'Internet Business Day II' Designed to Boost e-Commerce Efforts

A staggering $1.44 trillion worth of business and consumer purchases will be made over the Internet by 2003, according to projections by "eMarketer," a leading provider of Internet statistics, and companies that aren't e-savvy may soon be left behind.

Area businesses looking for ways to cope with the changes can learn more about the technology of electronic commerce during "Internet Business Day II," a program coordinated by the Williamsport-Lycoming Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Pennsylvania College of Technology and other area businesses and organizations. The program will be held Tuesday, Oct. 24, at the Community Theatre in the Trade & Transit Centre in downtown Williamsport.

"Internet Business Day" will feature two sessions: "Succeeding in the E-conomy" (9 a.m. to noon) and "Global Internet Marketing" (1 to 2:30 p.m.).

"Succeeding in the E-conomy," presented by Kathy Kolb of Kolb Net Works, includes aspects of planning and developing a successful e-business. Area business owners who already have established an Internet presence and/or an e-marketing plan will be available to discuss their experiences.

Prepaid cost for the session is $20 for Chamber members and $25 for nonmembers. Invoice cost is $22 for members and $27.50 for nonmembers. The price includes lunch and coffee. The morning session will be followed by a mixer from 11:30 a.m. to noon and lunch from noon to 1 p.m.

The afternoon session, "Global Internet Marketing," to be presented by Bernie Katz of BK Puff & Stuff, is free, courtesy of a grant obtained through the Industrial Modernization Center. Katz will explain how companies can draw traffic to their Web sites. Topics include marketing locally and to the world, handling customers, and pitfalls and shortcomings of doing business outside the continental United States.

"Internet Business Day will provide business leaders with the opportunity to develop strategies needed to successfully extend brick-and-mortar business into brick-and-click opportunity," said Dan Rockwell, project coordinator for Penn College's Technology Transfer Center and chairman of "Internet Business Day."

Other sponsors for "Internet Business Day" include the IMC, Lycoming County Government, Susquehanna Health System and Kolb Net Works.

For more information, call the TTC at Penn College at (570) 327-4775.