Due to the condition, ITB Community Service Team held a webinar under the theme “Digital Business Transformation for MSME Actors in the New Normal Adaptation Period” on Tuesday (8/6/2021). Not only useful during the pandemic, but the theme can also help MSME actors to prepare themselves to face the industry 4.0 era.

Digitalization in Processing and Marketing

According to Secretary of Department of Marine Fisheries and Food Security of Pangandaran Regency, Bambang Suyudono, A.Pi., M.Si., Digitalization that enables market expansion encourages processing entrepreneurs to improve things such as food safety and diversity, as well as durability. Meanwhile, the marine and fisheries sector lacks a market because most marketers have not yet started digitalization or because of stalled marketing.

One of the obstacles experienced by marketers is the lack of funds. Therefore, the Department of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries is trying to provide a forum namely LPMUKP (Institute for Capital Processing for Marine Fisheries) which helps finance marketers. "Assistance is not only capital money, but LPMUKP will provide management on how to manage the finances so that they can grow and can be successful in accordance with the wishes of the community or entrepreneurs in the marine and fisheries sector," he added.

Marketing through Social Media

Ivan Anwar, a digital marketing practitioner, continues the presentation that focuses on digital marketing strategies, especially through social media. Among them are setting business goals, setting a target audience (people who will consume content), consistently sharing quality content, and building a community of loyal customers. Business actors also need to be careful in choosing social media that is in accordance with the products being sold and their target audience.

In addition, he revealed that the digital world is not instant and easy. “Most people fail to market their products via digital marketing because at first, they had that mindset; fast, easy, and free. Finally, after running for a month (and) getting no results, they gave up because it did not live up to their expectations. So, when you want to dive into the digital world, try to put in the mindset that the digital world is a world that requires consistency, struggle, and not everything is free," he said.

West Java's Efforts to Develop a Digital Economy

Chairperson of the West Java Regional National Crafts Council (Dekranasda) Atalia Praratya said that one of the efforts made by the West Java Provincial Government to spark the digital economy was building cooperation with various parties such as e-commerce. The provincial government also provides a creative economy networking platform, kreasijabar.id; a special online shopping platform for State Civil Apparatus (ASN), borongdong.id; and West Java's online shopping and culinary platform, Kerabat Store Jabar.

The digital business transformation carried out by the West Java Provincial Government has also penetrated into rural areas. Called the 'Digital Village', this transformation helps optimize the economic potential of the village through technological innovation. Therefore, 571 villages that had not yet developed in 2019 managed to transform into developing and independent even during the pandemic.

Reporter: Ristania Putri Wahyudi (Matematika, 2019)
Translator: Aghisna Syifa Rahmani (TPB SITHS 2020)