Yogyakarta - The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the world, including Indonesia, for over a year, leading to numerous challenges across various sectors, particularly the economy. Entrepreneurs are actively seeking strategies to sustain their enterprises amid the pandemic. In today’s digital age, entrepreneurs have the opportunity to leverage technology for product marketing. Nevertheless, many current and aspiring business students lack a comprehensive understanding of how to creatively optimize digital marketing to effectively promote their businesses.
Therefore, the Entrepreneurship department of HMPS Islamic Accounting UIN Sunan Kalijaga for the 2021 term held a webinar on Entrepreneurship. The event, held on Saturday, May 29, 2021, virtually through Zoom Virtual Meeting, focused on the theme “Optimizing Creative Digital Marketing to Face the Covid-19 Pandemic.” It provided a platform for active students, alumni, and the general public to network and gain knowledge about entrepreneurship, aiming to develop businesses that can compete and enhance the ability to optimize digital marketing creativity. The webinar was attended by around 70 participants, including students from UIN Sunan Kalijaga and other institutions such as UIN Sayyid Ali Rahmatullah Tulungagung, Yogyakarta State University, UNIDA Gontor, and several other campuses.
“The uncertainty surrounding the pandemic’s duration and the failure of the economy to return to normal should prompt people to adapt to the digital or online era. The impact of the pandemic has affected all aspects of life, necessitating the continuation of life activities with new approaches,” said Muhammad Wahfudin (Chairman of HMPS Islamic Accounting)
Significant changes in business strategy are imperative for business sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Agility and quick adaptation are essential. It is not just products, marketing, and promotion that need attention, but also leadership and organizational conditions. Digital marketing is a suitable strategy for entrepreneurs because, during this pandemic, it has garnered significant attention from the general public due to its efficiency, speed, and wide reach. This sentiment was expressed by Muhammad Lukman, the Executive Chairman of the Entrepreneurship Webinar.
“To become a developed country, it needs a significant number of business people or entrepreneurs. According to data, this percentage should be at least 2%, with some sources suggesting 7%. President Jokowi has even set a target of 12% of the population being entrepreneurs. It is hoped that some of the participants in today’s webinar will contribute to this percentage and support Indonesia in its journey towards becoming a developed country,” said Dr. Afdawaiza, S.Ag, M.Ag, the Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business.
The entrepreneurship webinar, featuring Elita Barbara, a young entrepreneur and founder of the Elita Kerudung brand, commenced at 08:00 and concluded at 11:30 WIB. The event was opened by the Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Economics and Business and provided insightful information as the speaker shared her challenging journey of establishing her business, serving as an inspiring example for others. This was followed by a Q&A session and an exchange of experiences, fostering active interaction between participants and speakers, facilitated by Fitriya Aliyatur Rosidah, a staff member of the Entrepreneurship department of HMPS Islamic Accounting.
It is hoped that following this beneficial weekend event, students will gain insight, understanding, and the motivation to actively participate in entrepreneurship. They are encouraged to enhance their businesses through the optimization of digital marketing, which is key to promoting their developed businesses, particularly those established by fellow students. (Nindya Ayu Milanda and Dimas Aji Ismail)