PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Offered by New Ventures Maine, Grow Your Business Online is an online, tuition-free course designed to provide small business owners the tools, skills and mentorship to build a successful digital presence.
The course is a partnership with the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) and GoDaddy. Participants may join the class in process now, or register for the next one beginning June 19. The program will end Sept. 30.
“COVID has accentuated that a digital presence is a requirement for today’s businesses. This course helps business owners create an online presence from foundational digital content creation through complete development of a functional website with or without ecommerce),” said Karin Petrin, business adviser and microenterprise specialist at New Ventures Maine in Presque Isle and one of the workshop facilitators.
“We are excited to bring this free program and connection to GoDaddy’s global digital marketing experts to Maine’s rural entrepreneurs,” Petrin said.
Using an online platform, entrepreneurs complete lessons on topics that drill down their company’s brand, determine the most effective website type, create captivating content, engage best practices for getting to the top of search results, create and build a website, make the social media/website connection, use email marketing to grow sales, and understand cybersecurity to keep customer information safe.
Orientation, group coaching with experts and work/lab sessions provide additional networking and troubleshooting support.
As part of the program, entrepreneurs receive free tools including a domain name, hosting package, web builder, email marketing solution, and SEO for a two-year term. Discounts are expected on renewals.
Registration is required and available at bit.ly/GYBOSpring2021. For more information, contact Petrin at 768-9468 or karin.petrin@maine.edu.
New Ventures Maine is a statewide community economic development program of the University of Maine at Augusta/University of Maine System. Through tuition-free classes and individual coaching, they help people find good jobs, start or return to college, launch small businesses, manage their money and build their assets.
All interactive classes and workshops are available online. Individual appointments are available by video conference or phone.
