2021 BC Economic Development Award Winner
COVID-19 has been a challenge for many businesses, corporations, organizations, and families. The Village of Burns Lake developed a new project called the Burns Lake Business Accelerator program to support local businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic. After talking to local business owners we heard were being greatly impacted by online shopping. Many business owners were not online and did not have the knowledge or know how to adapt to the changes in the marketplace. The Village in response wanted to help and created a new program that assisted local business owners get their businesses online. We developed a program where an website designer/instructor assisted individual businesses transition their business online and taught them how to grow their business in the new digital marketplace. Over the 15-week program business owners joined weekly to learn about topics such as branding, SEO (search engine optimization), social media platforms and paid online advertising. Businesses also created a new website where they had the options to setup an online store that made it easier for residents to support local businesses.
The goal of this project was to give business owners the knowledge and ability to adapt to the new digital market place. At the end of the program business owners had a new or updated website, online store and social media platform. As well, as new knowledge and tools about how they can grow their businesses online using digital marketing tools and techniques.