Regional planning organization to offer web training to businesses in nine counties

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) — A new economic development initiative aims to help small businesses launch and/or improve their online presence with free in-person and virtual training.
Sponsoring the effort, titled “Win the Web: Website Training To Help You Grow Your Business,” are the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission, in collaboration with the Wisconsin Small Business Development Center at UW-La Crosse.
The training sessions will begin in July and continue through May.
Dave Bonifas, director of the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission, said it’s obvious that business owners are yearning to establish a better online presence.
“Yet, many small business owners and entrepreneurs don’t know where to start, or how to prioritize the efforts they put into their websites and online presence,” Bonifas said. “These educational sessions are meant to give them the tools and expert advice they need to help their businesses grow.”
In-person sessions will be available in the commission’s nine counties: Buffalo, Crawford, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Trempealeau and Vernon. The in-person sessions will include time for networking and one-on-one consulting with the presenter and marketing students from UW-La Crosse through the university’s SBDC.
Leading the sessions will be Sarah Arendt-Beyer, marketing director at DigiSage Inc., a La Crosse-based marketing agency who also is an instructor with the SBDC.
Interactive workshops also will help participants learn how to set up their own websites with either the Wix or SquareSpace platforms, or, if they have a WordPress website, to learn tips for managing it.
Sessions are free but advance registration is required. Additional details can be found at the Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission’s website.

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