CHAMBER NEWS


New initiative will help businesses to go digital


Over 100 organisations will be helped to achieve growth aspirations through an initiative being launched across South Yorkshire. They will each receive free bespoke and structured


advice and support to maximise uptake of new and developing digital technologies. Managed by the Chamber, the programme will see


60 full-day action-planning workshops and 20 three- hour awareness-raising seminars held across the region in the next 14 months.


Themes will include digital marketing for start-ups,


planning an effective website, search engine optimisation and analytics, ecommerce, using social media, working with images and video, utilising data, cloud computing, cyber resilience, email marketing and blogging. Natalie Ward, Programme Manager for Superfast


South Yorkshire, said: “Knowing the true value of digital technology and understanding what is right for your business can be daunting. That makes it all too easy to miss out on opportunities for improvement. “This programme will encourage enterprises with


growth aspirations to explore and introduce new and emerging ICT products to improve their competitiveness and productivity.” The programme will be delivered by the Chamber’s


specialist and highly-regarded Digital Growth Programme team under Superfast South Yorkshire Digital Growth Programme branding and through a dedicated web portal. Organisations will have to meet eligibility criteria – it is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund - but once accepted could be entitled to financial support through the Superfast South Yorkshire Connection and Innovation voucher scheme.


For more information about the programme, visit www.superfastsouthyorkshire.co.uk/digitalgrowth


Digital Growth Programme engagement is growing


The Digital Growth Programme is proving to be extremely popular, with over 1,000 delegates having attended, or due to attend, the free action- planning workshops. The workshops cover subjects ranging from digital and social media


marketing to wider information technology areas such as cyber resilience and international marketing. All are delivered through this programme free of charge, with an


expectation that all eligible businesses will receive a minimum of 12 hours of funded support. Each workshop is a full-day session (six hours).


Upcoming workshops in October – book at bit.ly/DGPWorkshops:


D2N2 (www.d2n2-digital.co.uk)


11 October - Newark Growing your ecommerce business


11 October – Glossop Online marketing for local business


12 October – Nottingham Online marketing for local business


12 October - Chesterfield Understanding paid search and display advertising


17 October - Mansfield Planning an effective website


19 October – Matlock Converting website visitors into sales


19 October – Retford Developing a cyber resilience strategy – Nottingham


30 October Effective search engine optimisation (SEO)


LEICESTER AND


LEICESTERSHIRE (www.leics-digital.co.uk)


10 October – Leicester Effective search engine optimisation (SEO)


12 October - Blaby Developing content for the web


24 October – Leicester Understanding paid search and display advertising


25 October – Hinckley Integrating social media into your business (two-day workshop)


27 October – Leicester Converting website visitors into sales


31 October Data and making the most of your business relationships


Eligibility criteria applies. Places limited. For further information on the ERDF-part-funded Digital Growth Programme, see p54.


IN BRIEF


Awareness event will boost van compliance


There are warnings of a more aggressive stance in the proactive spot-checking of vans with the potential of a significant rise in fines and penalty points for any non- compliant vehicles – with the possibility of custodial sentences for company directors. The awareness-raising event


by Chamber member Bott, with company directors and fleet managers invited to attend, takes place on 3 November. The workshop is a


collaborative initiative to inform of the new focus being placed upon van compliance by the Police, DVSA and HSE. With the tightening of legislation and changes in the law introduced during the past 18 months, the enforcement authorities have found there to be widespread ignorance of laws and legislation governing company vans. The free workshops are being


held at Bott, in Ashby de la Zouch.


Places can be booked via www.bottltd.co.uk/Compliance Workshops


Access to finance… under one roof


Collaborate business support project and other grant providers are coming together during the Chamber-sponsored Leicester Business Festival to showcase grants on offer to SMEs in Leicester and Leicestershire. Many small businesses have


difficulty accessing the funding they need to grow or expand and sometimes it’s down to not knowing what is out there or not having the time to find out. The ‘Grant Providers’


Showcase – access to finance’ events will take place in five locations across the county. Each event, which is free to attend, will provide an outline of the grants available from local providers and includes the chance to attend two workshops for more in-depth details. To attend, every business must be trading B2B, be operating in Leicester and Leicestershire and have fewer than than 250 employees.


Dates and venues: • 24 October, 5-7pm, Stephenson College, Coalville


• 25 October, 1.30-3.30pm, Pera Business Park, Melton Mowbray


• 30 October, 9.30-11.30am, The Meeting Centre, Hinckley


• 2 November, 9.30-11.30am, Market Harborough Football Club


To book visit: bit.ly/CollabBNOct business network October 2017 25


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