City offers assistance for website development

Help is on the way for local businesses seeking to improve their online presence.
At Monday’s meeting of the Luverne Economic Development Authority, director Holly Sammons proposed a new program to help businesses develop or improve their websites.
She told the LEDA board that a business’s online presence is as important as its “brick and mortar” presence, but many small operators struggle with website development.
“It can be overwhelming, time-consuming and intimidating,” Sammons said. “In the ever-evolving world of technology, businesses need an online presence to remain relevant and visible to their customers.”
When working with new businesses, Sammons said they often have questions about starting a website, especially since the pandemic’s impact on small businesses.
“It is now more important than ever before for businesses to have an online presence, engage with their customers, and be able to market their goods and services online to earn revenue outside of the traditional brick and mortar store,” Sammons said in her report to the board.
“This presents an opportunity for the LEDA to provide some financial assistance and professional services to business owners by helping them establish a website.”
She recommended a Website Development Program to connect business owners with a local professional website developer to set up web pages for them.
The program offers a startup grant for new and existing businesses to establish a website with the understanding that they’ll be responsible for maintaining and managing their website going forward.
 
LEDA partners with Luverne website developer for program
Sammons recommended working with Luverne’s Brock and Ashley Benson who started Benson Tech Solutions in 2019.
“They understood what our goals were in helping a business get a website established,” she said.
“Just as important is the ability to maintain it and have it be relevant within their budget in the scope of their business and workload.”
With bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science, the Bensons have a combined six years of professional software development experience and three years of business ownership.
They specialize in creating and maintaining websites with mobile-responsive layouts, analytics, social media integration, monthly maintenance and email accounts.
Websites they’ve developed for local companies include Quality Printing and Sterling’s Grille and Café.
Mary Brown with her bridal boutique, First Comes Love, was the first business to try the LEDA website program.
 
How the LEDA website assistance works
The standard multi-page website costs about $1,200 to set up, along with a $60 monthly maintenance fee.
The LEDA program offers a $750 grant to help cover a portion of the initial setup costs.
A 50-percent down payment is required to begin developing a website, as well as an agreement to pay the monthly hosting fee going forward.
Any additional services would be the business owner’s responsibility.
The LEDA will assist businesses with gathering all necessary information and files during the in-take and application process to ensure an efficient setup process once the content is turned over to the website developer.
Sammons said each business has its own unique goals for its website. Some want to sell and ship products, but in Brown’s case, she wanted to showcase gowns and encourage shoppers to set up appointments.
Defining a goal is part of the “story brand worksheet” businesses need to complete before meeting with the website developers.
“My hope is to streamline the process and make sure that when businesses are ready to start a website, they’re prepared,” Sammons said.
This would include a call to action, photographs, a brand, a logo, content and examples of websites they like.
“Simply packaging that initial starting content will hopefully maximize their time and efficiencies building their website to get a nice turnaround on it,” she said.
Only Luverne businesses and organizations qualify for the LEDA website assistance program.
It’s for new or existing businesses who want to start a new website or improve an existing online presence.
 
Important part of economic development
Sammons said website support is no different from other city programs that help entrepreneurs and small local businesses.
“In addition to the financial assistance, the structured process and professional partnerships have proven to be helpful for local businesses,” Sammons reported to the LEDA Monday.
She listed the Historic Facade Improvement Program, the Sign Design Program and the Logo Design program as examples of successful supports for businesses.
“These programs have offered technical assistance and professional expertise to our local businesses.”
Mayor Pat Baustian praised Sammons’ proposal at Monday’s meeting.
“Holly, you have done a phenomenal job of understanding the website development from start to finish,” he said.
“Working with Brock and Ashley and a local presence is an immense opportunity for our businesses. … It’s direct economic help for our community at relatively low cost, and we’re supporting a local [web developer]. What an opportunity for both sides!”
The LEDA board approved a resolution at Monday’s meeting to establish the website program as presented.