Also offers chance for premium ad space at sporting venues.
Telstra has announced it will offer small businesses across Australia with free digital consulting services throughout 2021 to assist their move online.
The telco will also offer the SMBs a chance to gain access to Telstra’s advertising spots with the AFL and NRL in May this month as part of the telco’s small business week.
The service, called Telstra Business Go Digital Consults, involves consultations on a small business’ digital touchpoints like online marketing, cyber security, e-commerce, employee engagement and more, to identify gaps, vulnerabilities and opportunities.
The service is supported by Small Business Australia and vendor partners like Samsung, Cisco, Spotzer, Facebook and Microsoft.
Telstra said the initiative will cost a total of $8.5 million, including $7.5 million for the free consulting services and the rest for advertising costs.
Telstra consumer and small business group executive Michael Ackland said the initiative comes after a year that saw more customers than ever seek to interact with businesses online.
“Australia’s small to medium businesses deserve both a Dally M and a Brownlow medal for how they have kept themselves and our economy running during an incredibly challenging period. They’ve earned an opportunity to have their name up in lights,” Ackland said.
“We’ve seen a massive acceleration in the number of customers shopping online over the past year. To harness this opportunity, now is the time for more small businesses to go online and interact with customers in new, digital ways, as well as embrace more efficient ways of selling, marketing and invoicing.
“More businesses going digital could help grow Australia’s economy by $90 billion and create up to 250,000 jobs in the next five years. We know this is a big change for many small businesses, so we are offering free Telstra Business Go Digital Consults to help businesses embrace the digital economy.”
Eligible small businesses that register for the free consult before March 23 will have the chance to get access to Telstra’s premium AFL and NRL sponsorship at each stadium hosting games during Telstra Small Business Week on May 3 to 6, 2021.
Other businesses will also get ads placed in Telstra’s other digital assets, including in
retail stores, the My Telstra app and on Telstra.com.
