HOULTON - Ask folks to name one thing that they love about Aroostook County and the answers can vary greatly, the people, different cultures, North Woods experience, snow, the fall foliage, sense of community and many, many others. That was the jumping off point for the latest business and tourism development workshop presented by Northern Maine Development Commission and Women, Work and Community.
Three sessions this week, one in Houlton, Caribou and Frenchville, focusing on "Know Your Place - Market it Better," were taught by Erica Quin-Easter of Woman, Work, and Community.
"Small businesses benefit from local distinctiveness at two levels: For front-line staff, knowledge of our region allows us to deliver great service, providing a unique, personal, and memorable experience for our customers," she said. "For managers and marketers, promoting a sense of place through consistent branding and collaboration boosts our regional brand and keeps people coming back to Aroostook over and over again."
The sessions, funded with a Maine Woods Tourism Training Initiative grant from the Maine Woods Consortium, helped nearly 30 small business owners, many with a direct connection to tourism, better target and market to potential customers.
Attendance at the sessions represented a good mix of businesses. In Houlton the agriculture sector, as well as tourism, custom food producers and entrepreneurs took part in the discussion. Quin-Easter said another outcome of the workshop is a chance to build network and develop partners, which can be essential for nascent businesses.
In addition to the business development information, attendees were also given an overview of Welcome ME. Welcome MEOnline Quality Service Training is a statewide certification program created to support Maine's Hospitality and Tourism Industry by creating superior visitor experiences. Welcome MEprovides statewide standardized training that explains the skills that together create quality service. It provides the tools along with access to resources for all of Maine's citizens, whether they work directly in tourism or interact with visitors in other ways.
More information about Welcome ME can be found at umaine.edu/centro/welcome-me-quality-service-training-home/.