ictQATAR Holds 2nd Business Connect Seminar
The Supreme Council for Information and Communication Technology (ictQATAR)held its second Business Connect Seminar, “Realizing the Power of E-Marketing,” today, January 25th, 2009, at the Ritz Carlton Doha. The Seminar was attended by more than 150 people from the local small and medieum sized businesses.
“Businesses in Qatar need to know how to utilize the internet to market themselves if they want to grow and compete on the global stage. No longer is marketing over the internet optional, it is essential to long-term success. At ictQATAR we are committed to helping local businesses enjoy the benefits of ICT,” said Ali Al-Khulaifi, ictQATAR’s e-Enterprise Manager.
Rami Adwan, Deputy CEO of Taameer Jordan was the keynote speaker at the seminar. In his presentation, he addressed why it is important for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to utilize e-marketing and provide practical ways for businesses to begin marketing online, or enhance what they are already doing.
“In today’s global marketplace, the ability to effectively integrate information and communications technologies (ICT) into business plans is essential to being competitive. Also, businesses must be able to market their services over the internet to reach potential customers around the world,”said Adwan.
Following Adwan’s presentation a panel discussion was held which included representatives from ictQATAR and a local business leader discussing how he is implementing e-marketing strategies in his business. Panelists were Ibrahim Al-Mannai, Owner, Qatar Education Aids & Labs GM; Khaled Tawfik, Market Developments and Knowledge Management Manager at ictQATAR; and Ali Al-Khulaifi.
Also at the Business Connect seminar, ictQATAR introduced its new online business directory. The electronic “yellow pages” will be a new way for companies to market their services online, and allow potential customers to easily search for them by services. It is expected to be officially launched in April 2009.
The Business Connect seminar series was launched by ictQATAR in 2008 to highlight the latest thinking and advances in information and communication technology for SMEs, businesses with up to 99 employees. The first seminar, “Technology and SMEs in Qatar: Opportunities and Challenges,” was held in March 2008.
For more Information, visit: www.ictqatar.qa/businessconnect
