Virtual Seminars

About the Program

Category: Information Technology (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) coordinated and hosted a number of free, weekly Virtual Seminars to educate retail consumers on products being sold within the 26 County owned retail stores. The weekly seminars were promoted though social media and weekly retail email blasts and were hugely popular.Beginning in March of 2020, when tastings were no longer allowed in retail stores due to COVID-19 concerns, the ABS marketing team set to work organizing free seminars on Zoom with industry professionals. The seminars were free and helped promote products from the ABS stores. The seminars were so popular, most of them reaching capacity at 100 registrants, they were continued into the Fall months. The seminars were very well received and encouraged residents to stay home for entertainment. A dynamic website was set up offering course registration and recordings of sessions that were linked to YouTube posts on the ABS channel. You can view the website page here, https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ABS/training.This effort filled gaps in the availability and services, during a time where people were isolated. The enhanced participation of residents boosted the departments outreach efforts at a time where mental health relief and engagement was lacking.