West Palm Beach brings back free Brand Lift Series workshops to help small businesses strengthen their online presence

West Palm, Florida – Small business owners in West Palm Beach will have another chance to sharpen their marketing skills this fall as the City brings back its free Brand Lift Series with two new workshops focused on websites, online visibility and business growth.

The City of West Palm Beach Office of Small Business Programs is partnering with Brittani Millington, founder of Studio 113, for the fall series. The program follows a successful spring session that introduced local entrepreneurs to artificial intelligence tools, Canva design and email marketing strategies.

This time, the workshops will turn attention toward an area that has become increasingly important for businesses of all sizes — their websites.

The sessions are designed to give business owners practical and affordable ways to improve their websites, become easier to find through search engines and present a stronger digital image to potential customers. Organizers say participants will not need technical experience to benefit from the information.

For many small businesses, an online presence is now one of the first places customers go when deciding where to shop, eat or hire a service. That is true whether a business operates downtown, in Northwood, the Northwest Neighborhood or another part of West Palm Beach.

The first workshop, Website Best Practices and SEO Basics for Small Businesses, will be held Wednesday, Sept. 2. Participants will learn simple strategies for improving their websites, increasing visibility in search results and reaching customers who are looking for the products or services they offer.

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The second workshop, How to Stand Out: Simple Ways to Get Noticed and Be Ready for Opportunity, is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 4. It will focus on several practical areas of running and promoting a small business, including organizing digital materials, maintaining a professional brand, marketing with a limited budget and creating useful business connections.

Both sessions will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Flagler Gallery inside City Hall, located at 401 Clematis Street in West Palm Beach.

The workshops are free, although registration is required and space is limited. Each session is expected to last about 90 minutes and will include time for participants to ask questions.

Attendees are encouraged to bring a laptop or tablet so they can follow along during the presentations. Complimentary Wi-Fi will be available at the location, and light refreshments will also be provided.

Parking will be available at the City Center Parking Garage at 199 N. Dixie Highway. The city said parking will be validated for people attending the workshops.

The Brand Lift Series also offers an additional opportunity for certified businesses. Eligible businesses can apply for a complimentary one-on-one brand and website audit, provided appointments remain available through Sept. 4.

Each audit includes a 60-minute virtual consultation, a customized written report, a recording of the session and a 30-minute follow-up meeting. Certified businesses can submit an application through the program’s online form.

Millington, who will lead the sessions, brings more than a decade of experience in branding and marketing strategy. As the founder of Studio 113, she has worked with organizations and businesses including Squarespace, the City of West Palm Beach, CultureCon and Banyan Dance Festival.

Her experience also comes from running a small business herself. That background gives the workshops a practical focus, with an emphasis on strategies that local business owners can realistically use rather than complicated marketing ideas that require large budgets or specialized staff.

The fall series is part of the city’s broader effort to support entrepreneurs and small businesses in West Palm Beach. Officials say the goal is to give local business owners useful tools, information and resources that can help them compete and prepare for future opportunities.

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For newer businesses, improving a website or organizing digital branding can seem like another task on an already long list. The workshops are intended to break those jobs into manageable steps and help owners understand where their efforts can make the biggest difference.

Registration for the Brand Lift Series is free, but attendance is limited. Business owners interested in participating are encouraged to register ahead of the September sessions.

Additional information is available from Sandra Hammerstein with the City’s Office of Small Business Programs at [email protected] or 561-822-1273.