Honolulu (May 27, 2014)- Eight hundred small business owners attended Facebook’s two recent Small Business Boost workshops, held on Oahu and Maui. Five hundred small business owners turned out for Facebook’s Oahu Small Business Boost this afternoon at the Hawaii Convention Center, held on the heels of another successful Small Business Boost event Sunday, featuring 300 small business owners, at Maui’s King Kamehameha Golf Club.
At both events, Facebook’s Small Business Team demonstrated to the crowd how to optimize their presence on the world’s largest social network. Senator Brian Schatz kicked off both Small Business Boost workshops and met with attendees.
The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii co-hosted the Oahu Small Business Boost while the Maui Small Business Boost was co-hosted by the Maui Economic Development Board.
“For decades, small businesses have relied on the recommendations of friends and family to acquire new customers and grow sales. Today, Facebook can take word-of-mouth marketing and makes it work at scale,” said Bess Yount of Facebook’s Small and Medium Business Team. “Our Hawaii Small Business Boosts are intended to help Aloha State small businesses leverage our platform to grow.”
In addition to learning about how small businesses can use Facebook to build their brands and engage with customers, attendees also heard from a panel of local small business owners who discussed the business benefits they credit to Facebook. On Maui, attendees heard from local favorites Maui’s Children Bookstore + Café, Koa’s Seaside Grill, and 808 Shells. On Oahu, attendees heard from the Pacific Aviation Museum, Hokulani Bake Shop, and marketing company Martin & MacArthur.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy,” said Senator Brian Schatz. “We had hundreds of small business owners come to our Facebook workshops on Maui and Oahu. More and more consumers are shopping online and through social networks, and this was a great opportunity for hardworking small business owners to learn how to reach new customers and grow their business on Facebook.”
“The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii is honored to co-host this first-of-its kind event in Honolulu,” said Chamber President and CEO Sherry-Menor McNamara. “Small businesses are integral to the fabric of Hawaii’s economy and with Facebook reaching more than 1.3 billion users and growing, it’s vital for small businesses to capitalize on this platform to flourish and reach new customers.”
“Facebook is a powerful tool for small businesses. But businesses need to learn how to use Facebook effectively, how to use it to connect to customers and deepen those relationships,” said Jeanne Unemori Skog, President and CEO of the Maui Economic Development Board. “Thanks to the richness of the Facebook session, 300 small business participants went away armed with strategies that they can apply immediately to their marketing plans.”
At each Small Business Boost event, three lucky winners brought home a $500 advertising credit to boost or launch an advertising campaign on Facebook. On Maui, the winners were the Maui Sunseeker Resort, Aloha Trunk and Green Realty Group. On Oahu, they were Improvhi, Hawaiian Humane Society and Roy’s Hawaii.
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Contact:
Andy Stone
(202) 251-6693