“It’s a really exciting opportunity,” says the BBIA’s Executive Officer Jody Didier.
The BBIA received a grant from the provincial government to fund a digital service squad to help small, local businesses improve their presence on social media like Facebook.
The appropriately named Kurtis Grant has been brought in by the BBIA to handle the work. “(He’s) going to give training on what technologies what (businesses) might want to use,” Didier says. This will include bringing a 360-degree camera the BBIA purchased to the businesses to take pictures to help boost their online presence.
The $10,000 grant will allow the BBIA to “help small businesses in the downtown area to enhance their use of digital tools and techniques to better promote and sell online.” Grant will be visiting businesses downtown to help them set-up the program Google Business, conduct a digital-readiness assessment and apply for a $2,500 digital transformation grant.
“It’s so crucial that businesses have an online presence and make the best use of online tools,” Didier explains. She adds that for many business owners technology can be confusing, so having someone to help them figure it out is sometimes needed.
The program will be rolled out over the coming weeks. Grant is available for more information by email at [email protected].