Dexter Chamber of Commerce Partners with Michigan Small Business Consultants for Social Media Series

Small businesses struggling to capture today's technology'savvy customers have a new ally.

The and the Michigan Small Business and Technology Development Center (MI-SBTDC) in Ypsilanti are partnering to offer a biweekly workshop series focused entirely on social media.

The series, which began Sept. 27, takes place from 4:30-6:30 p.m. every other Tuesday at the Quarter Bistro in Ann Arbor through Nov. 8, with the next session taking place today.

“Though the series has already started, people can still sign up for the other sessions,” said Abby Erickson, executive director of the DACC. "There is a wealth of information, and we hope that people join us. Even if they take away one idea that could help their business, it is worth it.”

This week's workshop, “Marketing Malpractice — Avoid Costly Web Marketing Mistakes,” will feature a panel of local experts moderated by Shannon Beeman, a certified business consultant. Beeman, along with Web developers and graphic designers, will discuss website design and e-marketing tactics.

On Oct. 25, business consultant Ron Stevens will discuss how to increase the return on customer service dollars while making customers feel important and appreciated.

Each session costs $50 and includes appetizers and beverages.

"Several chambers of commerce decided to pull this series together because there were a lot of smaller communities that needed information on how to start their own social media campaign," Erickson said. "If these smaller chambers needed the help, then it was most likely other small businesses did, too."

Erickson said the series has been well-received by business owners, and future series are in the works.

"The most beneficial aspect of this program is that it is teaching us things that we may not ever think of," she said. "The MI-SBTDC is so well-versed in social media and has information that isn’t just out there for the general public. There were so many things that I learned and was surprised by, which tells me that this kind of training is for everyone, even the people that do social media on a regular basis. This would be a great way to keep ahead of the game."

To sign up for upcoming sessions, call 734-426-0887 or email info@dexterchamber.org.