Let’s get together again! Please join me and Julia on FRIDAY, August 14, 6 pm central time (CT) for the THIRD chat in Cookie Connection’s “Cookiers Helping Cookiers in the Time of COVID-19” series. We will again be using Zoom for our live meeting. This time we’ll meet in the evening, so grab your favorite beverage, and let’s hang out for a while. We would love to actually SEE and TALK to you all!
While some of us are seeing things loosen up and others are experiencing mounting COVID cases and tightened safety protocols, one thing is clear: nothing is back to the way it was. In April and May, we checked in to see how things were going - how you were doing emotionally, what challenges you were facing, and how you’ve adapted to the situation. We were so INSPIRED and AMAZED by the ways you all have pivoted. (Part One in this series, in April, was text-based here on Cookie Connection. You can read the transcript here. Part Two in May was on Zoom. You can watch a recording of that meeting here.)
Now, for Part Three! Our Cookie Connection family is still here to offer support, encouragement, and concrete ideas to help you with your business right now. (Hobby bakers, please join us too. We think there will be ideas that you can use as well!)
We want to know what have you done differently during this time, especially between May and present, to keep your cookie business going. We’re hoping you will share specifics on how you’ve pivoted so that others can learn from you to adapt their own cookie businesses. Online cookie classes or parties? Decorating kits? Paint-your-own cookies? A change to custom orders? Pop-up sales on your porch? New collaborations or giveaways on social media? We would love if you would teach us how to do it too!
I hope you’ll join us if you have something to share. I hope you’ll join us if you need some ideas.
What to expect in the call . . .
- I’ll first ask everyone to introduce themselves. What's your name, where do you live, how do you participate in cookies (i.e., as a hobbyist or professional; by selling cookies, teaching, and/or designing or selling cookie products?), and how long have you been involved that way in cookies?
- I’ll ask you to share something specific that you’ve done – that we can do too – during this time. Please really get into the details. Teach us how, so we can do it too. For example, if you’re offering cookie kits, please tell us what is in your typical kit, how you package it, how much you’re charging, how you market it, and how you get it to your customers.
- Toward the end, I’ll open up the discussion to other questions and comments. Do you have a question for me, Julia, or the group? If so, please come prepared to ask!
Can't make the meeting, but you'd like to share something that you've been doing? Just send me a private message with all the details. I'll share your idea with the group during the chat. Click here to go to my profile page where you can message me.
Let’s talk about meeting logistics! To keep things orderly in the meeting (which can be tough in the Zoom format with lots of people), I’ve got a few ground rules:
- Prepare for the meeting by getting acquainted with how Zoom works (and the features we'll be using) by reading this post. It's truly easy!
- To enter the meeting, just click on this link (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84072122100) at the appointed time (again, August 14, 6 pm CT) and wait to be admitted to the room by our moderator, Julia. Room capacity is 100, so we believe we’ve got plenty of space. We expect the chat to run for about one hour. Please arrive on time.
- Unsure of when 6 pm CT is for you? Click on this time zone converter to find out.
- All microphones will start on mute, so we don’t begin by talking over one another and to avoid distracting background noise!
- The meeting will be recorded so we can post the recording on Cookie Connection when the chat is over. If you don’t want to be seen, then do not opt to turn on your device’s video before entering the room.
- I’ll start with some welcome remarks and by asking you to introduce yourselves, as described above. Julia will assist by calling on you round-robin style and asking you to open up your mics one at a time.
- Then we’ll proceed in the same round-robin style through everyone who would like to share, with you raising your hands (using the Zoom hand-raising feature) and Julia calling on you (unmuting you) in the order hands were raised. Please try to limit responses so everyone has equal air time.
- Once everyone has had an opportunity to comment, I’ll open up all of the mics for a more free-form discussion, to make sure any additional questions or observations get heard.
- If mayhem breaks loose anywhere between points 1 and 8, we’ll just adapt, and that will be part of the fun!
We can't wait to see you on August 14 at 6 pm CT on Zoom! Again, just click this link (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84072122100) to enter the Zoom meeting room at that time. And, please review this link BEFORE the meeting to get acquainted with Zoom mechanics and features.
