Thread by @angiemeeker

WordPress friends - I’m going to give you some note about how you both help people and earn money right now. This isn’t taking advantage of people. This is helping their businesses survive until they can get back to normal. And, it’s just from my view. YMMV.

First - restaurants. They can take orders by phone, yes. You can also help them set up online ordering. Simplest way - @easywpforms with a payment gateway. More robust - @woocommerce - it can handle local delivery and pickup, even appointment times and scheduling.

Local businesses - gift cards. They can’t get people in the door right now, but they can sell gift cards for services in the future, creating immediate cash flow to carry them. Again, you can do that simply with @easywpforms and a payment gateway, or @woocommerce Smart Coupons.

Schools (private and public): They MIGHT be locked in to google classroom. If they’re not, use @lifterlms and WP Multisite to create a classroom for each teacher. Each week, teacher can add assignments, grades, comments, etc... TBH, it’s better than most LMSs schools use anyway.

Teachers can teach live using YouTube Live (it’s free), and then add those videos to the chapter for viewing later if needed. Or, @zoom_us is giving teachers a free account.

Small businesses like fitness studios can deliver classes online in the same way. You can set up @pmproplugin to sell monthly subscriptions just like they do for their brick and mortar, then manually enter existing customers or email them discount code for 💯 off.

In that way, they sell to new and existing customers.

Or, use @ModernTribeInc Event Calendar w ticketing to sell the tickets then just email all “attendees” a link to the YT live.

For a minute I need you to think about the OTHER, less obvious uses for all this. Artists who can’t do group wine n paints anymore. Hair stylists who COULD start teaching normal people how to cut basic cuts at home, or doing one on one “move the scissors here, cut here” appt.

And then, because YOU are clearly someone who knows a bit about marketing online, show them how to get and stay in front of their people with SEO, with Facebook ads (cost per click is lower now than it has been in years bc more people are online).

Show them how to join Adsense and stick some ads on their sites even - at this point eyes = dollars.

Oh - and because I’ve seen a LOT of requests for this this week - Companies, organizations, schools are all suddenly in need of a social network to take the place of work. @buddypress is that. It’s a full blown social network, complete with DMs, following friends, groups, feeds.

And the best part is that you don’t have to be a developer to do these things. This is the sweet spot for “implementors.” Read the docs. Ask for help on Twitter or in the WP slack or WordPress.org forums.

I guess what I'm saying is - now (as always) is the time for you to start with business' goals in mind... and stop thinking of the WordPress ecosystem as software or code, but rather solutions to real business problems. Those of you can SERVE businesses in that way, will win.

More ideas coming up after looking through the @cantstopcbus Slack...

Use @wpjobmanager to create a UGC job board for your city. That LITERALLY takes less than an hour to set up.

For your artists and creatives - get together with your arts organization and create a website that's like a portal to the arts. Use @pmproplugin and @affwp for this. Each artist is its own membership level and people can buy access to that artist's content (category). 1/

Artist is paid as an affiliate whenever someone purchases access to their private concert, recording, lesson, etc...

Give artists an avenue to stay in business and a singular place to support your arts community.

@cantstopcbus OK, maybe the last one for tonight. I saw a doctor this week requesting a place for doctors and nurses to be able to trade notes and talk to each other. That's @buddypress with @bbpress on HIPPA compliant hosting @LiquidWeb then turn it into an app with @apppresser.