News Release Distributed 07/03/14

BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter will host an e-commerce seminar in Mansura from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 24. The event, which is sponsored by the Connect My Louisiana initiative, will feature information on 3D printing, building online businesses and social media.

The Internet and social media have changed the way businesses interact with their customers. AgCenter social media and information technology training coordinator Tanya Ruffin said consumers expect businesses to communicate with them through social media – answering questions, solving problems and offering deals quickly.

Ruffin and Dave Woerner, assistant director of AgCenter information technology, will conduct the seminar.

“If you are not on the Internet now using a social media platform, you are essentially invisible,” Ruffin said. “The key is to find the right platform or platforms that will work best for your product or service, and use it.”

Seminar attendees will learn about 3D printing technology and ways it can be used in both business and hobbies. The seminar will include a printer demonstration.

Another session will focus on global online business trends and tools to establish successful online enterprises, such as mobile payment processing, online shopping carts and Web-hosting and design packages. Attendees will learn how to maximize profits by selecting the most appropriate tools for their markets and their needs as sellers.

From Facebook to Twitter to YouTube, social media has become an essential part of communicating with customers, promoting events and advertising products. The seminar will help participants understand social media as well as analytics tools that can help them tailor strategies to better serve their audiences.

Connect My Louisiana, a broadband Internet education and awareness initiative, is a four-year project that aims to educate people about the benefits of using broadband technology in various economic activities. Focused on 18 Louisiana parishes where broadband is underused, the initiative provides consumers, business owners, local governments and public and private organizations with resources that promote greater broadband Internet adoption.

The seminar will take place at the LSU AgCenter's Avoyelles Parish Office located at 8592 La. Highway 1 in Mansura. Participants may register online at http://connectmylaavoyelles.eventbrite.com.