BROADBAND STUDY PROVIDES BASIS FOR VALUABLE BUSINESS TRAINING

BEMIDJI, MN – March 3, 2014--The IMPACT 20/20 Taskforce for Broadband and the Northwest Minnesota Foundation recently released a study on business broadband use within Minnesota’s Northwest region. Study findings clearly indicate that businesses using broadband tools are adding new customers, increasing the scope of their market, improving their efficiency, and realizing more profit.

In an effort to serve the needs of the business community, several broadband training opportunities are planned for 2014, based on what has been learned through the study. The next workshop, Mission Possible: No Customer Left Behind will be held on March 12 in two locations – in Crookston, from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m., and in Bemidji, from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. The free sessions will focus on the basics of getting online, being found online, and understanding social media.

More information on the training, a downloadable copy of the study, and a series of YouTube videos featuring three of the business study participants are available on the IMPACT 20/20 website: http://www.impact2020.org.

By providing the trainings and sharing the results of the study, the goal of the IMPACT 20/20 Taskforce for Broadband is to inspire individual businesses to try new methods that others have found to be effective and to remind policy makers of the important role broadband plays in Northwest Minnesota’s rural economy.

IMPACT 20/20 is an influential group of Northwest Minnesota leaders representing diverse interests and working together for the region’s success.