REAP Sends Businesses to GROW for Online Marketing Training

GROW Nebraska’s expertise in helping businesses establish on online presence is key to an ongoing partnership with the Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP).

Kim Preston, Women’s Business Center Director at REAP, said her organization partners with experts across the state to help rural entrepreneurs. GROW Nebraska has been a leading partner in central Nebraska for at least a decade.

REAP’s mission is to strengthen rural communities through assisting small, self-employed business development. The organization offers financing (micro loans), business training, technical assistance and networking.

 “What we do for technical assistance usually revolves around loans and capital and financing for the business,” Kim said. “GROW Nebraska provides a unique set of skills that I don’t have on staff.”

GROW staff provide one-on-one training to REAP clients in the areas of e-commerce and starting on online presence, search engine optimization (SEO), social media training and establishing accurate Google and Google maps business listings.

Even large business, such as Dorothy Lynch, call on GROW Nebraska to help establish online sales. 

REAP encourages face-to-face individual training. GROW Nebraska’s central location in the state makes it a great source so that business owners don’t have to travel too far to learn.

“The one-on-one training gives them a more personal touch, and it teaches them how to do these activities on their own so they can grow,” Kim said. “We are teaching them how to fish so they can fish on their own.”

For more information:

REAP’s small business services: https://members.grownebraska.org/list/member/rural-enterprise-assistance-project-reap-administrative-offices-lyons-545

GROW Nebraska’ technical assistance/training: https://grownebraska.org/join/ and https://grownebraska.org/upcoming-trainings/