A free seminar on using online tools for marketing is being offered to Mississauga small business owners.
Bizlaunch Media Inc. is hosting the session at Staples on Mavis and Britannia Rds. tomorrow (Nov. 18) from 6:30-8 p.m.
The small business training company notes a recent national survey indicates more than 56 per cent of Canadians use social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Meanwhile, only 49 per cent of small businesses are investing in social media promotions and of that group only 28 per cent say their investments are yielding returns.
“Building business through social media is not something most small businesses are doing very well right now,” said Andrew Patricio, co-founder of BizLaunch. “Like a lot of new inventions, social media holds plenty of promise yet it is failing to deliver sales for small business owners.”
Patricio says business owners don’t really understand how to use social media properly.
“Entrepreneurs may understand traditional forms of marketing such as television or newspaper ads, but social media requires a different approach that is an entirely new skill for them.
“Pushy sales messages will turn off anyone who has joined your online group. Social media is more about building a community of people with common interests, then tying it to what your business does.”
For the past few months, business owner Ricky Pacheco has been attending seminars offered by BizLaunch.
He runs Medalion Enterprises, a design and display manufacturing business in Malton, and has been looking to market his company better online.
“The content is pretty good,” said the Meadowvale resident of five years about the sessions. “It’s practical stuff, relevant to me and my business. I often tell people to go to these seminars because I find them brilliant.”
With knowledge gleaned from the seminars, Pacheco is working on setting up a new blog to update clients on his company’s projects.
“We’re trying to build a community of interested people – industry professionals – and keep them coming back to our site,” he said.
To register for the seminar, visit www.bizlaunch.ca.
jle@mississauga.net
