Boosting Rural Businesses through Digital Commerce

On 25 March, the event “The Boost Your Online Sales – Sell Online” brought together nearly 70 entrepreneurs and business supporters interested in improving their e-commerce operations to Seinäjoki. The eRural Resilience project was one of the event organizers, with digital commerce expert Leevi Parsama as the keynote speaker.

The goal of the eRural Resilience project is to enhance the opportunities for rural bio-businesses to expand their markets from local to national and international levels. Utilizing digital commerce and marketing is one of the best ways to achieve this. Therefore, the aim was to provide both entrepreneurs and business developers with the opportunity to learn about the latest advancements in e-commerce and future trends.

Digital Commerce Training for Entrepreneurs and Business Developers

The Boost Your Online Sales – Sell Online event participants gathered to learn more about the key success factors of online stores and the best market practices. 

It is truly astonishing what we can manage with a smartphone today. Never before have small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) had such an opportunity: to sell anything to anyone, anywhere. Nowadays, almost every purchase journey begins online – consumers explore options, research retailers, compare alternatives with colleagues or spouses, read user manuals, and book appointments. The final purchase may then take place in an online store, a physical brick-and-mortar shop, or even via WhatsApp. Therefore, it is crucial for online retailers to understand how their products or services are purchased, as well as the barriers and challenges typically encountered along the customer journey. Addressing these issues proactively is key to success.

Topics Covered During the Event

• Strategy
• Competitive Advantages and Customer Promise
• Customer Insights
• Marketing
• Customer Journey
• Products and Content
• Sales
• Customer Experience
• Technology & AI
• Data-Driven Decision Making

Peer Support and Learning from Colleagues

More than 30 e-commerce clubs operate in Finland, providing peer-learning and support communities for businesses engaged in online commerce. Any e-commerce company, regardless of its industry, can apply to join a club, as long as it is willing to commit to both sharing knowledge and learning from others. The clubs meet every 4–6 weeks to discuss selected themes, and communication remains active even between meetings.

“Peer activities can sometimes feel like therapy,” noted Jusa Kaivo-Oja from Seinäjoki-based G-Moodi, who leads one of the e-commerce clubs.

More information: 

Hanna Holtinkoski, Project Manager

Into Seinäjoki Ltd

Programme Manual Online

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