Vermont, Get Your Business Online – Intuit and Google Together Again
Vermont is already known for Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and maple syrup, and it’s about to become known for one more thing: getting thousands of small businesses online for free.
Over the past few days, hundreds of small businesses have joined Google as the company launched Vermont Get Your Business Online, offering a free website and personalized domain for one year to any Vermont small business looking to create a web presence. Intuit is the sole provider of these small business sites, providing website design, website hosting, and website design services.
The event consisted of three workshops run by Google and Intuit employees, all focused on getting small businesses online. During the “Get a Free Website” session, small businesses walked in offline and walked out online, building and publishing their free website in under an hour.
Local event partners, including the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce, Vermont Small Business Development Center, Vermont Center for Emerging Technologies, and the Vermont Fresh Network, came out to support and provide guidance to local Vermont businesses.
The day wouldn’t have been complete without taking in a breathtaking view of Lake Champlain from Main Street Landing and indulging in some favorite local flavors, including delectables from Skinny Pancakes, Mad Munchies, A to Z Cakes, Rhino, Speeder and Earles, and Sugar Snap.
Vermont was the second state that Google has brought this campaign to, hosting events in both Burlington and Rutland, and the small but mighty state is looking forward to the opportunities this campaign will bring. “They’re in danger of being left behind in a really competitive marketplace and uncertain economic times,” warned Bill Maris, managing partner of Google Ventures and Vermont native. “It’s really important and can give Vermont businesses a leg up in competing in a global economy.”
“Vermont is already known for Ben and Jerry’s ice cream and maple syrup, and it’s about to become known for one more thing: getting thousands of small businesses online for free.”
Being from the area, don’t forget about what they are also known for… cows and great skiing in Stowe! There are a ton of small mom and pop businesses in Vermont – hope that they all get online to sell their goods. Nothing like a good ole bottle of Vermont Maple Syrup! Mmmm!
It seems like a real catch 22 – Small and Midsize Businesses could greatly increase their revenues and realize intelligent growth if they could develop an online presence combined with internet marketing; yet, many SMB owners are the DIY type, and they have neither the time nor the expertise to take advantage of the power of the web.
That’s where Google and Intuit come in!
I was fortunate enough to attent one of the two days of Google’s Get Your Business Online workshops in Burlington, and I found the classes to be well attended, well run, informative, and active. Tons of questions flowed from the audience to the speaker. I felt like you got a taste of where business owners’ heads are, what they are thinking, how hard they’re trying to make the jump, and how they’re chomping at the bit to do so. It seems like this is a real recipe for success.
I’m about to launch a small internet marketing consulting business (IM Vermont) specialized in managing Google AdWords accounts for local Vermont business, so I was thrilled when Google launched this program. Vermont is an amazing place, and I think businesses operating in the state are at the cusp of an interesting future. What’s really exciting is for VT to be an early player in what must eventually become a nation-wide roll-out of the Get Your Business Online program…
“Over the past few days, hundreds of small businesses have joined Google as the company launched Vermont Get Your Business Online, offering a free website and personalized domain for one year to any Vermont small business looking to create a web presence.”
What a great idea! More states should offer a program like this to support small businesses. They are how we are going to get the economy going strong again.