The BYU-Hawaii Center for Instructional Technology and Outreach (CITO) is hosting an eBusiness conference to provide real-world "ability" training to students and community members alike. The conference will teach participants pragmatic skills, such as Web site creation, on-line market research, converting traffic into buyers, and more.
“The conference aims to offer a unique platform for participants,” said Richie Norton, business development consultant and organizer of the e-Business conference. “It will enable them to make significant contributions in the workplace and launch themselves into successful, innovative careers.”
Companies in today’s global marketplace have recognized the difficulty in competing without a website and effective eMarketing, noting that today’s world is bombarded with so much mass media that people have become numb to traditional advertising.
Today’s trend, however, involves advertising on the Internet using search engines like Google‘ and Yahoo‘ to find information. Students that understand this fact and know how to use the Internet to their professional and academic advantage will be more effective and efficient in achieving their objectives.
Chris Wilson, a BYU-Hawaii alum who runs his own eBusiness, commented on how crucial a website is today.
“It is too hard to thumb through the Yellow Pages™,” said Wilson, who is planning to attend the conference. “Online you can type in specific words and find the exact product or service you need, anywhere in the world,in a matter of seconds. I’ve been able to work from home because of my eBusiness knowledge and ability to manage my own online campaign.”
BYU-Hawaii’s reputation in offering these types of seminars has proved effective to former students. Sam Dauphinee, a senior from California, majoring in international business management, raved about his experience. Before the conference, Dauphinee was just learning about the benefits of theInternet. Once the conference ended, he was at another level of understanding, particularly after attending an eBusiness panel with Chris Bennett who has been involved in search engine marketing and eCommerce for more than four years.
“It was like a whole new world opened up,” said Dauphinee. “I didn’t really know how search engines worked. I didn’t grasp how understanding the Internet and how search engines functioned could actually help me market myself to future employers. Since last year’s eBusiness panel I communicate better to employers about eBusiness opportunities and this gets them excited about their business. In turn, the employer gets excited about me.”
Clayton Hubner, a professor in the business school who recently returned to academe after a number of years in the technology sector, has seen business effectiveness firsthand. He shared some insight as to the benefit students receive from these types of conferences.
"I was really floored by the comprehensiveness reflected in these presentations,” hesaid. “Corporations would eagerly pay $3,000-5,000 a head to teach their employees how to implement these eMarketing strategies. If students learn now how they can leverage the Internet to benefit themselves or their future employers, they'll be positioning themselves to make significant contributions when they leave this school."
Hubner continued, "Internet skills are 100% essential for students to understand and utilize. International business today is all about the speed and flexibility, both of which are embodied in the Internet."
The conference is open to everyone, not just business students. Itis sponsored by the BYU-Hawaii School of Computing, SIFE, and theBYUHSA/Student AlumniAssociation. It will be held on campus February 7-8 in the McKayAuditorium (7th) and the aloha Center Ballroom (8th). Tickets can be purchased at the AlohaCenterfront desk.
For more information about the conference, click here: www.cito.byuh.edu/eBusiness,or contact CITO at (808) 293-3780.