There is something so iconic about a small main street business. It reminds one of a simpler time. They fill us with a sense togetherness, and truly serve as the heart of any community. But just because these small businesses might have a yesteryear feel doesn’t mean that their digital footprint should be lacking.
In a fast-moving digital culture, businesses of this nature have felt the threat from new shopping behaviors and technology. The Digital Main Street initiative was developed to aide these businesses and help them compete.
Created by the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) with direct support from the City of Toronto, Digital Main Street (DMS) is a program and service that helps main street businesses achieve that digital transformation they need; through the adoption of digital tools and technology. The program element of DMS uses an online learning platform with structured training programs for business owners. While the Digital Service Squad, a team of highly trained recent graduates, helps main street businesses navigate the ins and outs of services like e-commerce platforms or social media posting.
Top Notch Support
Funded by the Ontario government and supported by a group of strategic corporate sponsors, including Google, MasterCard, Rogers, Microsoft and Shopify, DMS is a lifeline for businesses that would otherwise struggle to keep up with their online counterparts.
The onboarding process to join DMS is completely free and includes a digital assessment and recommended to-do list. This list identifies the technologies and tools that can help businesses meet their digital goals. Once the assessment is complete businesses can gain access to tools like email marketing, content development, e-commerce, search engine optimization, and much more.
And these businesses also qualify to receive exclusive discounts from the hundreds of digital vendors that belong to the DMS community.
The Digital Main Street $2500 Grant
One of the most appealing aspects of this program is the possibility of being awarded a $2500 grant. Qualifying businesses can prepare an official application and be reviewed by
DMS. If approved, the small business receives a $2500 grant to use towards their digital marketing efforts – no strings attached!
Rosewood: An Official Digital Main Street Vendor
DMS truly is a useful service for any small business looking to gain a stronger online presence and base for their customers, and Rosewood is pleased to announce that we have been one of DMS’s official vendors from the very inception of this concept.
If you are looking for more information on what Digital Main Street is; what it could do for your business; or if you could qualify for the free $2500 grant, please feel free to reach out to us. We’d love to sit down with you and give you some more comprehensive information.
Here’s to your success,
Until Next Time,
Deanna
