If you are an under-represented small business owner who wants to learn about digital marketing, please consider participating in the research. Your participation will benefit not only your business but other small businesses and public education in Canada.
Your Benefits
You’ll receive a free training in digital marketing tailored to your business and customers with a $500 budget to use towards your digital marketing activities. For example, web development, Google ads, Facebook ads, and email marketing.
Additional support you may need during the training such as translation, transportation, and childcare can be arranged upon request and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Please note your participation in this research is completely voluntary. If you decide to participate, you may withdraw at any time during the duration of the study without any consequences or any explanation.
Other Benefits
The project prototype can then be developed into a program offered by Sheridan College.
Learning gained from the project will be applied to the development of other programs in Pilon School of Business, Faculty of Continuing & Professional Studies and EDGE Entrepreneur hub at Sheridan College. Project learning will also be published online.
Research Activities
If you decide to join the research project, you will voluntarily get involved in the following activities:
- Online Survey
You will be asked to complete an online survey, which should take about one hour. The survey intends to identify the current stage of your business and how digital marketing can support your business growth. The survey will also be used as a screening tool to evaluate your eligibility to participate in the Prototype Training Program.
- Focus Group Interview
You will be asked to join a 2-hour focus group interview with 8-10 other participants. The interview aims to find out more about your digital marketing needs and skills gaps, your thoughts on learning mode and delivery, and your expectations on the training program. As a thank-you token for your time, you’ll receive $50 gift cards for your participation.
- Prototype Training Program
You will be asked to take part in the 12-week prototype training program, which consists of a weekly lecture/instruction-based session of 2-3 hours and a workshop/participant-focussed session of 3 hours. There will be homework, which you will need to complete in your own time outside the class. The weekly homework is expected to take about 2-4 hours. In total, you should be allocating 7-10 hours per week for 12 weeks to fully participate in the program.
There will be two training programs: alpha and beta with about 20 participants in each.
- Program Results
To evaluate the effectiveness of the training program, you will be asked to complete weekly online surveys and focus group interviews at week 4 and 8, and final individual interviews at week 12.
- Program Results: 6 and 12 months after completion
You will further evaluate the training effectiveness 6 months and 12 months after the end of your training via an online survey and possibly as part of a focus group. This should take about 2 hours. As a thank-you token for your time, you’ll receive $50 gift cards for your participation.
Research Schedule
5 Apr 21 – 30 Apr 21 | Research participant recruitment: Online survey |
3 May 21 – 21 May 21 | Research participant recruitment: Focus Group Interview |
27 Sep 21 – 17 Dec 21 | Prototype Training Program: Alpha Group (12 weeks) |
24 Jan 22 – 15 Apr 22 | Prototype Training Program: Beta Group (12 weeks) |
30 May 22 – 10 Jun 22 | Alpha Group: 6-month follow-up |
28 Nov 22 – 9 Dec 22 | Alpha Group: 12-month follow-up |
26 Sep 22 – 7 Oct 22 | Beta Group: 6-month follow-up |
27 Feb 23 – 10 Mar 23 | Beta Group: 12-month follow-up |
Research Outputs
You will receive a final research report, which will be also shared with Future Skills Canada, publications, presentations, website, organizations that support small businesses and the public at large.
Please note that your confidentiality and research data will be protected according to Sheridan’s research policies and procedures.
Research Outcomes
The project prototype can be developed into a training program offered by Sheridan College.
Learning gained from the project will be applied to the development of other programs in Pilon School of Business, Faculty of Continuing & Professional Studies and EDGE Entrepreneur hub at Sheridan College.
Interested?
To be eligible to participate in the research, you must:
- Be 18 years of age or older
- Identify as a woman, Indigenous person, Racialized, Canadian immigrant, LGBTQ2S+, a person with a disability or a person without a post-secondary education
- Have operated a Canadian owned small business within Canada for over 2 years
- Have a business website that has been active for over 2 years
- Have an interest undertaking digital marketing development for your business
If you would like to take part in the research, please register your interest by emailing us.