PCDC Offers Digital Marketing Grants

PCDC wants to help local business owners enhance their education and online sales opportunities with its Digital Marketing Support Program.

Education, building and upgrading websites and launching e-commerce can be expensive. PCDC wants to remove financial barriers to help local businesses grow and thrive in an increasingly digital world.

“We launched this program to help business owners last spring during the pandemic,” PCDC Executive Director Ron Tillery said. “We have seen how this extra money can help businesses grow, and so we want to continue this opportunity in 2021.”

Online Sales Growing

According to Digital Commerce 360, online retail sales rose to 21.3 percent of total sales in 2020. That was up from 15.8 percent the previous year.

“It’s important for local business owners to realize the potential to expand their market with online sales,” Tillery said. “The online trend will continue to grow so our merchants need to be prepared.”

During the pandemic, more than a dozen local businesses received PCDC grants to launch websites or online sales, join the Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce for better business exposure or to boost their digital advertising as more shoppers purchased goods online.

Grant Details

The program provides up to $1,000 grants to businesses operating from a storefront or fixed location in Phelps County to help with the following:

• Creating a website,
• Upgrading or enhancing an existing website,
• Purchasing ecommerce software or subscriptions,
• POS software,
• Advertising/Marketing (social media, radio, newspaper, tv, etc.)
• Business education and support programs including membership in GROW Nebraska or the Holdrege Area Chamber of Commerce or to attend workshops or webinars.

Grants may be in the form of a reimbursement to the business or may be paid directly to the service provider at PCDC’s discretion.

To apply, complete a two-page application that can be downloaded from the PCDC website at phelpscountyne.org/business-services/financial-assistance