In Celebration of Small Business Week 2026 Community Futures Peterborough Launches New Free Downloadable Marketing Workbook
PETERBOROUGH, ON – October 22, 2026 – In Celebration of Small Business Week 2026, Community Futures Peterborough’s Business Advisory Centre (BAC) has launched a new Marketing Workbook designed to help business owners develop a clear marketing strategy before investing time and money into marketing activities.
Created by the BAC team, the workbook provides businesses with a practical, step-by-step framework to think through the fundamentals of their marketing, including their target audience, value proposition, goals, competitive landscape, messaging, channels and marketing activities.
“Every dollar and hour counts when you are running a small business,” says Dave Smith, MPP for Peterborough-Kawartha. “Instead of taking a trial-and-error approach to promotion, this workbook equips local entrepreneurs with a structured roadmap so they can spend their time wisely, stretch their marketing dollars further, and see a genuine return on their effort.”
The free workbook is designed to help business owners move beyond simply asking, “What should I post?” and instead start with the more important question: “What are we trying to achieve?”
“As a marketer, someone who supports businesses with their marketing, and someone who has developed courses and taught marketing at Fleming College, I know how important strategic marketing is,” said Rosalea Terry, Manager, Business Advisory Centre & Corporate Communications at Community Futures Peterborough. “That’s why we created this workbook. We want to help businesses think strategically before they spend valuable time and money on marketing activities that may not actually achieve what they’re hoping for. A strong marketing strategy gives businesses a clearer path forward, helps them make more intentional decisions, and gives them a way to measure whether their efforts are working.”
The workbook is intended for businesses at any stage, from new businesses developing their first marketing plan to established businesses looking to revisit their strategy and ensure their marketing activities are aligned with their current goals.
“Small business owners are often wearing a dozen different hats,” says Terry. “Marketing can easily become something they feel they have to do rather than something they strategically use to grow their business. This workbook is about making marketing more intentional, manageable, and connected to the bigger picture.”
The Marketing Workbook is created to respond to the growing demand for advanced marketing advisory services from clients of the Business Advisory Centre. In addition to expanded workshops on marketing and branding as part of the Entrepreneurship 101 workshop series, the Workbook will support clients accessing the Business Advisory Centre who are focussed on growing their business using marketing strategies.
“Economic success in Peterborough is built one small business at a time. Local entrepreneurs create jobs, strengthen our communities, support local organizations, and contribute to the growth and vitality of our region. Community Futures Peterborough’s Marketing Workbook is an important investment in the long-term success of our local business community,” said Member of Parliament Emma Harrison. “By helping business owners develop the knowledge and strategies they need to compete, grow, and create new opportunities, it helps build a stronger and more resilient local economy. I am always proud to support initiatives that empower local entrepreneurs, strengthen our economy, and help businesses across Peterborough thrive,” said Emma Harrison, Member of Parliament for the riding of Peterborough.”
The Marketing Workbook is available for download on the Community Futures Peterborough website. Businesses looking for extra support with their marketing strategy can also use the website to book upcoming workshops or one-on-one advisory sessions with the Business Advisory Centre.
About Community Futures Peterborough
Community Futures Peterborough (CFP) has a mission to support small businesses with flexible financing in the City of Peterborough and Peterborough County. It has invested more than $44 million in 1,900+ small businesses since 1985, creating or maintaining more than 4,900 jobs in the City of Peterborough and Peterborough County. CFP is a not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), as part of the Community Futures Program. Ontario Small Business Advisory Centres deliver provincially funded programs and services that help entrepreneurs start, grow, and succeed. With more than 50 centres across Ontario, OSBACs foster local business growth and strengthen communities across the province. The Business Advisory Centre also receives operational funding from the City of Peterborough and Peterborough County.
Media Contact:
Rose Terry
rosalea@cfpeterborough.ca
