Small Businesses Finding the Benefits of Online Marketing

Tuesday, November 24, 2020 Volume 86 www.burtcountyplaindealer.com Number 47

Burt County’s risk dial slipped to 3.50 last week, a slight decline from the 3.63 seen the week before. With the spike in COVID-19 cases locally and statewide, Gov. Pete Ricketts said recently that restrictions will intensify if COVID patients With Thanksgiving just hours away, and Roger Belgarde, to help her make the occupy more than 25 percent families throughout the area are prepar- have diff ering views mashed potatoes and of the state’s more than 4,400 ing for the day with an eye toward follow- on the holiday. For gravy. hospital beds. ing particular traditions while keeping Anthony, the holiday Thanksgiving is Image courtesy of ELVPHD the other eye on coping with COVID-19 is about giving Army when a lot of people restrictions. men to people to play come over to your County’s risk Maybe folks can’t, or won’t, travel like with. house and eat turkey they once did or have a large family gath- For him, the best with you, Orry dial lower but ering around a big table, but they’re doing Thanksgiving meal Bridges said. their best to make the best of it. would be steak. His The son of Jeremy case counts It’ll be something the kids can tell their Anthony Belgarde dad make sit in a fry- Orry Bridges and Abra Bridges kids said turkey is his fa- A holiday tradition at the Plaindealer still mount is to ask the next generation, kindergart- ing pan. vorite entree, “mom Mark Jackson ners at Tekamah-Herman, what’s on the Elizabeth is more and dad buy it from Burt County Plaindealer Thanksgiving table at their house. Where geared to the holi- a store.” they might go and what they might do also day table, especially The turkey is Despite an ongoing surge in depends on the family, but one thing is dessert. Elizatbeth going in the oven at caseload, Burt County saw its certain—there’s plenty for everybody. said she didn’t re- Maddox Camron’s risk dial go down last week, if Hayes Hoier has this Thanksgiving member much about grandparents’ house, incrementally. thing nailed. last year’s meal, and he gets to help The dial released Wednesday “It’s when you’re thankful for stuff ,” the “but I remember the this year. by Elkhorn Logan Valley Public son of Buck and Allie Hoier said. pumpkin pie. Mom Elizabeth Belgarde “Poppa Scott Health Department stood at 3.50, He’s thankful for his family. Hayes said and me made it. It puts broccoli on it,” Maddox Camron still well within the High range, his family will be visit- was yummy!” but lower than the 3.64 reading ing at grandma’s house Grandma is the the son of Mike and from the week prior, stopping a and he has an uncle head turkey chef at Elise Camron said. “I trend of three consecutive weeks who cooks turkey. Alice Bemister’s just like the turkey.” of increases. The bird is his favor- house, “She lives He likes the pumpkin But the case count hasn’t ite, that and the mashed with us,” Hayley pie, too—the kind his stopped growing. potatoes, corn, “and Hawk’s daughter grandma makes. According to the Nebraska De- maybe some pie.” proclaimed. For Bennett Carl- partment of Health and Human Anthony Belgarde Grandma gets son, nobody beats his Services, Burt County has seen and his sister, Eliza- some help. Alice said mom’s turkey. “It’s 154 of its 346 positive tests in the beth, children of Tracy she’ll be pitching in good.” The son of last two weeks. On Nov. 11, ELV Hayes Hoier Alice Bemister Bennett Carlson reported 280 total positive tests in the county, leaving 66 positive cases from Nov. 11-19. Burt County still has the high- Small Business Saturday is Nov. 28— Continued on Page 6 Early Small businesses fi nding the deadline Due to the Thanksgiving benefi ts of online marketing holiday, an early deadline is in eff ect for the Plaindealer’s Dec. Mark Jackson The center has a range of training opportu- 1 edition. Burt County Plaindealer nities, all online, for small business own- All news and advertising ma- The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a ers. For example, the center hosted a cyber terial must be received by noon toll on businesses large and small, but small security training event last Friday. Other on Wednesday, Nov. 25. business may feel its eff ects more keenly. scheduled sessions include improving busi- All government offi ces will be Because more people are staying home, ness plans, focusing in on target markets and closed Thursday for he holiday. and perhaps, doing some holiday shopping a session on small business taxes. Burt County Courthouse also online, many naturally turn to the online White. “We went totally online.” They also hosted a session on using social will be closed on Friday. marketing giant Amazon. A niche product, cookie kits, may have media platforms—like Facebook, Twitter But it doesn’t have to be that way. With saved the business, White said. The kit, and Instagram—to market a small business. Small Business Saturday being observed which was designed to be used as a family She said by making its presentations virtu- Lions Club hosting this year on Nov. 28, a silver lining is being project, involved prebaked sugar cookies, as ally, the center can reach a wider audience found in the pandemic’s dark cloud, for some well as frosting and sprinkles to decorate the than it could with in-person programs. She at least. cookies with. The kits were so successful in said the same thing is true for small busi- pre-holiday feed That particular some are the small busi- the spring, Master’s Hand has turned out ad- nesses, “online marketing can bring your Tekamah Lions Club’s annual nesses who use online marketing tools to ditional holiday-themed kits for Thanksgiv- business to places it never could have gone catfi sh and chicken feed held the not only promote their businesses, but also ing and Christmas. before.” night before Thanksgiving is still to interact with their customers and fulfi ll Everything in the store is available online She said some small businesses, particu- a go. orders. For example, direct sales companies and can be shipped anywhere. White said larly ones run from home, already have an Although dine-in is not an op- like cosmetic and jewelry companies, al- right now they’re processing around half a advantage over bigger companies that are tion this year due to the pandem- ready have online tools for their sales forces. dozen orders a day. fi nding that maybe they don’t need that ic, meals are available for take- Restaurants, grocers and other retailers are “People aren’t going out,” White said, “so storefront anymore. out. Serving starts at 5:30 p.m. fi lling online orders and off ering in-store you have to be innovative and fi nd ways to “They already have the logistics of work- at the Vets Hall in downtown pickup. Some even deliver. still reach them.” ing from home worked out,” she said. “The Tekamah. Club members also Master’s Hand Candle Co. in Tekamah Jessica Campos, an outreach specialist pandemic is really uncovering a lot of op- will make in-town deliveries. is an example of fi nding an opportunity and with the Center For Rural Aff airs in Lyons, portunity.” More information is available taking advantage of it. said the center is seeing a marked increase The smaller, homecraft businesses also are by calling Gregg Miller, 402- “When the pandemic hit in the spring, in small business owners looking to either getting in on the online act. 870-0598; Karl Adamson, 402- so many places were closing, you had to sharpen their online skills or delve into the Oakland woman Meg Beachler, who’s 374-1229; or Mark and Karen innovate,said a company spokesman, Kacie cyber world for the fi rst time. Continued on Page 12 Jackson, 402-374-1706.

SALES - 402-948-4600 | DIERS FORD/LINCOLN in FREMONT, USA | SERVICE - 402-215-0196 '20 FORD FUSION SE '20 FORD ECOSPORT SE At Diers Ford '20 FORD ESCAPE SE AWD '20 FORD EXPEDITION XLT Stk #L162 Stk #L262 in Fremont, we Stk #L613 Stk #L711 are thankful

$ 5,000 off with your qualified Lease for: $199/mo for YOU! 36 months. 7,500 mi./yr. $999 down plus first payment & doc. fee. $ trade in PLUS 0% for 72 mo. 42 mo • 10,000 mi/yr • $999 down plus first pay- Payment plus monthly sales tax. 11,500 off MSRP ment & doc fee. Payment plus monthly sales tax *Discounts off top-line MSRP.Special APR is WAC. Retired CTP *With qualified trade-in.Term/payments are subject to bank approval. *Discounts off top-line MSRP.All rebates included. vehicles only. In-stock units only. *Term/payments are subject to bank approval. In-stock units only. In-stock units only. In-stock units only. PARTS - 402-810-7118 | WWW.DIERSFORD.COM | BODY SHOP-402-382-4011