Fallsnewspress.com - RPC sponsors free seminars on new business database

Record Publishing Co. is sponsoring five free seminars March 18 and 19 for area business representatives to learn how they can promote their business through a new local database, MarketplaceOhio.com.

"It's pretty much the Yellow Pages on steroids," said Ron Waite, RPC corporate director of sales and marketing, of the database he helped create.

The searchable site allows local businesses to update their profile 24/7 with a biography, address, Web site link, photos, events and videos. Any advertisements printed in Record Publishing Co.'s newspapers will automatically be posted to the business' Marketplace profile.

"This is a mini-Web site for a lot of our smaller local businesses [and is] very affordable," Waite said.

Waite has trained the sales staff at Record Publishing Co. regarding the MarketplaceOhio.Com Web site, which is available to any of the 42,000-plus businesses in an area that includes Portage county and portions of Summit County.

The MarketplaceOhio.com Web site will be available to the public April 1.

MarketplaceOhio.com seminars will be presented in three sessions on March 18. Two sessions will be a Bellacino's Pizza & Grinders, 3657 Fishcreek Road in Stow at 7 a.m. and at 11:30 a.m. The other will be at 4:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Express, 9459 Route 14 in Streetsboro.

Two meetings will be March 19. One will be at the Clarion Inn, 240 E. Hines Hill Road, Hudson at 7 a.m. The other will be at the Comfort Inn in Brimfield, 4423 Route 43 in Kent at 11:30 a.m.

Debbie Holzkamp, a strategic marketing planner, will explain to attendees the many benefits of MarketplaceOhio.com and the cost and the effect it can have on a business.

"MarketplaceOhio.com gives local advertisers several advantages," Holzkamp said. "It allows advertisers to connect with consumers who are searching online for their types of products and services. Every advertiser will receive an individual Web page serving as a mini Web site. MarketplaceOhio.com is very easy for the advertiser to use and update, and its advertising programs are very economical for the value provided."

Each business attending will receive a free 4-inch advertisement to run in the paper of their choice.

Make reservations for the free MarketplaceOhio.com seminar by calling Record Publishing Co.'s advertising department at 330-296-9657, ext. 1334 or ext. 1236.