New Stokes County Web Development Program

It has taken several months and a lot of grunt work by my faithful work group but we are finally ready to role out our web site development program. This is a wonderful chance for any small business that wants to take part to have a web site of their own. There is no reason for anyone, large or small to be left out. Look at the press release and the story in the Winston Salem Journal for detail. Let me know if you have any questions.
STOKES COUNTY
Economic Development Commission



MEDIA RELEASE: STOKES COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION

FOR RELEASE: OCTOBER 1, 2009

Contact: Alan Wood – STOKES COUNTY (336) 593 - 2496
WEB SITE DEVELOPMENT FOR STOKES COUNTY BUSINESSES IS UNDERWAY
The Stokes County Economic Development Commission (EDC) is ready to “kick off” a program to build web sites for local businesses that are not currently active on the internet. The EDC applied for and received an Incumbent Workers Grant from NW Piedmont Council of Governments' Workforce Development Board to make this program possible. The grant will pay for development of templates on which the sites can be built, training of the interns that will build the sites and their travel to the company’s place of business. The web sites will be built free of charge by interns from the local community. The only cost to the company will be acquiring their domain name and a monthly hosting fee (approximately $25 for the domain name and $6.00/month for hosting.)
The idea for the program was developed during strategic priority sessions held by the EDC earlier this year. These sessions established short and long term goals and objectives for the EDC. It was readily apparent that while there were many challenges ahead, there were also opportunities that were being overlooked. Many of these involved the active use of the internet to market the county and the businesses in the county.
Several strategies evolved from these sessions. The development of new web sites to allow the EDC to better promote itself on the world stage was determined to be very important but we needed to do something to help local businesses as well. A working group was established and over the course of five months a plan developed. Build web sites for local businesses! Go to their place of business, at their convenience, gather the information needed, explain the process, build the sites, teach them how to maintain and update their sites and charge them $0. In addition, our clients, local Stokes County businesses will be introduced to such things as web based marketing, web site analytics, keyword analysis and advised on strategies for developing a cost effective internet marketing campaign. The interns will work with the businesses for up to six months to insure that there is a comfort level with the site and that they understand the need to keep information updated and how to update it in a timely manner.
Nvizion, a local company located in King was hired to build the templates for the sites and will provide training to the interns. The interns will be provided with assistance from the Northwest Piedmont Council of Governments Workforce Development and will be students from our technical schools and area high schools. Using local students allows the EDC to tap into a large pool of talent and at the same time provide these students with an important opportunity to develop skills and learn to interact with local business leaders.
The first sites will be built for six or seven local companies that have agreed to participate in a “Pilot Program”, with the understanding that this is a new process and there will be details to be worked out. After the successful completion of the “Pilot” sites, the program will be available to all Stokes County businesses that do not currently have active web sites. The EDC will continue to build web sites for companies as long as the money last or until everyone that wants or needs a site has one.
Local leaders were intrigued by the program. Leon Inman, chairman of the Stokes County Board of Commissioners was quoted saying “there is huge growth potential for businesses in Stokes County. If you want to participate in a global economy, you must be searchable on the internet. This program allows you that opportunity.”
EDC Board Chair Worth Hampton echoed those thoughts, “I am a small business man and I believe the economy of the future will take on even more of a global feel. Your customers might come from anywhere and if you are not a participant in the web network, you will be leaving potential business on the table.”
Althea Hairston, Director of the NW Piedmont Workforce Development Board embraces the concept, saying “The Northwest Piedmont Workforce Development Board recently awarded Stokes County Economic Development a grant that will provide training to over 500 small businesses in their use of technology to increase public awareness which will result in increased revenue and business expansion. This is a great example of maximizing available resources to grow businesses in Stokes County.”
The first sites should be underway in late-October and the project should be running at full speed later this year. It is hoped that the second group of sites can be started before year-end. Anyone interested in having a web site build should contact Alan Wood, Stokes County Economic Development Director at 336-593-2496 or email him at adwood@co.stokes.nc.us.
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JOURNAL STAFF AND WIRE REPORT
Published: October 2, 2009
The Stokes County Economic Development Commission has received a $15,000 grant to assist in building Web sites for local businesses that are not on the Internet.
The grant, which was awarded by the Northwest Piedmont Council of Government's Workforce Development Board, will pay for developing templates and training local interns to build the sites. Nvizion, a company in King, will provide the training, according to a release by the commission.
Interns will come from local technical and high schools. The sites will be built for free, but local businesses will have to pay for the domain name and a monthly hosting fee.
A small number of businesses are participating in a pilot program, which will be open to all Stokes County businesses, most likely by the end of the year.
For more information, contact Alan Wood, the director of the commission, at 593-2496 or e-mail adwood@co.stokes.nc.us.