Invest in Angus

Build a customer focused business
2022-12-07 09:00 - 11:00 UTC
Did you know that a returning customer will typically spend more than two thirds more with your business than a brand new one?
Did you know that retaining just 5% of your customer base can give an increase of over 20% in profits for your business?
Having an effective strategy in place for your business to deliver great customer service is critical for your business.
We will cover:

Why good customer service is critical for business growth
What are the essentials of delivering great customer service and how should this be delivered?
How to effectively manage different types of customers and their expectations
How, why, and when you should measure the service a business delivers
How to use the service provided to promote a business and enable growth

Instagram for business
2022-12-06 18:00 - 20:00
Thinking about using Instagram to communicate with existing and potential customers? Want to showcase your products or services using it? During this webinar we will cover:

Getting the setup right and benefitting from the available business tools.
Best practice profiles, and some strategies to help your business stand out from the crowd.
The types of audience you can reach via this platform and the factors and analytics such as cost and timing of posting images and how that can maximise impact.
The various types of content you can post to Instagram, from regular posts to Stories and Reels.

Market Research Made Easy
2022-12-06 18:00 - 20:00
The workshop will look at:

the role of marketing in your business
identifying your target customers
identifying the strengths and weaknesses of your competitors
market research

There will also be information on additional services from Business Gateway and details of other webinars which may be appropriate for you.
This webinar is for businesses based in Dundee, Angus and Perth.

How to protect and manage your intellectual property
2022-12-06 12:00 - 14:00
You have invested time, energy, and money into your project, however, have you protected the innovation?
Following this webinar, you will understand how to manage your intellectual property (IP) or how to start the process of registering it.
Topics covered include:

What are intellectual assets (IA)?
What is intellectual property (IP)?
How to use IP (in the real world)
Where to get more insight and information

Participants will leave with:

An understanding that all businesses create IA/IP
A framework of knowledge about IP
A little more knowledge about the diverse types of IP
An insight into how to identify, protect and exploit IP/IA
Context of why IP/IA matters
Links to useful learning resources

Pinterest for business
2022-12-06 10:00 - 12:00
A commonly used tool for those researching products and services for personal life (clothing ideas, holidays inspiration, cooking alternatives!), but how can it benefit your business? Move from being a beginner to knowing enough to gain commercial benefit from the use of Pinterest.
During this webinar we’ll help you better understand:

Who is using Pinterest and what are they looking for?
How to setup your business profile
Key features to use within Pinterest
Measuring success and engagement

Developing Your International digital/eCommerce strategy
2022-12-06 09:30 - 13:00
This webinar will cover the following areas:

Global E-Commerce Market Overview
International E-Commerce Growth Dynamics
Key Digital Strategy Considerations, including – Audience Insight; Digital Marketing; Trading Platforms; Warehousing & Fulfilment; Customer Support; User Experience & Conversion; Payment Processing; Delivery

As a result of attending this webinar you will obtain a clearer understanding of the key strategy components of a successful international e-commerce business.

Scottish Agritourism Conference 2022
2022-12-06 09:00 - 2022-12-07 17:00 | Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5HZ
The Scottish Agritourism annual conference is for anyone keen to help grow our sector to its full potential.
Whether you are an agritourism business owner, or a farmer or crofter considering agritourism; part of our vital supply chain or an economic development professional keen to support the sector, this will be the largest gathering of the agritourism sector in Scotland and everyone is welcome.
The event will include three main speaker sessions covering:

Sustainability of the Family Farm & Croft – focusing on agritourism as a way of ensuring that future generations can live and work on farm.
Creating an agritourism destination – a look at farms that have created multi-aspects to their agritourism offering, increasing opportunities for visitors to spend money.
Putting Meat on to Agritourism Menus – 50% of agritourism farms in Scotland are to offer food & drink by 2030 as part of the national agritourism strategy. We know that there is high demand from consumers to buy meat direct and a great deal of interest from farmers in selling meat direct to consumers. This session will explore the challenges and opportunities that exist around this. A particular focus will be on access to processing facilities and margins.

As well as these sessions, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Islands, Mairi Gougeon, will update on Scotland’s Agritourism Strategy; Vikki Millar, Visit Scotland Marketing Director, will share data showing the impact of Scottish tourism on the agritourism sector and there will be an update on the overall activity of Scottish Agritourism during the previous 12 months.
Throughout the programme you can expect:

Inspirational industry speakers and stories
Break out sessions by region and agritourism type
Supplier exhibition
Superb networking opportunities, including a drinks reception and evening dinner

Skilled Worker Route: How employers can sponsor international talent
2022-12-05 14:30 - 15:30
Join us for an update on the Skilled Worker Route: how employers can sponsor international talent. With most EU and non-EU citizens now subject to the UK immigration system, we invite you to join us as we discuss how the Skilled Worker route can help you to access overseas talent. As a Scottish based SME, TalentScotland can support your business in a number of ways.
This webinar is presented by Brodies LLP, TalentScotland’s immigration specialists – you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions you may have.

Facebook for business
2022-12-05 14:00 - 16:00
Get to grips with Facebook – the world’s most popular social networking platform.
In this webinar you will:

Learn how to get the most out of Facebook and how it could fit into your business’s digital marketing strategy.
Better understand the algorithm behind Facebook, and how to create great content that achieves a bigger reach and impact.
Learn from the stats and data you can get from the system and discover who your most interested customers/clients are.
Understand the power of Facebook advertising, and other selling options available to you.
Discover other business opportunities presented by Facebook, including how to promote and sell products and services.
Be introduced to ‘Business Suite’ – a free Facebook dashboard to manage all your business activity.

The business benefits of running a sustainable business
2022-12-05 13:00 - 15:00
It’s becoming increasingly important to customers to source their products from companies who have strong green credentials. This webinar will show how by becoming more sustainable you can increase sales and profits.
We will look at:
Understanding the problem
What is sustainability and why it is important
Innovation
Profiting from being a green business
Embracing a purpose beyond profit
The sustainability triple bottom line
Developing your own green charter
Examples of those practicing this way of growth with remarkable success
Top tips for going green

Protect your business and data from hackers
2022-12-05 10:00 - 12:00
Join us to look at why it’s important for all businesses to give their online security thought and consideration. We will take you through some simple steps to minimise the risks, and we will also direct you to available support to help you and your business.
During the session will cover:

Cyber security and why it matters for businesses
Steps to take to protect yourself including backups, malware protection, mobile devices, VPNs, firewalls, passwords and more secure authentication to help avoid scams and fraud
Simple ways to protect your website and social media from attack
Basic good practice, to prepare and understand what to do if the worst happens

Producing engaging online content
2022-12-02 13:00 - 15:00
Producing quality content is an excellent way of helping your customers develop a meaningful relationship with your brand, services and products. In this webinar we will show you how to source and develop a variety of content for your website and social channels. Ideal for businesses that already have a business website or use social media and now want to take it a step further, and develop the skills to show your audience that you are a trusted operator in your field.
This session will help you:

Understand what kind of content your customers are looking for
Source, write and deliver that content
Amplify your brand and message and boost engagement online

The low-cost guide to marketing your business
2022-12-02 09:00 - 11:00, 2022-11-25 14:00 - 16:00
When budgets are tight, it can be difficult to find the funds for marketing. This webinar will offer marketing tips and advice that you can then use across your business – without bursting the bank!
We will look at:

How marketing extends way beyond what most businesses consider it to be and how it provides opportunities for businesses to make transformational change with little or minimal extra spend
Identifying marketing priorities and using these to reshape your business.
The marketing mix as a tool for reviewing how your business plans and delivers its marketing activity
How your marketing activity is delivered successfully and effectively in your business
A series of top tips including the importance of understanding your customers, the core components of a brand, the value of strong and consistent branding, the value of a clear focus and the power of creativity
The many options available with traditional Advertising and Promotion as a way a company communicates what it does and what it can offer customers, but also looking how this has changed in a world where marketing has moved online
The foundations of effective marketing in a digital age, looking at how your business can grasp new ways of marketing such as social media, web, and digital PR

How to start a business: The basics
2022-12-01 18:00 - 20:00
Whatever your reasons may be for considering being your own boss, Business Gateway is here to support you and help you decide if this is the right path for you. Helping you consider your plans from exploring your potential customers to looking at the key activities and costs involved.
We will cover:

Personal finance planning – how much do you need to earn?
Researching your market – who your customers are, understanding your competition and what the trends are within your chosen field
Business structure – what are the core business structures? How to decide which is right for you and how to register as a business
Creating your start-up action plan – an outline
Marketing
Pricing
Naming the business
Basic bookkeeping
Forecasting
Financing, banking, insurance, and VAT
Tax

TikTok and Instagram Reels for business
2022-12-01 18:00 - 20:00
You might view TikTok as a stream of dance trends and lip-synching videos, but it can also be a fantastic place to engage with your customers and increase the reach of your business online. Explore how to create bitesize vertical video content and how to use this new format for more effective business communication.
We will cover:

How to optimise your TikTok and Instagram accounts for the best results with video.
How to discover the latest trends on each platform and leverage this to create popular videos for your business.
Ideas for creating content to entertain, inspire or educate your audience (with lots of examples from a variety of relevant TikTok and Reels accounts).
How to increase engagement and reach by paying attention to your videos’ structure, duration, titles and understanding hashtags and algorithms.
The best kit, apps and workflow to create bitesize vertical videos for both platforms.

An Introduction to Self-Employment and Starting your own Business
2022-12-01 18:00 - 20:00
The workshop will provide you with the opportunity to network with other business owners and will also highlight useful sources of information, advice and guidance.
There will also be information on additional services from Business Gateway and details of other webinars which may be appropriate for you.
This webinar is for businesses based in Dundee, Angus and Perth.

Webinars, live streams, and video conferences: Running a business remotely
2022-12-01 14:00 - 16:00
There are many tools available to allow you to communicate with people online. Whether you are trying to run a workshop or seminar, hold a meeting or just communicate. Many of these digital tools are easy to use and offer some powerful facilities. Let us guide you through:

What webinars, live streams and video conferences are and what is right for your business
Case studies and examples of how they are used
An overview of the tools and platforms currently available

How to write and develop your business plan
2022-12-01 08:00 - 10:00
New and established businesses will require a business plan for getting a loan, grant or just to consider the direction they wish to go in. This webinar will teach you what you need to include and how. We will walk you through what should be included within a business plan, how a business plan is used to improve your prospects for a loan or a grant, and how you can develop a business plan to meet your needs.
We will:

Provide a structure for a business plan
Review each section of what should be included within the business plan
Explain when and how to use a business plan
Explore the connections (and importance) between the words and the numbers
Look at how to identify and manage cashflow within the business planning process

Ready, Steady, Grow: How to Expand Your Business
2022-11-30 18:00 - 20:00
Are you a business that has been trading for less than five years?
Do you realise your full potential? This is an opportunity for you to gain an outsider’s perspective, which can be essential in realising the potential for your business to expand.
Working with our advisers, you will analyse the current state of your business, and identify key areas for growth. You will also be shown various tools that can be utilised to analyse your business’ performance.
You will leave this webinar feeling motivated, with the knowledge of how to grow your business. You’ll now be able to set new goals, that previously weren’t possible.
If you are an early-stage business looking to grow, book your place now!
This webinar is for businesses located in Perth, Dundee & Angus.

What is a social enterprise & how to become one
2022-11-30 18:00 - 19:00
There are many questions around social enterprises.

What actually is a social enterprise and how does it differ from a charity?
Could your business be a social enterprise?
What would be the benefits?
How do you go about this?

Bayile Adeoti, founder of Dechomai and the president of Scottish Women in Business hosts this zoom event to do just that. She will also be joined by FirstPort and Social Enterprise Scotland.
The floor will be open for all your questions about your business, your ideas and all the burning questions you have.

How to stay secure online
2022-11-30 13:00 - 14:00
This panel webinar, led by a panel of experts, will offer valuable discussion, insights, and tips on recognising potential threats; securing data and personal information; and reinforcing why online security and the importance of protecting your customers online is essential for every business.
This session will explore:

What are the most common online threats in today’s world?
What are the most common ways that businesses are likely to be impacted by online threats?
Top tips for managing online security and building cyber resilience
The first thing you should do if your business is the victim of a cyber-attack
What support is out there to help businesses understand how to better protect their online security?

Online Sales: Improve, develop & make more money
2022-11-30 10:00 - 12:00
What’s the best way to sell your products online? The key to improving your online business is measuring its effectiveness – you can then take steps to optimise its performance. Should you be using your own eCommerce store or Amazon, neither or both? This webinar will help you decide.
We will cover:

Factors to consider when selling online.
What eCommerce options exist, and the benefits of each
Differences in available eCommerce platforms
Benefits of automation
Key items to optimise performance

Marketing 1-2-1 Surgery Sessions
2022-11-30 09:00 - 17:00
Whether you’d like to discuss market research, marketing strategy or would even just like an impartial review of your website or social media page, this is an opportunity to book a one to one appoint either from our Dundee office or over Zoom with our marketing specialist, Stuart Milne.
Once you have booked your space, one of our team will be in touch to arrange an appointment.
These appointments are for businesses based in Dundee, Angus or Perth.

HR – Recruiting, managing, and retaining staff
2022-11-29 17:00 - 19:00
One of the scariest things you can do as a business is take on staff – from hiring, interviewing, payroll, pensions, contracts, remote working and more, it is a minefield for the business owner.
This webinar will allow you to have the key information in your possession to take on staff and manage your team.
Topics covered:

Recruiting, managing, and retaining staff
Attracting and recruiting the best and right people for our business
Our obligations as employers
Managing people to stay with us
Moving on
Dismissal
Restructure/Redundancy

We will also look at:

How in the current climate you can manage staff and teams in a remote environment, considering their productivity, efficiency, and the issues of home working
How you can best manage staff to ensure productivity is kept and mental health is supported
The impact of companies who may be considering restructuring and therefore redundancy for the first time and how that can be managed

How to build a digital marketing plan
2022-11-29 10:00 - 12:00
This webinar will guide you through the steps needed to create an effective digital marketing strategy, ensuring you focus on the right tactics to meet your business objectives and goals.
We will cover:

The importance of planning your digital marketing activities
Building your plan around a simple framework
Conducting a situational analysis (and understanding Customers and Competitors)
Developing your brand and tone of voice
Planning your Content strategy
Prioritising digital channels
Evaluating your Digital Marketing efforts

Paid for advertising
2022-11-28 14:00 - 16:00
This webinar is designed to help you make more informed decisions about where paid-for advertising fits in to your digital marketing strategy. During the webinar we will discuss various key considerations of paid advertising, provide advice on planning, explore platform options and look at measuring the impact of your ads.
By the end of the webinar, you’ll have a better understanding of:

Key concepts of paid ads and how it fits within your strategy
Best practice during ads setup
Importance of planning for paid Ads
How to evaluate and understand performance of paid ads

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) for tourism businesses – Part 2
2022-11-28 11:00 - 12:30
In part 1, we saw how search engines work and how to find out what people are searching for.
In part 2, we’ll look at the many factors that influence how far up the search rankings you go.
You’ll see how to optimise these factors and how to keep up with future changes in the algorithms that search engines use. You’ll be shown how use tools and plug-ins such as Google Search Console, Google Business Profile and robots.txt
We’ll then demonstrate how to avoid ‘violations’ and their consequent penalties.

Video production for social media
2022-11-25 10:00 - 12:00
Video captures people’s attention online and is important for getting your message across, while engaging with your target audience.
Learn how to:

Choose what type of video to create to suit your business objectives
Plan, shoot, edit, and upload video without special kit or expertise.
Get to know the various digital platforms that can be utilised to view and share video content.
See what editing apps are available and how to add music and subtitles.

The basics of trading on Ebay, Etsy and Amazon Marketplaces
2022-11-24 14:00 - 16:00
As a consumer, you’ve almost certainly purchased online from one of the global marketplaces such as Ebay, Etsy or Amazon, so why wouldn’t your customers do the same and buy from you?
We will cover:

Why to sell via a Marketplace, your own website, or both
Choosing the right Marketplace – looking specificly at Ebay, Etsy and Amazon

Understanding Profit Margins and how Marketplace fees affect them

An overview of some of the rules and regulations enforced by these platforms
Trading internationally – what’s possible?

You’ll leave with a better understanding of how online marketplaces can help you reach your target audience, which marketplace is best for you, and how to get started selling quickly and easily.
