Mike Blinder is a successful small business owner and one of his favorite things to do is share his experience and expertise.

Blinder will show local entrepreneurs how to easily grow their business at a free workshop Wednesday, March 4, from 8-9:30 a.m. at Effingham College and Career Academy, 2940 Highway 21 South in Rincon.  

His presentation will be about Google, social media networking and how best to utilize the Internet. The event is sponsored by the Effingham Herald. A light breakfast will be served.

“Mike has advised hundreds of small businesses successfully in the past,” said Karen Tanksley, publisher of the Effingham Herald. “Mike and his team will work hand-in-hand, using the knowledge we have of our communities and businesses combined with their proven expertise in marketing to put together the best plan for customers.”

Blinder is a radio and TV talent who moved from behind the mic to excel in a career in marketing and sales. He launched the Internet division of a large media group and now consults for some of the world's most prestigious media companies.

"Any small business owner who is looking to find new customers and wants to help themselves use the Internet better to grow their business should attend the seminar," said Blinder. "If you're not embracing a strong digital marketing strategy, odds are your competitor is and that's what I'm noticing in today's world. Those businesses who stick their head in the sand and ignore the digital world will lose to their competition who has grasped it."

Blinder will be talking a lot about Google and how it operates.

"I will also spend some time talking about what I call the mobile movement and how important it is to embrace a very mobile Internet today," said Blinder in a phone interview from his Florida home. "You have to embrace the fact that everyone is walking around using mobile devices. We're in a world where everyone is on the move, taking the internet from the beach to the bathroom and back and businesses have to realize that now."

According to Blinder, about 80 percent of small businesses don't have mobile-optimized web sites so their web sites don't look good on smartphones which impacts their business a great deal.

"It can affect their ability to gain customers," Blinder added.

The 90-minute seminar will also cover social media and more traditional media, including radio, television and print, as it pertains to local marketing.

"I will focus more on digital media and mobile and how important that is, as well," said Blinder.

Blinder says a major player online in the free world today is Facebook.

"People need to embrace social media," said Blinder. "Their customers are there and their competitors are there too. So they may really be hurting their business if they don't understand the dominance of where social media is today."

“The value of social media is in maintaining relationships,” he added.

“There is a definite lack of brand loyalty in today's world. Customers are fickle and change brands all the time,” Blinder said.

"Through social media you can maintain ongoing relationships with potential customers, which will keep them coming back," said Blinder. "It's a very cost effective way of maintaining relationships."

The seminar will not be filled with complicated geek speak. Blinder says he will make this a simple, comprehensive seminar to help grow your business.

“We think Mike can offer some very good advice to area businesses in better understanding the opportunities of digital marketing, and marketing in print, as well,” Tanksley said. “He certainly has helped us better understand it.”

"Anybody can grasp these concepts," Blinder said. "You don't have to understand how to program a web site in order to know how to market on the Internet. This will be something everyone can understand."

“This seminar is suitable for anyone interested, from beginners to experienced small business owners. It's going to be general enough to appeal to people who are technically savvy or someone who is e-mail challenged,” Blinder said.

Visit http://www.localmediaworkshops.com/ to register for the Rincon workshop. Anyone who needs help registering can call the Effingham Herald office directly at (912) 826-5012.