Nine out of ten Americans own a mobile phone. Consumers use multiple devices from mobile phone, PC, to tablet to make buying decisions and manage their daily lives. Successful businesses and organizations are connecting with customers wherever they are – at work, home, or on the go. Businesses must have a digital presence in their marketing strategy today. The challenge is determining the best strategies and tactics to use as technology constantly changes, and consumers change their buying habits and lifestyles.

The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Valdosta State University is helping businesses across the state learn the latest in Digital Marketing and will hold their state wide program, Digital Marketing Boot Camp, in Valdosta on Feb. 3, followed by more Digital Boot Camps scheduled throughout the state, providing the latest marketing strategies for business. Digital Marketing Boot Camp is designed specifically for business owners and organizations who want to strategically develop marketing technologies to build loyal customers and increase profits.

Since UGA SBDC launched this Boot Camp for business a year ago, the program has been presented across the state reaching over 1200 business owners and managers. The Digital Boot Camp team has also travelled to in Austin, Texas and San Antonio to hold these Boot Camps with plan to deliver more programs in Texas in 2016.

This is a Boot Camp – not a seminar, meaning a full day packed with interactive sessions taught by Georgia SBDC digital marketing experts from across the state. Participants will learn how to integrate technology and marketing into their existing marketing strategy. The program includes a combination of general sessions and concurrent break-out sessions. Break-out sessions include:

• ABC’s of SEO

• Connecting With Customers in a Mobile World

• Making Facebook Strategic

• Using Google Tools for Growth

• The Visual Revolution: Pinterest, Instagram & Video

• How Great Companies Make Digital Marketing Work (Strategy) 

Whether a business is interested in the technical or marketing aspects of the digital business environment, there are break-out sessions to meet those needs.  

Implementing and managing a digital marketing plan does not just happen. Often implementation fails when marketing efforts are launched short term with no direction or marketing plan for long term goals and results. Digital Boot Camp concludes with a paneled question and answer session to ensure participants have the tools to implement a successful digital marketing strategy. The goal at Digital Boot Camp is for businesses to not only learn new trends and tactics, but to have a marketing strategy they can use. 

UGA SBDC Digital Boot Camp in Valdosta is February 3, at the Valdosta State University –University Center, 1205 N. Patterson Street, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Registration is $49 and includes materials and lunch.  Register online at www.georgiasbdc.org/digital or call the UGA SBDC at Valdosta State University at 229-245-3738.