Extension series helps businesses get Digital Ready
By Andy Oberlin | KPC Media - The Herald Republican
For those looking to update their online business skills, Purdue Extension is offering a four-part series titled Digital Ready that begins Monday, Feb. 4.
Geared toward businesses, the courses will be taught in the Enterprise Center, 907 S. Wayne St., Angola, 6-7:30 p.m., and include a $10 dinner.
Find out more about registering for courses here.
“Employee experience plays a central role in a powerful digital workplace,” said Paul Miller of Digital Workplace Group in a November article. Among his 10 predictions for 2019 was: “Leaders lacking excellent digital literacy will struggle to thrive — or even survive — in the workplace.”
The Digital Ready program is designed to help small businesses learn to leverage online tools and services to encourage growth. Workshops will take about an hour and include a presentation by a trained Extension educator, activities and other assistance.
People can attend one or all of the courses.
The deadline to register for the first class, “Claiming Your Bubble,” is Jan. 30. Prerequisites are a course in internet basics at gcflearnfree.org/internetbasics and a course on internet safety: gcflearnfree.org/internetsafety.
They take 20 to 30 minutes to complete and only must be done once, said Extension Educator Crystal Van Pelt.
“Claiming Your Bubble” will walk business people through the process of creating an online presence.
On Feb. 11, an introduction to social media platforms will focus on their value as marketing tools.
According to an August article by Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg, small businesses in Columbus, Ohio, involved in a Facebook Community Boost program said they believe social media is central to success. Nearly three in four said creating a social media presence for a company is important for growth.
In the Feb. 18 workshop, “Introduction to Email Marketing,” participants receive a crash course on email marketing for their business. From platforms to content to audience, the course covers a wide range of topics.
The series wraps up on Feb. 25 with basic website planning. Participants will learn the importance of having a website for their businesses and how to get started. Whether or not the business has a site already, participants can gain tools for improving a current site or starting from scratch, said Van Pelt.
For more information on the series, contact Van Pelt at 668-1000, ext. 1400 or cvanpelt@purdue.edu.
