Ecommerce has definitely taken the world by storm and it’s not expected to slow down.
Ecommerce has definitely taken the world by storm and it’s not expected to slow down. In 2019 alone, the reliance on online shopping generated almost $305 billion. There is no doubt that more people shopping online now than before. Throughout 2020, e-commerce sales have catapulted and this trend is expected to continue throughout 2021. That could be your business!
The Launch Online Grant is one of the programs that’s designed to provide funding to B.C-Based businesses that need to create online shops and/or to improve their general e-commerce experience. This is usually with an aim to conquer new markets and attract new customers locally.
The Launch Online Grant Program will pay up to 75% of the eligible expenses in addition to a maximum offering of$7,500 per business. So, if you are in this sector, why not try it because it could be you!
The B.C government is interested in promoting various businesses. So, it’s investing $12 million to help new businesses launch online stores and existing ones to upgrade their e-commerce reach. This in turn will lead to an increase in their revenue and help to create a competitive environment. It should be noted that up to 25% of the funds from this program will be exclusively reserved for indigenous and regional businesses.
However, the world has experienced unprecedented times and Canada is one of the countries where businesses have been hit quite hard. Some of the industries that have been significantly affected include restaurants, retail, and tourism sectors. With the availability of up to $7,500 in grants, these businesses stand a better chance to build, rebuild, and improve their online presence at the local, national, as well as international levels while promoting BuyBC.
There are three main steps involved in the grant approval process. But with Local Marketing Plus, all the guesswork has been eliminated in the whole application process. Understand that it’s important to be factual during the application process to eliminate the risk of missing out. This is because any misinformation or incorrect information will certainly make the entire application process inadmissible and void. Make sure that you comprehensively run the right checks and verify the information.
When applying, make sure that you give us a brief detail that describes your business. What type of products and services will you use this funding for? Understand that grant recipients can use the amount received for various online-related expenses. This includes creating an online inventory system, pictures, subscription costs, and advertising costs among other things. Some of the declarable expenses include:
With the use of Local Marketing Plus, you can develop the best proposal that effectively details how you will use the funds. Submitting incorrect or vague information means that your application will be rejected. When creating the proposal, make sure that it’s brief with a few words but with all the essential information.
There are a total of 33 questions in the whole application and if you have prepared in advance and have the right information, then you can fill up the questions within 20 minutes. The best thing about Local Marketing Plus is that it will effectively guide you through the whole application process using the pre-collected information. Using it will help you to determine the eligibility of your business and assist you to submit your proposal with the highest chance of winning.
There will be definitely many businesses that will apply for these grants and in different industries. So, once the application has been submitted, then it will be vetted in order to determine if it’s eligible for grant allocation.
The grand decision usually takes around three weeks and that’s when the grant committee will contact you to notify you about the grant application decision. While waiting for the application process, just don’t sit and wait but keep on working.
The Launch Online Grant Program is meant to help businesses thrive online locally, nationally, and internationally. While you wait for these grants, make it your goal to start or continue nurturing your business. It’s all you can do to ensure that you stay ahead of the competition.
So, what happens when your application is successful and you have received grants? Well, you need to get a team of experienced experts as soon as possible to help you draft a suitable plan regarding the development and growth of your business.
All projects are required to have a completion time-frame of 12 weeks. At the end of this 12 week period, Local Marketing Plus will ensure your project produces the following criteria for your new or enhanced online shop:
Click here to fill the form on the Govt Site
