Invest in Angus

An introduction to business websites
2025-01-06 14:00 - 16:00 UTC
This webinar will take you through all the steps required to design, build and host a business website. You will learn about:

The need to determine website objectives
The importance of knowing who your audience is and measuring results
Setting clear calls to action and creating engaging content
Creating your brand’s visual identity online, your site’s blueprint and how you can structure your site map
What’s involved in registering your domain, maintaining your site content, and options for hosting it

This webinar will also offer guidance on when and how to outsource your website development, covering topics such as choosing a suitable content management system, what to organise first and costing for the work.

How to write funding applications
2025-01-07 10:00 - 12:00
When submitting applications for funding, you need to ensure that the applications are written in such a way that improves your chances of being successful.
There are numerous funders out there and each will have their unique way they wish you to apply, however, in this webinar we’ll explore some key steps you can take to improve your chances of a successful application, including:

Clarifying your need

Demonstrating your needs

Understanding your funder

How to speak their language

Getting the basics right

Overcoming the common mistakes

Answering the questions asked

How to deliver low-cost, high impact marketing
2025-01-07 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-01-21 13:00 - 15:00
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

Why your business needs a blog
2025-01-08 10:00 - 12:00
This webinar will provide you with the knowledge and understanding you need to create a blog that promotes your business.
We will cover:

What a ‘blog’ is, how to set one up and what it takes to make them work
Other small and medium sized businesses who already blog successfully and what you can learn from them
Options for monetising a blog
How to promote your blog
How your blog can help move your website higher up search engine ranking
Understanding analytics and measuring the impact of your blog

An introduction to business strategy
2025-01-08 13:00 - 15:00
This webinar is practical, outcome driven, and designed to fit with the needs of small businesses in both B2C and B2B environments. It will help you develop a strategically led approach that can turbo charge business growth, identify the core growth strategy(ies) that are right for your business, and develop an action plan.
We will look at:

Your business today – identifying your strengths and areas for development
The key pillars of a business and why balancing all areas is essential for success
Personal and business ambitions and using these to guide strategy development
Ansoff’s Matrix as a tool for identifying core growth strategies
The core components of your business delivery
How to develop a methodical, strategic approach to developing your business for future success

After the webinar, you will understand:

How to undertake a balanced review of where your business is that helps identify areas for development
Ansoff’s Matrix and how to use it as a core strategic planning tool
How to create a strategic plan for growing your business

How to build a digital marketing plan
2025-01-09 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

How to generate and increase sales
2025-01-09 13:00 - 15:00
Sales are the lifeblood of every business. This webinar focuses on a pragmatic approach to sales strategy and delivery and is designed to fit with the needs of small businesses in both B2C and B2B environments.
We will cover:

Why a clear understanding of what an ideal customer looks like, and a good understanding of their problems, needs and wants is key to sales success
How to develop your sales platform using digital tools, platforms, and techniques
The different motivations potential customers may have and how to identify which ‘buttons’ your business needs to press
The key phases in prospecting, qualifying, and converting sales prospects
The value of a ‘sales funnel’ and how it can be used to help plan and achieve sales
Why keeping the customers you already have is the best sales strategy of all
The importance of appropriate customer service in retaining customers

Business Planning: Secure Your Funding
2025-01-09 15:00 - 17:00 | Business Gateway Arbroath, Unit 9 Harbour Visitor Centre, Arbroath, DD11 1PS
An in-depth walkthrough of our standard Business Plan template, designed to help clients, especially those applying for the Angus Council Grant, create their best possible business plan.
Attendees will be provided with and guided through a comprehensive business plan template, perfect for your application to the Angus Council Start and Grow grant.
Our expert Business Gateway advisors will guide you through the template in a step-by-step presentation. Afterward, all three advisors will be available for one-on-one sessions to discuss your individual plans in more detail.

How to start a business: The basics
2025-01-09 18:00 - 20:00
Whatever your reasons may be for considering being your own boss, we are here to support you and help you decide if this is the right path for you.
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

Video production for digital marketing
2025-01-13 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

Business Support – Drop In Sessions (Monifieth Library)
2025-01-13 13:00 - 16:00 | Monifieth Library, 48 High Street, Monifieth, DD5 4AE
The Business Gateway team will be at Monifieth Library to offer expert advice and support for all your business questions.
Drop in and speak to us, or use the book now button and a member of the team will be in touch to book an appointment.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow business, our advisers are here for you every step of the way.

Social media essentials: LinkedIn
2025-01-13 14:00 - 16:00
No longer just an online CV, LinkedIn can be an incredibly powerful – and profitable – business tool.
During this webinar, you will:

Learn how to create a LinkedIn strategy to boost your business reputation via marketing and brand promotion initiatives
Learn the difference between personal and company profiles and how to optimise them for both maximum visibility and brand awareness
Understand that content is king on LinkedIn, and we’ll show you how to plan and produce captivating content that enriches your brand

How to build your brand
2025-01-14 09:30 - 11:30
This webinar will define what a brand is (and is not) and explain how it is more than just creating a logo. We will explore how a business can use their brand to show its identity, purpose, personality, message, and values in order to stand out from competitors, build a loyal customer base and make more sales.
This session will:

Provide you with a clear understanding of the difference between brands and branding
Help you understand what a brand is
Show you why branding is important
Look at your brand strategy, brand identity and action
Help you learn how to develop your brand’s positioning, character, and purpose to differentiate your business from its competitors
Demonstrate how to set up a brand kit and style guide to ensure consistency across websites, social media, business cards, posters etc.
Teach you how to create simple promotional graphics using a variety of tools including Canva
Highlight a variety of free tools including Google Drive, Hubspot and Mailchimp that can save time and simplify marketing tasks

Business Planning: Secure Your Funding
2025-01-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Montrose Port Authority, Harbour Office, South Quay, Montrose, DD10 9SL

Marketing for your business
2025-01-14 10:00 - 13:00
Without proper marketing your business cannot have a lasting impact. This bootcamp will help you to identify, profile and gain a deeper understanding of your target audiences, how to conduct market research and build a marketing plan. It will also explain brand development and positioning – choosing your price points.
Agenda:
Marketing and market research

What is Marketing?
How to understand your audience using market research

Understanding Your Customers and Competition

Understanding your competitors
Identifying your customers and categorising them
Understanding your customers’ needs and motivations

Marketing Planning, Pricing and Branding

Pricing Considerations
Developing your brand
Developing your message
Deciding on the best marketing methods for your business
Budgeting and evaluating

Introduction to Canva
2025-01-14 13:30 - 15:30
Canva is an all-in-one online design tool that makes it simple to create graphics, edit photos/videos and write content.
In this webinar, you’ll learn how to navigate Canva with confidence, starting with a broad overview of what you can create and do with Canva including a live demonstration of the Canva Editor.
We’ll then explore how to:

Design professional printed marketing materials and edit photos with ease.
Create engaging social media content, including videos and images for posts and ads.
Write creative blog content and make stunning presentations.

We’ll finish this beginner’s guide to Canva by looking at some clever strategies for improving how you market your business with your new suite of creative marketing materials.
As a result of attending this webinar, you will gain practical knowledge of the basics of Canva and learn how to save time when marketing your business online. We’ll be focusing on the free features of Canva for this webinar but some paid ‘Canva Pro’ features will be demonstrated also.
Before you sign up for this webinar, please make sure you have created a free Canva account that you are signed into. We will be doing three live demonstrations, giving you an opportunity to practice your new creative skills.

How To Develop a Brand For Your Business
2025-01-14 14:00 - 15:30
Your brand does not just mean which name or logo you choose, it is so much more. Getting your brand right and following the correct process is essential for any new business owner. This bootcamp is designed for those people who are either pre-start or at the very early-stage of running their own business.
We’ll look at the principles of branding and the 5 key elements to each brand. We will guide you through each step and give you tools and templates that will help you on your brand journey.
Agenda:
• Understanding the difference between a brand and a logo
• The 5 key elements of a brand
• Your brand position
• Your brand promise
• Your brand values
• Your brand story
• Brand Associations
• Next steps for you

An introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) for small businesses
2025-01-15 10:00 - 12:00
You’ve heard of Artificial Intelligence, but do you know how it can help you as you run your business? This practical webinar will explore how AI can help improve your business marketing to be more efficient and cost-effective, through the automatic creation of content for all your digital platforms; as well as helping you better understand your customers and business opportunities.
This webinar will cover:

What is Artificial Intelligence
Current AI tools and systems to use right now (including ChatGPT and MidJourney)
Automating digital content for blogs and social media
Using AI for business strategy and customer profiling
The pros and cons of AI for small businesses

This webinar will help you understand how you can integrate AI into your existing marketing, looking at the potential consequences (good and bad) of Artificial Intelligence, and its impact on small businesses and their customers.

Google Analytics – Understand how your website performs
2025-01-15 14:00 - 16:00
Google Analytics is a powerful tool that helps you understand how your website is performing. It helps answer lots of questions, including:

Which marketing channels drive traffic to your site?
What pages are users looking at the most?
What impact does mobile have on your potential customers?

During this webinar, we’ll help you understand how Google Analytics is set up and give you an overview of key reports. We’ll also look at other web analytics tools to help you online.

Unlocking the power of crowdfunding
2025-01-16 10:00 - 12:00
This webinar will equip businesses with the knowledge and strategies to effectively leverage crowdfunding for growth and success.
We’ll cover:

Understanding your funding audience
Crowdfunding success stories
The impact of a successful campaign
The opportunity presented by patronage models
Essential elements of a winning crowdfunding campaign
Building a crowdfunding culture
Crowdfunding myths and realities
Strategies for success

By the end of this webinar, you will have a comprehensive understanding of crowdfunding and patronage/membership models, actionable strategies to launch a successful campaign and the confidence to take your organisation to new heights through crowdfunding.

Building Travel Trade Through Farm Tours
2025-01-16 10:00 - 15:30 | Bairnkine Farm Tours, Bairnkine Farm, Jedburgh, TD8 6PH
Join Scotland’s Agritourism Monitor Farms Programme at Bairnkine Farm in the Scottish Borders for another informative event, this time focused on building travel trade connections through farm tours.
Whether you’re an established agritourism business or just starting out, all are welcome to attend.
Lucy Tile, of Bairnkine Farm, will provide progress updates on their farm tours and lead a walkaround of the farm. We’ll also hear from Jasmine Jackson, Jacksons at Jedburgh, and Robert and Lucy Wilson, Wilson’s Farm and Kitchen, who will talk about the ways in which they have developed their business with the travel trade.
Rona Wallace, Senior Intermediary Marketing Manager at VisitScotland, will also lead a session on getting started working with the travel trade and provide useful insights on the industry.
There will be a chance to share thoughts & ideas and network over lunchtime.
Tea and Coffee will be provided. There will be a cup of soup at lunchtime but please do bring a packed lunch.

How to improve your Google search rankings - Part 1: On page optimisation
2025-01-16 14:00 - 16:00
Join us to look at how Google and other search engines decide the order in which they list their search results. We will show you how to maximise your chances of appearing towards the top of the search rankings, ensuring you understand what key words and phrases your potential customers are using when searching online, and how to optimise your website as a result.
We will cover:

How search engines work, and the ‘on-page’ factors used to rank your site
Understanding customer search behaviour
Keyword research tools and how to benefit from them
Optimising your website content for search engines

A step-by-step guide to building your business plan
2025-01-17 10:00 - 12:00
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

Bookkeeping essentials
2025-01-20 10:00 - 12:00
This webinar is for those who are entering business for the first time or require an understanding of what is involved in financially managing a business, including basic bookkeeping, and creating a profit and loss account. You will also get an understanding of what expenses the business can claim and then how to fund your business. At the end of the session, you will receive a workbook on excel to help you manage and monitor costs and sales.
At the end of this session, you will be able to:

Implement basic bookkeeping skills across your business
Create a profit and loss account
Understand what expenses can and cannot be claimed
Use financial management to increase revenues and profits
Understand capital and revenue costs and how they are treated

Business Support – Drop In Sessions (Carnoustie Library)
2025-01-20 13:00 - 16:00 | Carnoustie Library, 21 High Street, Carnoustie, DD7 6AN
The Business Gateway team will be at Carnoustie Library to offer expert advice and support for all your business questions.
Drop in and speak to us, or use the book now button and a member of the team will be in touch to book an appointment.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to grow business, our advisers are here for you every step of the way.

EOI - Ecommerce: Direct-to-Consumer and Business-to-Business Accelerator
2025-01-21 10:00 - 16:00
Unlock the potential of direct-to-consumer (D2C) ecommerce with our flexible programme, designed to help businesses refine and grow their online presence.
This comprehensive course focuses on strategies for selling directly to consumers – including everything from optimising your website to creating seamless customer experiences.
In addition to the direct-to-consumer channel, we’ll explore opportunities in business-to-business (B2B) ecommerce. This will offer a broader perspective to businesses looking to diversify their sales channels.
With practical, action-oriented guidance and one-to-one support, you’ll develop a tailored action plan that drives growth and helps expand your reach – whether you’re focusing on direct-to-consumer or considering business-to-business for future opportunities.
Unlock the potential of direct-to-consumer ecommerce with this flexible programme, which focuses on:

Optimising your website to enhance functionality and improve the customer experience
Creating a seamless customer journey that drives loyalty and increases conversions
Exploring opportunities in the business-to-business channel

Introduction to Lean Workshop
2025-01-22 09:00 - 12:30 | UHI Perth, Crieff Road, Perth, PH1 2NX
Improving productivity in your business can reduce costs and increase competitiveness.
One way to boost your productivity – and keep it high – is to employ Lean Thinking Principles.
Hosted in partnership with Tay Cities Engineering Partnership and UHI Perth, this breakfast workshop is an ideal opportunity to learn all about lean techniques and how they could help your business.
As well as providing a short overview of the Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service (SMAS), this interactive workshop will explore how lean manufacturing can help engage people and create sustainable change in your business.
As the workshop will take place at the UHI Perth, this will also be an opportunity to hear how our partners at Tay Cities Engineering Partnership are sharing expertise and collaborating to drive up the skills and technology base of the sector.
Who should attend:
This event is for business leaders who want to understand the basics of improvement through team-building exercises and practical application.
Through the manufacturing simulation provided, you’ll gain an understanding of the wastes and learn the importance of Performance Management.
This activity workshop provides the opportunity to step back from current operations, review the essential implementation elements of improvement, and assess the way forward for your organisation.

Delivering profit to drive growth
2025-01-22 10:00 - 12:00
The course covers financial analysis, strategic decision-making, resource allocation, and the role of innovation and scalability in leveraging profit for long-term success.
We will cover:

Getting to know your financials
Controlling growth
Improving decision making
Opportunities
Cash is king
Controlling change
Pricing strategies for maximum profit
Measuring profit

The 2025 playbook: this year's key business trends
2025-01-22 12:30 - 13:30
From advancements in AI to shifts in social media, customer behaviour and attracting talent, this session will provide actionable insights to keep you ahead of the curve. Our expert panel, hosted by Hugh Lightbody, will share their predictions, case studies, and strategies for leveraging these trends to drive growth and ensure you can stay competitive in an ever-changing landscape.
This session will cover:

The significant trends shaping the business landscape in 2025
How businesses can adapt to the rapid pace of change in technology and market demands
Effective strategies to help small businesses remain resilient during uncertain times
How consumer preferences and behaviours will evolve this year
The role of digital transformation in helping businesses stay competitive
How businesses can train and bring in new talent

Panellists include:

Hugh Lightbody (Host), Chief Officer, Business Gateway National Unit
Genevieve White, Business Gateway Adviser & Founder of Campion Comms
Sean McGrath, CEO, Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation
Gary Ennis, Founder, Managing Director & Senior Consultant, NSDesign Ltd
