PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Bandung Deputy Mayor Erwin is encouraging micro-businesses to expand their product marketing through digital channels. He believes changes in consumer behavior in seeking information, selecting products, and conducting transactions require MSMEs to adapt to technological developments.

This was conveyed by Erwin when attending the Marema (Maju Sareng Digital Marketing Utama) activity as well as the granting of NIB and halal legality for business actors in Cibeunying Kaler District, at the Cibeunying Kaler District Hall, Thursday (17/9/2026).

Erwin said that digital marketing can be a means for MSMEs to introduce product advantages to the public with a wider market reach.

"So, digital marketing is essentially a means of communicating the true benefits of a product to the public. A good product needs to be supported by an attractive appearance, clear information, friendly service, and easily recognizable business legality," said Erwin.

According to him, digital marketing also needs to be accompanied by product quality and presentation that aligns with what's being offered to consumers. Attractive packaging can encourage consumers to try a product, while product quality is a crucial factor in determining repeat purchases.

Erwin also invited Marema participants to take the training seriously so that the knowledge gained does not stop at the training activities, but can be applied in business development.

"Let's use technology as a way to grow businesses, expand markets, and strengthen the independence of MSMEs," he said.

He hopes that the Marema program will not stop at training, but will continue with practice, evaluation, and mentoring for the participants.

Meanwhile, Budhi Rukmana, Head of the Bandung City Cooperatives and SMEs Office, stated that Marema is a program initiated by the Bandung City Government and has been implemented in several districts. This activity is part of the Bandung City Government's efforts to encourage MSMEs to adapt to changing marketing patterns.

"This crisis is inevitable, a necessity, a challenge that businesses must address. Because times have changed, and trends are different," Budhi said.

He stated that sales patterns that rely solely on business locations or the surrounding environment need to be developed. MSMEs are being encouraged to venture into the digital realm so their products can reach a wider market.

Budhi explained that the Bandung City Cooperatives and SMEs Office has a number of programs to support the development of MSMEs, ranging from training, mentoring, marketing to financing facilitation.

In Bandung City, there are 30 micro-business mentors spread across 30 sub-districts. These mentors assist entrepreneurs with everything from business development to bookkeeping and marketing.

The Cooperatives and SMEs Office also operates the Cooperative and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Marketing Service Facility (Salapak) as a curated marketing tool for MSME products. Furthermore, a digital marketing network is being developed through various online trading platforms.

Budhi added that his party is currently pushing for a more integrated approach to various MSME development services, including training, mentoring, legality, marketing, and financing.

"So, you have to participate in training and get a certificate. Later, if you need halal certification, intellectual property rights (HAKI), PIRT (Property Ownership Certificate), and other things, you have to go through this system. We will also provide support," he said.

He also emphasized the importance of evaluating Marema's implementation. He stated that the program's success is measured not only by the number of participants who attend the training, but also by the changes in participants' businesses after participating.

"I want Marema to have definitive data, from the beginning until now, showing how many have been trained and what the differences or changes are, before and after. So we can see and measure the success of this program," he said.

Meanwhile, Assistant Manager of Mega Vision Bandung City, Kiki Rizkiana, said that the Marema training was aimed at providing practical understanding to MSMEs so they could utilize digital channels to market their products.

According to him, business actors need to understand how to create attractive product content so that they can invite potential consumers to visit their online stores.

"The Mega Vision team will provide training on how to enter the digital realm. We'll show you how to create posts and upload images that are as engaging as possible to attract more visitors to your online store," said Kiki.

He believes that digital marketing is increasingly important because products that are not marketed online have the potential to be slower to become known to the public.

In addition to training, Mega Vision will also provide ongoing support. Participants will be added to a WhatsApp group so they can consult with each other if they encounter any challenges implementing the training materials.

"If you, the MSME owners here, have any questions or need further clarification, you can ask your colleagues at Mega Vision directly," he said.

The Marema activity in Cibeunying Kaler District was also combined with the granting of legal Business Identification Numbers (NIB) and halal certification to micro-entrepreneurs.

(Bandung City Communications and Information Service/rka)