Making the Most of Your Digital Storefront Grant
It’s not just about a new website.
Congratulations on being awarded the Digital Storefront Grant! This opportunity is more than just a chance to upgrade your business’s online presence; it’s a springboard to propel your company’s growth.
Out of a pool of impressive businesses, yours stood out, and we’re excited to be your technology partner.
The Grant’s Worth and Looking Ahead
The Digital Storefront Grant represents a significant investment in your business, valued at up to $10,000. It covers technology-related expenses, development, and six months of maintenance.
We created this program to help businesses transform their digital presence and drive growth. With that in mind, we wanted to provide some insight into things we’ve seen work well for businesses that have made the most of their Digital Storefront experience.
Prioritizing Immediate Impact
Many businesses have some low-hanging (and quite valuable) fruit that technology limitations are preventing them from reaching. It can be anything from a professional-looking website to the ability to sell products online. Or maybe it’s a back office need that is preventing you, the business owner, from focusing on gaining new customers or retaining current customers. Using the Digital Storefront grant to help you reach known, achievable goals can be very effective.
It can be easy to look at receiving this grant as an opportunity to explore wild ideas and inverted business possibilities, but those aren’t always a sure bet and usually include additional time and effort from an entrepreneur who is already stretched pretty thin. Successful applicants have used the Digital Storefront Grant as a point of leverage into known opportunities rather than a jump into the unknown.
Active Participation in a Collaborative Process
We view our role as being a technology partner. We work with a variety of businesses of all different shapes and sizes across a plethora of fields. It’s impossible for us to specialize in every field, and that isn’t our goal. Our goal is to work with highly specialized business owners and bring our own set of skills with technology to their world.
Because we can’t be experts in every kind of business, it is essential for business owners to actively participate in our process. Our process is iterative and requires communication and feedback while we build. While we’ll always provide professional guidance on what we believe is best, we have to work closely with business owners to develop a clear understanding of the requirements that make a project successful.
Marketing Your Digital Transformation
But building a new website is only part of the equation. We urge you to shift your focus towards digital marketing. Build and grow your mailing list if you don’t already have one and maintain an active social media presence during the tech build. This pre-website preparation ensures that when your new site is ready, you’ll already have an audience eager to engage.
Using the Maintenance Period Wisely
As mentioned previously, the maintenance period offers valuable support. While we can’t develop new features during this phase, we’re here to address any technical questions you might have related to your business. If you encounter a bug or issue with something we’ve developed, rest assured, we’re available to assist you at no additional cost. If you have questions about harnessing technology to grow your business, we’re here to provide answers.
It’s essential to take the time to familiarize yourself with managing your new website during the maintenance period. The grant includes tutorial videos that explain site maintenance. We encourage you to start using your new tools promptly and feel free to reach out with any questions you may have.
Constant Growth and Innovation
Beyond the maintenance period, we encourage you to continually explore how technology can further benefit your business. Don’t hesitate to ask questions about how tech can drive growth and efficiency in your organization.
Your Digital Storefront Grant is not just about a new website; it’s about a transformative journey. Focus on what will make an immediate, positive impact, stay engaged throughout the process, and keep exploring how technology can help your business grow. This grant is your ticket to a brighter, tech-efficient future for your business! 🚀💼
Code Works is a digital product studio. We love partnering with businesses to develop impactful technology solutions. We take a holistic approach to technology that takes end-users, business processes, and financial impact into consideration. As a technology partner, we will help you make decisions as a domain expert and new digital product owner that lead to the development of an exciting solution with a real impact on your users and your business. Drop us a line at info@sbcodeworks.com.
