EATON — The Register-Herald, in cooperation with the Preble County Chamber of Commerce, will sponsor a multimedia marketing workshop for local business owners on Tuesday, Aug. 23, at the Eaton Country Club, 100 Morton Road, Eaton.

The 90-minute workshop includes lunch and is presented free of charge, with costs underwritten by the sponsors. Although there is no fee to attend, registration is required. People may enroll up to the day of the event, but an RSVP is preferred by Aug. 22.

The event will run from noon-1:30 p.m.

Author and “internationally renowned” media expert Mike Blinder will help small and medium size business owners learn how to grow their businesses by getting online using digital marketing solutions. He will teach attendees how to utilize social sites like Facebook and Google to maximize advertising results.

“The goal is to assist small and medium sized businesses understand the ever changing world of multimedia,” Blinder said. “Break it down in very understandable ways to maximize all forms of media.”

He will show business owners where to advertise and”why it’s important to know where your customers fall in the ‘buying timeline.’”

Blinder said business owners don’t realize that if they are not “performing an adequate multimedia strategy,” their competitors can and probably are going online to steal their customers.

In the workshop, Blinder will explain how Google works and what it takes for businesses to be found — over competitors — on the website. Blinder said since “the great recession of 2008,” everything has changed and “even millennials” are particular in how they spend.

“Marketing today is not a luxury, it’s a necessity,” said Blinder, who has previously helped over 60,000 small and medium sized businesses world-wide.

If attendees still have questions after Blinder speaks, at the end of the workshop he will invite people to complete an application and set an appointment for a multimedia audit to better address specific issues.

“The Register-Herald is excited to be able to bring Mike to Preble County to share his valuable marketing experience, said Leslie Collins, general manager and advertising director of The Register-Herald. “We are happy to be able to co-sponsor such a workshop for our local small and medium sized businesses.”

“The newspaper, along with the Preble County Chamber of Commerce, is providing this opportunity to help businesses learn multimedia marketing secrets — and hopefully help them grow.”

Interested business owners may register at www.localmediaworkshop or by calling Collins at The Register-Herald at 937-683-4055.