much easier than rebranding. You can’t be all over the place.

 

4. Interaction is key

Make your presence known, be it on social media, within your industry or even simply within your community.

Make sure you are actively interacting with both current clients and consumers.

People won’t always stumble upon your company; sometimes you have to go out of your way to get them.

By having multiple avenues of interaction, you’ll have a better opportunity to reach people, and your engagement on these platforms will increase dramatically.

 

5. Make adjustments

If you notice something doesn't feel aligned with your brand, fix it. Regular meetings with the marketing team will help your brand.

We make a point to meet as often as possible to go over what we are working on and address any ideas or concerns.

If you don’t take the time to make adjustments along the way, you will run yourself off of the road.

 

In summary, be aware of the message you are trying to convey, know and understand the audience you are attempting to reach, ensure that your actions align with your brand, interact with your consumers on a regular basis and, when all else fails, adjust accordingly — and watch your brand grow.

With these five tips, even a marketing novice can create a long-lasting brand for their company.

 

ITC'S 12TH ANNIVERSARY

CONGRATULATIONS to Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) for celebrating its 12th anniversary 

on Tuesday, June 22, 2021.  

ITC is an agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture Malaysia, which has continued to promote Malaysia as an ideal Muslim-friendly destination.

ts mission is to become an internationally recognized center of excellence -- to undertake strategic research, market intelligence, provide training, and capacity-building services in relation to Islamic tourism.

ITC was recently awarded The Halal Strategic Business Alliance Award at The BrandLaureate World Halal e-Branding Awards 2021, represented by its Director-General Dato Dr Mohmed Razip Hasan.

In a special message in conjunction with its 12th-anniversary celebrations, Mohmed Razip said: “This 22 June 2021 marks ITC's 12th year of establishment,

“We are committed to growing the Islamic Tourism landscape through our collaboration and partnership with industry stakeholders and other branding initiatives.

“In pursuit of this mission, we also provide industry players with training, capacity-building, frameworks and guidelines, research, and information and consultancy.”

For example, ITC provided a series of FREE online Muslim-friendly tourism-related training sessions during the Covid-19 lockdown.

MEDIA PARTNERSHIP

Mohmed Razip said 2021 also marks 12 years of media support and partnership.

“To my media friends, your support and partnership has enabled ITC to gain exposure in the public’s eye for the work that we do, and you've helped to raise awareness on ITC to develop a stronger tourism ecosystem that caters to the global Muslim market,

“We look forward to working with you throughout this challenging period as we value your partnership to move forward together,

“While the pandemic has put a pause to many of our initiatives, the warmth and hospitality in Halal Tourism rebranding has to go on and be reinforced,

“We believe that beyond the Covid-19 pandemic, the Muslim tourism market will continue to grow, which is a  critical factor towards economic recovery and sustainability,” he added.

ITC centre also accepts greetings from friends and visitors on their Facebook page in the month of June 2021. You can tag #12yearsofITC on your social media messages directed to them.

#thebrandlaureate #brandbuzz #islamic #tourism #itc #hospitalitylife #trainingcamp

  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D_azObKjBfD3TSc9b7elkJ_3wM_3HSbDU9XE1NOk7pw/edit?usp=sharing

 

 

“STOLEN” Landmark: Marina Bay Sands in Tennessee

An American man from Chattanooga, Tennessee – roughly 16,000km away – uploaded a Facebook post on June 14, which ignited the ire, and buzz amongst Singaporeans.

The photograph which featured the iconic Singapore landmark, Marina Bay Sands, at night, came with the surprising captions "Downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, It's Beautiful."

Understandably some local netizens, particularly Singaporeans were unhappy with this claim.

By June 18, the post went viral beyond imagination – garnering over 12,000 reactions, 14,000 comments and 13,000 shares.

The post soon became a rallying point for many Singaporeans as they posted different photographs accompanied with cheeky captions that uniquely represented Singapore.

From local sitcoms to other famous landmarks, Singaporean netizens flexed their creative muscle in the comments.

And the cheekiest of all, perhaps was from Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin who shared the post on his Facebook page with the captions: "You have to read all the comments. We all know that's not Downtown Chattanooga! It's the Starship Enterprise in a Galaxy Far Far Away."

Read more:

https://mothership.sg/2021/06/mbs-united-states-facebook-post-tennessee/?fbclid=IwAR03LIu8IPzfZSwpZ2GFLjT_HAchiUFEVzZ-Ypuq3uVK2ifHoz_ttryC5dk

The BrandLaureate World Brands Virtual Exposition 2021

 

Welcome to the BrandLaureate World Brands Virtual Exposition to learn how to build your business with award-winning Brands.

GET STARTED THROUGH THE WORLD BRANDS VIRTUAL EXPOSITION 2021

 

1.       EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS GLOBALLY THROUGH THIS VIRTUAL EXPO  

The BrandLaureate brings the World's Top Brands and Best Brand experts together so that you can connect, learn, and grow with them.

       

2.   CREATE GREATER BRAND AWARENESS

Join this networking expo to expand your Brand Success and influence by learning from Brand experts and by sharing your Brands to the world.

 

3.   TAP ON NEW BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

If you have no idea how to start building your Brand, this virtual platform will show you the exact steps to take so that you can elevate your Brand status in the world.

 

4.   REACH GLOBAL TARGET AUDIENCE  

This virtual expo is an opportunity to help you find customers, improve your reputation, and establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry -- and partnering with the most potential, to save you time and money.

 

5. REINFORCE YOUR BRAND POSITIONING

The Brands Virtual Exposition is your solution to expand your Brand success and influence.

Use this expo to learn how you can become a BrandLaureate by learning the best practices, and by connecting with top industry experts.

 

6.   ENHANCE YOUR BRAND LEADERSHIP

Be part of this Branding Networking Expo to expand your Brand success and influence. Learn about what it takes to build an effective World Brand, by joining the best-of-the-best, and gaining exposure for your Brand.

Maiden Win on Spanish soil for Young Malaysian Moto3 Rider

Congratulations to Syarifuddin Azman aka Damok for winning the FIM CEV Repsol 2021 Moto3 Race 1, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain on June 13, 2021.

Despite starting from the 10th place, the 19-year-old completed the 16-lap race in 29 minutes and 32.553 seconds to emerge victorious on his No. 63 motorcycle.

In a rare turn of event, Syarifuddin overtook Spaniards David Munoz Rodriguez and Jose Antonio Rueda Ruiz who finished in second and third places respectively – making good of the slim opportunity in the last lap.

Meanwhile, Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah also congratulated Syarifuddin for emerging the victor yesterday.

In a statement uploaded on Istana Negara's Facebook page, His Majesty expressed his happiness and pride over the success, which was also described as not only a historical feat for Malaysian motorsport but one which garnered accolades for the country on the international stage.

"Syarifuddin's outstanding achievement once again proves that Malaysia is capable of producing athletes and individuals of quality, calibre and of international standards,

"It also proves that with commitment, fighting spirit and hard work, Malaysians are able to compete and succeed at the international arena," the statement read.

About SIC Racing Team

The Sepang Racing Team (formerly known as SIC Racing Team) is a Malaysian Grand Prix motorcycle racing team owned by the Sepang International Circuit.

First established in 2015 in the Moto3 class, and expanded on 2019, fielding teams in MotoGP, Moto2 and Moto3 championships.

The MotoGP team is formally called Petronas Yamaha Sepang Racing Team (Petronas Yamaha SRT), while the Moto2 and Moto3 teams are named Petronas Sprinta Racing Team (Petronas SRT).

 

BE MY FRIEND CAMPAIGN (For Anson)

BE MY FRIEND CAMPAIGN

IN GOOD times and bad times, we all need friends – especially during these hard and challenging times. 

The BrandLaureate is proud to introduce a new networking group and business support community called Be My Friend -- founded on the principle of genuine friendship.

-- This is an open invitation to network with each other and to support one another.

-- This is a platform to share your expertise and creativity with the world.

--This is a community for people who want to create more success in their lives.

If you are a business owner or someone who wants to use your skills, expertise, and resources to help others, then you should join us.

With the aid of social media, NOW we can build businesses and develop authentic connections with our friends and family like never before.

It is time for us to come together as equals and recognize the importance of connection, friendship and collaboration.

Join Be My Friend networking group, to share your support and meet new friends through our networking community.

The 7 Best Online Shopping Websites of 2021

Amazon.com

It is the giant of online shopping; more people shop here than at any other online shopping site.

With millions of offerings to choose from, Amazon has evolved from a small bookstore to a mammoth internet presence.

The company not only brings you millions of items from its own warehouses but also from sellers all over the world

eBay.com

eBay has grown into the world's largest online auction site. You can find pretty much anything here, and even you can become an eBay seller to get some cash for your unwanted items.

eBay offers a wide variety of categories ranging from appliances to video games. If you're looking for a collectible, this is the first shopping website you should check.

Etsy.com

Etsy is a global marketplace that offers goods from incredibly talented artisans around the world. Anything from homemade soap to crystal necklaces and caramel apples can be found here, and often good deals, too.

You can certainly find innovative crafts made by people in their homes that you can purchase to express your inner geek/fan/artist.

Google Shopping

Just type whatever you're wanting to order online, and Google will show results from dozens of stores. You can filter the results by category, store, price, brand, type, features, and delivery estimate, and depending on the product.

Overstock.com

Ever wondered what stores do with the stuff they over-order? Overstock.com is one answer to that question.

This shopping website holds tons of items in categories like furniture, home improvement, outdoor, rugs, apparel, kitchen, and many other departments.

Zappos.com

Zappos originally started with just shoes but has since expanded to offer all sorts of items, everything from women's apparel to kids' clothing, accessories for men, and handbags.

The Zappos online store is known in the shopping industry for its exemplary customer service.

The website is organized well with Women, Men, Kids, Brands, Departments, Brands, and Sale being the major menu items.

Wish.com

Known by many as a cheap online shopping website, Wish is the place to go if you're looking for extraordinary deals and interesting finds.

Some of the categories you can browse through include hobbies, toys, gadgets, home decor, fashion, bottoms, shoes, and phone upgrades.

Blitz Buy is a section of this online shopping website where you can spin a wheel to get money off your purchase.

 

 

Montblanc 1858 Limited Edition Watches

History is a precious commodity in the luxury watch world. Montblanc’s vintage-inspired 1858 collection has three new stories to tell: There’s one for adventure, one for history, and one for fun.

 

This year’s 1858 Monopusher Chronograph Origins Limited Edition 100 is modelled after a 46mm steel watch with a black dial, Arabic numerals, bi-compax chronograph layout and cathedral-shaped hands.

 

More than just a collection dedicated to yesteryear,  the Montblanc's 1858 line was also conceptualised for the modern day explorer, hence the newly revealed 1858 Geosphere Limited Edition 1858 is dressed in desert-themed colours.

 

Read more: https://cnaluxury.channelnewsasia.com/obsessions/nostalgic-watches-popular-montblanc-1858-collection-14964752

BRANDING TIP #12: Social media is the new buzzword for online marketing s today.

It is the  new online PR communications channel – to spread your marketing messages to audiences who may be interested in reading about your organisation, what you do, and what you have to say.

Over the past decade, we’ve seen corporations growing their online presence through social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Realistic messaging must be factored into every business marketing plan today.

The posts should be engaging and conversational rather than just direct and boring.

Other channels for online promotions include banner advertising and affiliate marketing. These usually include an advertisement or link back from a third party site to the sales page.

In most cases, the advertisers  get paid for the resulting sale or resulting visit – which commensurates with the amount of traffic generated, either with a fixed fee or percentage.

“Be The Real Brand.” – DRKKJOHAN

 “Be The Real Brand.” – DRKKJOHAN

GREAT branding lies at the heart of every great business. It is a strategic discipline that simplifies how people think about your organization

Your brand is obviously more than a catchy logo or striking website.  Brands stand for value. At its core, branding is far deeper, richer, and more integral to the health of an enterprise than design. 

But it seems many enterprises forgot that a brand, at its heart, is a promise to deliver. 

If the brand experience does not live up to that promise, customers will take their business elsewhere.

Being the Real Brand means aligning your brand promise at every touchpoint  -- to deliver results at every interaction with the customer:

 Through your product, customer service, outward communications, and even internal relationships with employees and stakeholders to build lasting success.

Top 10 Best K-Dramas In 2021

2021 has given K-drama fans plenty of new binge-worthy content with the best riveting psychological thrillers and heartfelt emotional dramas.

Netflix and Viki dominate as the top streaming platforms for K-dramas and fans can't wait to spend hours glued to the screen. Here is the top 10 list.

1. Mine 

This mystery/thriller revolves around two women.  Seo Hee-Soo (Lee Bo-Young) gave up her career as an actress to marry into a family of a renowned company. Jung Seo-Hyun (Kim Seo-Hyung) married the first son of the same family known for her elegance and intellect. These women from high society break the rules and prejudices of their social class to find their real "mine" and reveal the ugly truth in society.

2. Beyond Evil

This k-drama revolves around a series of murders occurring in a small and rural town that resemble similar crimes from 20 years ago. In the middle of it all, an elite young detective with his own secrets suspects something is amiss in the town and the people around him. Lead actor, Shin Ha-Kyun, won Best Actor for his riveting character at the 57th Beaksang Arts Awards.

3. Sell Your Haunted House

This is a fun, comedic storyline intermixed with fantasy elements. The story revolves around Hong Ji-Ah (Jang Na-Ra), an exorcist who clears buildings or homes inhabited by spirits. She meets con artist/psychic named Oh In-Beom (Jung Yong-Hwa). They team up to solve Ji-Ah's mother's mysterious death 20 years prior.

4. Move To Heaven

The drama is based on an essay titled "Things Left Behind," by Kim Sae-Byul. Geu-Ru (Tang Jun-Sang) is a 20-year-old with Asperger's syndrome who works with his father as "trauma cleaners" for their company "Move to Heaven." When Geu-Ru's father passes away, his ex-convict uncle became his guardian, when he learns about the emotional trauma and stories left behind by those who have passed on.

5. Taxi Driver

This drama stars Kim Do-Ki (Lee Je-Hoon) a Korean Military Academy graduate who becomes an underwater demolition officer. His life changed, though, when his mother is murdered and he joins a "revenge-call" service.. The drama gained popularity for its lead prosecutor inspired by real-life crimes in Korea.

6.Vincenzo

Vincenzo Cassano (Song Joong-Ki) was once abandoned by his mother and he is adopted by an Italian family. After joining the mafia, he becomes one of the most feared Italian lawyers and consigliere for the mafia. After being double-crossed, he flees to Korea to recover his hidden gold, and he must take on an evil and corrupt CEO.

7. Youth Of May

This is a heart-warming and intense love story that isn't easy. Set in May of 1980, a medical student and a nurse cross paths, and their love seem destined by fate.  As they fall in love, they face the hardships that surround their struggle for democracy during the Gwangju Uprising.

8. Navillera

Deok-Chul is now retired and just celebrated his 70th birthday. He soon realizes that his friends are passing on and regret not having lived out their dreams.  He makes the decision to pursue his dream of ballet. At the dance academy, Deok-Chul meets 23-year-old, Chae-Rok, who becomes his teacher. Together they live out their dreams and reignite their passion for ballet.

9. Mouse

Get ready for some creepy and death-defying chills while uncovering the real psychopath in this drama.  Go Mu-Chi (Lee Hee-Jun) witnessed his parents get murdered by one of Korea's notorious serial killers. Now grown up, he becomes a dedicated detective who joins a rookie police officer to catch the serial killer. But the real evil is lurking amongst them.

10. Doom At Your Service

This is a new drama that fans have eagerly been waiting for. After drinking and seeing a shooting star, Dong-Kyung proclaims she wishes doom upon the world. Myul Mang decides to fulfill Dong-Kyung's wish. They sign a 100-day contract. If Dong-Kyung doesn't wish for doom by the end, she will lose someone she loves or die.

              

 

Maserati Tipo 61 “Birdcage” Won The Nurburgring 1,000 Km Exactly 60 Years Ago

 Maserati, the Italian luxury automaker, recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of the victory by its Tipo 61 model at the seventh edition of the Nürburgring 1,000 kilometres held at Nordschleife in Germany. Popularly known for testing the endurance of the racing cars, this race saw a consecutive win by Maserati after the victory in 1960.

The Tipo 61 was the best known of the series of five models designed by Giulio Alfieri, nicknamed “Birdcage” for its unusual chassis, an intricate structure containing about 200 tubes, combined in a complex assembly that resembled a birdcage.

This construction method provided a more rigid chassis that was also lighter than the other racing cars of the time, making this two-seater barchetta the ultimate and best solution for front-engined, rear-wheel drive racers.

Maserati began building the Tipo 60 in March 1959, but by November of the same year it was already being transformed into the Tipo 61, to comply with the technical regulations required to compete in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

In spite of its massive power output, fuel consumption was still fairly low, and this was vital in endurance races, where the Tipo 61 was able to reduce the number of refuelling stops.

In just three years of production, from 1959 to 1961, the Tipo 60 and the Tipo 61 reigned supreme on the international racing scene, with power and speed that led to a series of extraordinary wins, continuing the victorious tradition of Maserati which now, at the start of its new Era, is once again planning a future in motorsports, under the banner of the MC20.

 

https://www.carscoops.com/2021/05/maserati-tipo-61-birdcage-won-the-nurburgring-1000-km-exactly-60-years-ago/

BRANDING TIP #11: Benefits of a Name Change.

If you are thinking about growing your brand, it starts by perfecting your Brand name. The question is, “How do you know that your Brand name is the right one for now, or will you change it in the future?”

As a general rule, it is better to work with existing names because naming can be a tough soul-searching exercise.

Many business owners may not be thinking of  going global when they first started. However, it makes sense to have an IP lawyer to ensure that your brand name and copyright is well protected, so that it can save you much more money and hassles in the future.

On the other hand, a name change can be beneficial to help you reconnect with your existing and prospective clients, suppliers and partners; and everything that your business stands for.

It creates an opportunity to communicate with them multiple times through literature, branded materials, and by inviting them to events – without the need of having a sales message.

So, the bottom line is a name change could and should strengthen relationships and in turn, boost business – more so than just a new logo or website.