cleaning out the clutter!
If your garage, attic or storeroom looks anything like the one shown below, mark your calendar for Saturday, January 22. That’s when the City will once again hold Clutter-Free Paramount, a community-wide cleanup event, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Paramount Park, 14400 Paramount Blvd.
Here’s your chance to get rid of all your post-holiday clutter, as well as many unwanted items that have been piling up around your home.
You can bring the following things for free disposal:
• Mattresses
• Large bulky items
• E-waste
• Green waste
• Documents for shredding (a maximum of three medium-sized 15”x12” boxes per residence)
• Tires (but no tires from businesses or oversized or tractor tires, please).
Please do not bring paint, hazardous waste, light bulbs, liquids, auto parts, construction or demolition debris, lumber, palm fronds, cactus, ice plant, ivy, loose debris or anything in plastic bags. You must unload your own vehicle and wear a mask at all times.
This event is for Paramount residents only, and you must present a valid ID
with a Paramount or 90723 address.
The event is hosted by the Los Angeles County Public Works Department. Special thanks to CalMet Services for providing containers, drop-off and
pick-up and disposal at no cost, and to Homeboy Industries for the e-waste collection.
For more event information, please call 562-220-2002 and see CityScape (page 11).
Thank you to MUSA (Mujeres Unidas Sirviendo Activamente, or Women United Serving Actively), for again filling thousands of goodie bags with apples and candy canes for the Paramount Santa Train in December 2021! The devotion of this organization to the Paramount community is fantastic and very much appreciated. (Also see related stories and photos on pages 3 and 5.)
Vicky Uisprapassorn
Mayor’s Desk
Happy New Year, Paramount!
On behalf of my fellow City Council members and our City staff, I want to wish everyone a happy 2022. This past year has had its share of challenges. But our community has long been known for its ability to pull together and stand united.
So it shall remain as we enter the new year, focusing on the optimistic side of things. Always remember, WeAreParamount!
A salute to service clubs
At the December 14 Paramount City Council meeting, it was my honor to present the monthly Mayor’s Award of Excellence as a group recognition to six of the major service clubs in town who have, for many years, had a positive and important influence on Paramount.
Those six, and some examples of what they do, are:
Paramount Rotary Club, an organization of business and professional persons who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. In Paramount they have programs for the support and betterment of our school children and they plate up the food annually at the Seniors Thanksgiving.
Paramount Elks Lodge, every Memorial Day, honors our military members who have died in service to the country. They also assist the JROTC at Paramount High School, and make donations to Paramount students of different grade levels.
Paramount Lions Club, formed in 1947, focuses their contributions on schools and youth, including giving generously to the PEP Scholarship Fund. They also are devoted to sight- and hearing-impaired individuals. Paramount/Tepic Sister Cities has been in existence for almost 60 years. Each of the cities have made many contributions to charities in both communities. Locally, our group has produced special events like Dia de los Ninos and Dia de los Muertos and sponsored the Veterans celebration. MUSA stands for Mujeres Unidas Sirviendo Activamente, or Women United Serving Actively. They are amazing volunteers who work all of the City’s holiday events. For the Santa Train, they fill thousands of goodie bags with apples and candy canes. They passed out thousands of face masks at the height of the pandemic and encouraged residents to participate in the U.S. Census.
Paramount Women’s Club has been making the community stronger since 1926, nearly 100 years. They award scholarships to high school students and hold student essay contests. They help deserving families during the holidays and donate to the City’s veterans celebration. If you combine the years of service that these clubs have given our community, it’s over two centuries! For all these reasons, I am pleased to honor them with the Award of Excellence. (Also see the photo on page 5.)
Recycle your Christmas tree
Here’s a reminder that residents can still have their Christmas trees collected to be turned into mulch through January 14. CalMet, the City’s refuse hauler, will gather the trees at no charge for singlefamily residential accounts.
Remove the stand and all decorations, lights, and tinsel, and do not wrap the tree or enclose it in a plastic bag. If the tree is four-feet-tall or less, you can put it in your green waste recycling barrel. For anything larger, just set it curbside on your normal garbage collection day by 6 a.m. Flocked trees will also be picked up.
After January 14, your tree can still be taken away by scheduling a bulky item pick-up.
For apartments or condominiums, trees on the curb by 6 a.m. during the stated dates will be taken away for free on regular pick-up days. If it’s necessary to drive onto the property there will be a $5 charge per tree and it must be ordered 24 hours before the regular pick-up day by the manager or owner who must have the account number for verification.
Also, commercial customers must call CalMet before placing a tree out for collection so a green waste truck can visit their location.
If you have any questions, please call CalMet (562) 259-1239.
Taking down your holiday lights
The City has an ordinance relating to the display of exterior winter holiday lights for residential properties that says such lights must be removed by January 15.
“Holiday lights” are defined as a string of lights commonly associated with the holiday season that contains multiple- or single-colored or clear light bulbs that are attached to a structure. Only residential properties are affected.
The ordinance was passed years ago in response to concerns voiced by residents about keeping our neighborhoods attractive. The City appreciates everyone’s cooperation.
TEveryone 16and older is now eligible for a booster shot.
COVID-19 booster shot update
he State of California is now recommending COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for everyone age 16 and older. Boosters serve as “reminder” doses that refresh your immunity to COVID and are needed since studies have shown that effectiveness of anti-COVID vaccines diminishes a bit over time.
People 16 and 17 years old can get the Pfizer vaccine. People 18 and older can get any of the three available vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna and J&J (Pfizer and Moderna are preferred). You should get a booster six months after your second shot of either Pfizer or Moderna. Everyone who got J&J as their primary vaccination should also get a booster dose.
To get the latest information (recommendations sometimes change) or find a provider near you, visit VaccinateLACounty.com. To make an appointment, visit myturn.ca.gov. Also see the related article on page 6.
Mayor Brenda Olmos
Paramount Education Partnership
PEP Talk
TCollege scholarship applications now available
hanks to the generosity of the local business community, nearly $1.4 million has been given to students attending a university, community college, or technical school through the Paramount Education Partnership (PEP) college scholarship program since 2004 for a total of 451 scholarships.
Applications for 2022 scholarships are now available at Paramount High School, City Hall, and the Community Services office, 15300 Downey Ave. Applications can also be downloaded on the City’s website at paramountcity.com/community/pep.
Completed applications need to be turned into Paramount City Hall (16400 Colorado Ave., Paramount, CA 90723) by 5 p.m. on March 11.
PEP scholarships of $1,000 are awarded to students attending a community college, and $3,000 scholarships go to students attending an accredited, four-year state university within the U.S, including vocational/trade/technical schools. Scholarships of $4,000 go to those attending a University of California campus or a private four-year university in the U.S.
These scholarship funds may only be used to pay tuition, fees, books, and supplies for the 2022-2023 school year.
Here are the requirements for applying:
• Must be a City of Paramount resident or Paramount Unified School District student.
• Have a high school diploma or General Education Development (GED) certificate at the time you are awarded.
• Possess a total weighted GPA of at least 2.0 (students who have a lower GPA are encouraged to apply for the Community College Scholarship, if they can demonstrate academic improvement for two consecutive years).
• If selected you will be required to submit proof of college enrollment.
• Include a full copy of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Student Aid Report (SAR).
• Scholarships are intended for students working on an initial Associate of Arts degree or an initial Bachelor’s degree.
For more information, or questions, please call (562) 220-2121.
Public Safety Public Safety
Further efforts to crack down on intersection takeovers
As part of the City of Paramount’s zero-tolerance approach to dangerous intersection takeovers, 10 license-plate-reading cameras have been recently purchased that will be mounted at intersections throughout town.
These will alert law enforcement of intersection takeovers by street racers and can capture the identification of vehicles.
The cameras also automatically read license plates to detect any stolen vehicles passing through town.
These cameras add to the city’s public safety “tool box” that includes two vehiclemounted ALPR (Automatic License Plate Recognition) cameras, one mobile ALPR trailer and two speed trailers that are placed on major streets to deter speeding.
Ways to protect yourself from identity theft:
• Shred receipts, credit offers, account statements, expired credit cards, and anything with your personal or financial information. (See page 1 and CityScape about the upcoming Clutter-Free Paramount event for shredding opportunities.)
• Secure your Social Security Number (SSN). Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your number on your checks. Only give out your SSN when absolutely necessary.
• Don’t respond to unsolicited requests for personal information (your name, birthdate, SSN, or bank account number) by phone, mail, or online.
• Collect mail promptly. Place a hold on your mail when you are away from home for several days.
• Pay attention to your billing cycles. If bills or financial statements are late, contact the sender.
• Enable the security features on mobile devices, especially if you have contacts, banking websites, and applications saved.
• Update sharing and firewall settings when you’re on a public wi-fi network. Consider using a virtual private network, which can give you the privacy of a secured private network.
• Review your credit card and bank account statements. Promptly compare receipts with account statements. Watch for unauthorized transactions.
• Store personal information in a safe place at home and at work.
• Install firewalls and virus-detection software on your home computer.
• Create complex passwords that identity thieves cannot guess easily. Change your passwords if a company that you do business with has a breach of its databases.
• Review your credit report once a year to be certain that it doesn’t include accounts that you have not opened. You can order it for free from Annualcreditreport.com
• Never leave Social Security cards, passports, birth certificates, vehicle pink slips, income tax records, checkbooks, or payroll stubs in your unattended car, even in the glove compartment. Thieves breaking into vehicles are often looking for these types of documents. Keep them at home in a safe location.
City Council
Girl Scouts lead Pledge of Allegiance
Fall event volunteers recognized
Throughout the year, the City of Paramount produces a number of special events at which City staff members get tremendous help from local volunteers. At the December 14 City Council meeting, the volunteers from the fall events were thanked. Those who worked the Halloween Festival, all from Paramount High School, were the ASB, Boys Soccer, Cheer, Girls Volleyball, Girls Wrestling, the Interact Club, JROTC, the Leo’s Club, the Mental Health Awareness Club, Raices Unidas, and the Youth Commission. At the Veterans Celebration, also from Paramount High, were Cheer, the Corsairs Club, JROTC, and the Youth Commission. At the Seniors Thanksgiving luncheon, the Corsairs and the Paramount Rotary Club.
Service Clubs saluted with Mayor’s Award
The Mayor’s Award of Excellence was presented at the December 14 City Council meeting to six of the major service clubs in town for their positive and important influence in Paramount over the years. For more details, please see “From the Mayor’s Desk” on page 3.
The City’s second annual Halloween Home Decorating Contest featured some very creative and spooky displays around town. At the December 14 City Council meeting, the volunteer judges were recognized, as well as the three contest winners. The volunteers were Steve Yanez, Tony Warfield, and Maria Persi. Congratulations to the contest winners: 1st Place, Laura and Hugo Galvan, 6647 San Juan; 2nd Place, Sam and Patty Zamorano, 7620 Racine; and 3rd Place, Jason Geoffrey, 16636 Georgia.
The Paramount City Council and City staff have a long history of managing the public’s money conservatively and responsibly. As part of this process, the Finance Department produces an Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). These reports have received awards for excellence over the last three decades from the Government Finance Officers Association, a non-profit organization made up of professionals throughout California. The City’s Finance Department was honored again for the 2020 ACFR. At the December 14 City Council meeting, Kinnaly Soukhaseum, a partner with the accounting firm of Eide Bailly, LLP and a member of the Association presented the award via Zoom. From left, back row: Vice Mayor Vilma Cuellar Stallings, Mayor Brenda Olmos, Councilmember Peggy Lemons, and Councilmember Isabel Aguayo. From left, front row: Senior Accountant Joanne Cha, Interim Finance Director Clyde Alexander, and Senior Accountant Jaime De Guzman.
Nicole Duckworth, leader of Paramount’s Girl Scouts Troop 1613, along with Troop members Lucy and Maddie, led the Pledge of Allegiance to start off the December 14 Paramount City Council meeting. Girl Scouts cookie months begin in January. Back row, from left: Vice Mayor Vilma Cuellar Stallings, Mayor Brenda Olmos, Councilmember Peggy Lemons, and Councilmember Isabel Aguayo. Front row, from left: Lucy, Duckworth, Maddie.
State of the City 2022
THURSDAY • MARCH 17 • ST. PATRICK’S DAY
Because of the current COVID-19 Omnicron surge, we’ll be holding our annual State of the City event a little later than usual this year in hopes that—with a bit of luck the public health situation will have improved enough that we can once again have an indoor gathering and luncheon. Watch the Pulse Beat and the Paramount Chamber of Commerce website (paramountchamber.com) for updates and event details. Please plan to join us and don’t forget to wear green!
If you are unvaccinated, your risk of ending up in intensive care (and possibly dying from COVID 19) is more than 20 times higher than for vaccinated people!
Despite surging COVID-19 Omnicron variant transmission in Los Angeles County, vaccines are still proving to be the best protection against ending up in a hospital intensive care unit and possibly dying.
In fact, if you’re unvaccinated against COVID-19, your odds of ending up in an ICU and possibly dying is more than 20 times higher than for vaccinated people! Why would you take that risk?
Protect yourself, your family, friends and co-workers by getting vaccinated as soon as possible. You’ll also be helping to stop the Omnicron surge and preventing development of new, possibly even more dangerous variants of the virus.
As we start this new year, please protect yourselves by getting vaccinated and boosted, if eligible (see page 3), and give others around you the peace of mind that comes from reducing the risk of a terrible outcome as more and more people become infected with this virus.
COVID-19 vaccines are free and available for everyone age five and older. You will not be asked about your immigration status when you get vaccinated. Ten common myths about COVID-19 vaccines
• Myth 1: These vaccines were developed too fast, and they don’t know if the vaccines are safe. Fact: These vaccines could be developed quickly because scientists had already been working on other types of coronaviruses related to COVID-19. Also, the U.S. government provided lots of money to improve cooperation among researchers and speed up development. All pre-release testing and a huge amount of data from actual vaccinations of billions of people have conclusively proven the safety and effectiveness of these vaccines.
• Myth 2: We don’t know enough about long-term effects of these vaccines. Fact: Thorough scientific understanding of how vaccines work tells us that it is very unlikely that COVID-19 vaccines will cause any long-term side effects. Side effects usually begin to appear within six weeks of getting vaccinated. Billions of people have received COVID-19 vaccines, and no long-term side effects have been noted. Long-term side effects from COVID-19 infections, however, can be very severe in both children and adults.
• Myth 3: These vaccines contain the virus that causes COVID-19 and can make you sick. Fact: None of the vaccines contain the virus that causes COVID-19 in any form. They cannot give you COVID-19.
• Myth 4: Vaccines use genetic material to fight the virus, so they can affect your genes. Fact: These vaccines use genetic material that teach your body how to fight the virus—but the genetic material does not change your genes.
• Myth 5: The needle or a microchip stays in your arm after you get a vaccine, and the “magnet test” proves it. Fact: The needle does not stay in your arm after getting a vaccine. The needle “disappears” because it retracts into the syringe or safety chamber after the injection. Also, there are no microchips in any of the vaccines. The so-called “magnet test” has been conclusively shown to be a trick. Magnets can easily be made to stick to the skin with tape or ointment. Even pressing a magnet or coin firmly to your skin can make it stick.
• Myth 6: Black and Latinx communities are being singled out to get the vaccines because there is no real proof that the vaccines are safe. Fact: Black and Latinx communities are not being singled out. But they are being encouraged to get vaccinated because they have higher rates of infection, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19.
• Myth 7: I don’t need the vaccine if I already had COVID-19. Fact: Doctors and scientists recommend that you get vaccinated even if you already had COVID-19. This is because the vaccine provides better and longer protection.
• Myth 8: COVID-19 vaccines contain aborted fetal cells. Fact: None of the vaccines authorized in the United States contain any fetal cells or tissue.
• Myth 9: Many children have died from taking COVID-19 vaccines. Fact: There have been no confirmed deaths of children that were caused by COVID-19 vaccine. In contrast, hundreds of children have died from COVID-19 infection.
• Myth 10: We don’t really know what is in the COVID-19 vaccines. Fact: Vaccine ingredients are available for anyone to see in appendix C of the CDC’s “Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines” webpage.
To find a vaccination site near you or to make an appointment, please visit: www.VaccinateLACounty.com (English) or www.VacunateLosAngeles.com (Spanish).
If you need assistance, you can also call 1-833-540-0473 for help finding an appointment, connecting to free transportation to and from a vaccination site, or scheduling a home visit if you are homebound.
For more information regarding COVID-19 in LA County you can also visit the Public Health website at www.publichealth.lacounty.gov
member-to-member discounts Paramount Chamber of Commerce
As a Paramount Chamber of Commerce member, these discounts are extended to you by your fellow members. Visit the following businesses to receive the discounts listed below. But remember, these offers are available only to Paramount Chamber members!
Attorney & Legal Services
Lerma Law Office (562-272-4353): 15% discount on initial retainer fee or flat-rate service.
Automotive
Herald’s Garage (562-633-2136): 15% discount on labor and a free engine light reset.
Beauty
Marali Beauty Salon (562-964-1126): Free haircut & treatment with purchase of any chemicals.
Communications
Transcom Telecommunications (562-630-1200, ext. 221): 10% off equipment (business phone services).
Contractors
Jones Scaffold Co. (800-266-3864): 10% off net rental of scaffold equipment.
Financial Services
SG Tax Services (562-630-4004): $25 off tax preparation for Chamber members and their employees.
Vicky Professional Services (562-634-1178): 20% off bookkeeping and accounting service.
Flowers
Diana’s Flowers (562-529-5045): Free local delivery and free balloons.
Funeral Services
Palacios Funeral Home (562-972-5429): 5% off services.
Hotels & Motels
Embassy Suites Hotel (562-861-1900): 15% off best available room rate (subject to availability). Ask for “Chamber rate.”
Insurance
2000 Insurance Service (562-602-0001): 25% off new business.
Medical
Clínica Médica Hispana (562-630-1991): 25% discount.
Plumbing & Heating
Downey Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning (562-861-1234): 10% off HydroJet service and/or 10% off material.
Production (Events)
YSL Production (323-490-6315): 20% any event services: Sound, lighting, stage, LED video, wall & truss equipment.
Printers
Source Graphics, Inc. (562-408-2734): 10% discount on all printing.
Real Estate
GM Properties (562-696-0200): 5% of gross commissions on closed deals will be sent to the charity of our choice in your name. Ask for Matt.
Penta Pacific Properties (562-699-1922): Free market value opinions on commercial and industrial properties.
Restaurants
Café Corleone (562-408-6100): 10% discount on all food purchases.
Casa Adelita (562-408-2360): 10% off (may not be combined with other specials).
Casa Gamino (562-634-6225): 10% discount on food purchases.
Pulse Beat available only online until further notice
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Board of Directors of the Paramount Chamber of Commerce has decided to suspend hard-copy printing and distribution of the Paramount Pulse Beat until further notice.
However, the full text of each new Pulse Beat will be available online each month on the Paramount Chamber of Commerce website at paramountchamber.com
If you would like to have a printed copy of the Pulse Beat, contact us and we can mail it to you, or you can pick it up at the Chamber office. If you have questions, please call the Chamber of Commerce at 562-634-3980
We at the Chamber thank you for your continued support and understanding during these difficult times for our community, and we will keep you informed about our future plans for the publication.
Delfin Seafood & Market (562-630-1928): 10% off any order.
El Compa Restaurant (562-630-1068): 10% discount on all food purchases.
Gus’s Deli, BBQ & Grill (562-630-2802): 10% off all food purchases.
Mariscos Alas (562-633-1348): 10% Chamber member discount. 15% discount for law enforcement & City employees.
Mariscos El Perihuete (562-408-1661): 10% off on food purchases over $10.
Mariscos Mi Lindo Sinaloa #1 (562-529-5110): 10% discount on all food purchases.
Pika Tortas Ahogadas (562-529-5787): 10% discount on all regular-priced food items (excludes combo deals).
El Sinaloense Restaurant (562-363-3011): 10% off on food purchases.
Roofing
One Coat Roof Seal LLC (833-232-8121): 20% off each can.
Wellness & Health
Enagic (562-833-3823): Free ionized alkaline water.
Wholesalers & Distributors
Rayvern Lighting Supply, Inc. (562-634-7020): 5% off fixtures and ballast orders (commercial distributor of lighting and fixtures).
To add your business to this section, please call the Paramount Chamber of Commerce for information: 562-634-3980
Max
147 S Beach Blvd
La Habra, CA 90631
CA License 0L68077
Cell: 714-932-9656
Fax: 562-691-9113
skotob@farmersagent.com • 562-691-9100
562-634-5000 • 800-634-5000 fenicocastings.com • stran@fenicoinc.com 7805 Madison St., Paramount, CA 90723-4220
Membership RENEWALS
We’re very grateful that the businesses below have renewed their Paramount Chamber of Commerce memberships, making our valuable services possible.
Paramount Swap Meet...............................................54 years
7900 American City Way, Paramount CA 90723
R.G.S / Richard Griffin Sales .....................................32 years
P.O. Box 102, Paramount CA 90723
Vicky Professional Service, Inc. ....................................31 years
15975-A Paramount Blvd., Paramount CA 90723
Merlin-Alltec Mold Making, Inc................................22 years 15543 Minnesota Ave., Paramount CA 90723
Paramount Furniture................................................22 years
16450 Paramount Blvd., Paramount CA 90723
Stater Bros. Markets .................................................22 years
8640 Alondra Blvd., Paramount CA 90723
American Red Cross .................................................22 years
3150 E 29th St., Paramount CA 90723
Cerritos Community College 22 years 11110 Alondra Blvd., Norwalk CA 90650
Water Replenishment District 15 years
4040 Paramount Blvd., Lakewood CA 90712
Demaria Electronic Motor SVC 14 years
7048 Marcelle St., Paramount CA 90723
Frize Corporation........................................................13 years
16605 E Gale Ave., City of Industry 91745
R. Cee’s Barbershop.....................................................9 years 16601 Paramount Blvd., Paramount CA 90723
El Peri Sushi................................................................8 years 16604 Paramount Blvd., Paramount CA 90723
Reed Printing..............................................................8 years
4071 Greystone Dr., Ontario CA 91761
Dychem Supply–DBA Echochem Inc............................4 years 14733 Garfield Ave., Paramount CA 90723
Community Medicine Inc...............................................3 years
8540 Alondra Blvd., Paramount CA 90723
West Coast Equipment..................................................1 year
958 El Sobrante Rd., Corona CA 92879
Halibut Window Film...................................................1 year
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
EPOXY COATING LABORER —Long-term, full-time (40+ hours per week). Will train. Install various flooring systems for commercial and industrial projects. Perform tasks involving physical labor; must be able to lift up to 50 pounds and stand for long periods. Operate equipment (as instructed). Techcoat Contractors, 15720 Garfield Avenue, Paramount, CA 90723. Contact: Brenda or Jessica at 562-529-5700. Apply Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
WAREHOUSE MAINTENANCE WORKER —Longterm, part-time (20 to 25 hours per week). Will train. Staging equipment and materials for daily projects. Receive and process warehouse stock products. Maintain inventory. Operate and maintain warehouse vehicles and equipment. Run errands (as needed). Techcoat Contractors, 15720 Garfield Avenue, Paramount, CA 90723. Contact: Brenda or Jessica at 562-529-5700. Apply Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
PHARMACY TECHNICIAN —Full-time. Experience helpful, but willing to consider an excellent new graduate who can learn quickly. Call Martha at Fobi Pharmacy: 562-630-5700.
BARTENDER —Part-time, including evenings and weekends. Call Leroy: 562-634-9001.
SKILLED LABOR OPPORTUNITIES —SkillsetGroup currently has these positions available for first, second and third shifts: Machine operator, sanitation, loading & unloading, forklift drivers, production line, and order pulling. Come in and apply today! SkillsetGroup actualmente tiene aperturas para puestos disponibles para Primer, Segundo y Tercer turno. ¡Ven y aplica hoy! Call us at 866-375-3094 or use Instagram (@ skillsetgroup) or Facebook for weekly updates. 7300 Alondra Blvd., Suite 202, Paramount, California 90723.
STATE FARM AGENT —State Farm Agents help their customers protect what’s important to them, all the while making time to give back to their neighborhoods. Improve your career! Call David Maciel: 562-305-2111.
FULL-TIME SEAMSTRESS —5-Star Interior Services, Inc., needs a full-time seamstress with drapery-making experience. Contact Leroy at 818-845-4518.
CREW WORKER —Specialty construction. Will train. Installation of epoxycoatings, including preparation of concrete floors and other structures using various equipment. Long-term, 30+ hours, including some weekends. Report in person to TECHCOAT, 15720 Garfield Ave., Paramount, California 90723; M-Th 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
CLEANING SERVICE JOB (Persona para limpiesa)— A&R Cleaning Multiservices. Please contact Yolanda Monday-Friday at 562-500-2284.
IBUSINESS CORNER
Five common small business marketing mistakes
By Jesse Relkin (see biographical information below).
f you’re one of the 47% of small business owners who run marketing completely on their own, it’s likely this function is one of the many hats you wear. And chances are unless you’re running a marketing business yourself, you don’t have a professional marketing background. This means there are probably a few things you’re doing—or not doing—in your marketing efforts that could be holding your business back.
Five small business marketing mistakes and how to fix them
1. Doing the writing yourself—Considering the cost of professional copywriting services, it’s no wonder why a lot of small business owners try to avoid this step by doing the writing themselves. But when they do, it shows.
“Copywriters don’t just ‘write copy,’” the copywriting professionals at Coopman Creative explain. “Our skills and expertise go well beyond that, encompassing brand management, the art of persuasion, understanding nuanced audiences and channels, a genuine flair for language crafting and creative writing, and borderlineobsessive grammar knowledge.”
Unless you’re a trained copywriter, it’s best to leave it to the professionals. An experienced copywriter can offer an outside perspective to your business, help you shape your value proposition so that you stand out from competitors, and create polished copy that’s certain to sell. If you’re looking for a way to differentiate your business in your space, expertly written copy is the way to do it. And if you invest wisely in a copywriter who really knows his or her stuff, you’ll likely quickly earn your money back with higher conversion rates and overall marketing ROI.
2. Neglecting your website—Your website is the digital face of your business. It reflects your brick-and-mortar experience, if you have one, and sets the tone for what customers should expect when doing business with you. When you neglect your website, you not only run the risk of driving away potential customers who might think your business is no longer open or poorly operated, but you also hurt your SEO (search engine optimization), which means you’ll drive less traffic from search engines over time.
According to Search Engine Journal (searchenginejournal.com): “Taking proactive steps to keep your site clean and running smoothly can help buffer against external factors, supporting your long-term goals for your site and marketing strategy.” They call this process “SEO hygiene”—essentially, the routine performance of checks and tasks to make sure your website is looking and performing at its best.
Here are some best practices from Search Engine Journal for good SEO hygiene that small businesses can apply:
• Keep your website code clean.
• Make sure your website is mobile-friendly.
• Handle any redirect issues.
You’ll also want to make sure your page load time is minimal to keep users on your site and ensure high SEO performance.
If you’re managing your website on your own, make it a point to set aside some time at least every month to check for broken links and update website copy such as your contact information and hours of operation if needed. Hire an SEO professional to help you check for technical SEO issues on a regular basis—at least every six months—and make it a point to update your branding, imagery, and messaging on an annual basis to keep your site feeling fresh.
3. Fatiguing your audience—While a lot of small business owners, given their time and budget constraints, tend to not publish enough content, others can be guilty of publishing too much—and usually on the same channel.
“To occupy enough of their mind space to get a deal down the line, you have to constantly remind contacts and connections of your value. But you have to do it in a way that doesn’t ‘fatigue’ them,” the marketing experts at The Paperless Agent (www.thepaperlessagent.com) explain. “To prevent that fatigue, good marketers use multiple channels of communication to stay connected with their audiences.”
Make sure you’re taking a multichannel approach to staying in touch with customers—via email, SMS, Facebook, and your company newsletter, for example—and don’t overdo it on any single channel.
4. Not tracking your results—Another common mistake that business owners make is not tracking the results of their marketing efforts. And despite this lack of data, they’ll continue to invest in marketing practices without knowing whether or not they’re effective.
Without metrics in place to tell you what’s working and what’s not, you could be throwing your marketing dollars down the drain and missing out on opportunities that could significantly improve your results. Furthermore, metrics help you continually refine and improve your marketing over time. Tim Fitzpatrick at Rialto Marketing (rialtomarketing.com) highlights a few reasons why some business owners neglect marketing metrics:
Lack of time: Some owners think they are too busy to look at data analytics or review performance reports. However, if you have time to do marketing, you have time to review your efforts. Once you get it down, it can take only a few minutes.
This article originally appeared on articles.bplans.com.
Lack of technology: It’s a common misconception that business owners need certain tools or software systems to look at metrics. Google Analytics is free and many social channels have their own reporting pages.
Lack of knowledge: Some people don’t know what they should be measuring, but all it takes is a little online research to determine the best KPIs (key performance indicators) for each channel.
Focus on what’s important. You don’t have to track a ton of metrics—in fact, you shouldn’t—in order to keep your pulse on your marketing campaigns. To start, carve out an afternoon to review your marketing channels, come up with a few metrics in each one to start tracking, and set up a simple spreadsheet that tracks these along with your marketing spend for each channel. If you haven’t yet, set up a Google Analytics account as well to help you analyze your web metrics. Lastly, make sure you’re asking every new customer how they heard about you and log this valuable information.
Set aside an hour or two each month to update your spreadsheet and review the data. Or, with all the money you’re going to start saving by tracking your marketing ROI, consider hiring a marketing consultant or a virtual assistant to take care of this for you.
5. Not speaking to your target audience—Are your marketing and advertising campaigns failing to deliver the result you were hoping for? “More often than not, the problem is a disconnect between you, the content creator, and your audience,” the business experts at Cox Business (coxblue.com) explain. “When a piece of writing (or any other form of creative content, really) fails to resonate, it’s usually because it’s not what the audience was looking for.”
Knowing who you’re talking to is a must when it comes to creating relevant content that converts. After all, how can you convince your prospects that you’re the perfect solution for their needs if you don’t understand what they are?
Great content starts with audience research. Call up your best customers and spend some time getting to know them. Ask them for the following information:
• Their age bracket, generation, or stage of life
• Where they live (if they’re not local)
• Culture and preferred languages
• Hobbies, interests, and affiliations
• Their favorite content they like to consume and share
• Their biggest pain points
• What they’re typing into Google to solve their challenges
• Their favorite social media channels and websites
• Anything else that will help you speak to them more directly
Use your answers to inform your marketing copy moving forward and you’ll be amazed at the improvement in your results.
Work smarter, not harder. It’s hard work generating qualified leads and pushing prospects through the conversion funnel, especially when you have the rest of your business to worry about. But it doesn’t have to take a lot of time as long as you’re strategic in your approach. A great place to start is by avoiding these marketing mistakes above. Even if this requires investing a little more than usual in your marketing upfront, you’ll find these efforts will pay for themselves in the long run.
Jesse Relkin is the founder and CEO of C-POP Content Marketing (cpopcontentmarketing.com). She has been a freelance writer and content marketing professional for more than a decade, with experience in content strategy, SEO, social media, PR, and more. You can connect with her on LinkedIn.
WIC is a nutrition program for women, infants and children. WIC es un programa de nutricion para mujeres, bebes y niños.
You may qualify if you:
• Are pregnant, breastfeeding or just had a baby
• Have a child under age 5
• Have a low to medium income*
• Receive Medi-Cal, CalWORKs (TANF) or CalFresh (Food Stamps) benefits
• Live in California Usted puede calificar si:
• Está embarazada, está dando pecho o acaba de tener un bebe
• Tiene un niño menor de 5 años
• Tiene un ingreso bajo a mediano
• Recibe beneficios de Medi-Cal, CalWORKs (TANF) o CalFresh (Estampillas de Comida)
• Vive en California
WIC provides:
• Nutrition education and health information
• Breastfeeding support
• Food benefits
• Referrals to medical providers and community services
WIC proporciona:
• Educación sobre nutrición e información de salud
• Apoyo con la lactancia
• Beneficios de comida
• Referencias a proveedores de servicios medicos y servicios
*Income levels change annually. Niveles de ingreso cambian anualmente. This institution is an equal opportunity provider. Está institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.
South Los Angeles Health Projects WIC Program