DBT’s Australia and New Zealand Roadshow 2024 - Dundee
2024-03-14 13:30 - 16:30 UTC | Malmaison Dundee, 44 Whitehall Crescent, Dundee, DD1 4AY
Australia and New Zealand offer significant trade opportunities for UK businesses. This is your chance to explore these with trade experts.
You’re invited to join the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in Dundee on 14 March for a Scottish Food and Drink Industry event, highlighting opportunities in-market and practical tips for routes to market. You will have the chance to hear from in-country trade advisors, businesses successfully exporting to these markets, and more.
This is a great opportunity to:

Hear directly from a wide range of speakers including our DBT teams based in Australia and New Zealand
Join interactive sessions on the opportunities for selling products and services
Understand the benefits of the Free Trade Agreements for your business
Network with other businesses and specialists from DBT

e-Commerce with Shopify
2024-03-14 18:00 - 20:00
Shopify is a powerful all-in-one e-Commerce website builder that makes setting up an online store simple and straightforward. In this webinar, we will explore Shopify’s features and pull together the building blocks for your first e-Commerce website.
By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:

Understand the essential features that a website needs to have to sell physical and digital products online
Understand what Shopify is and how to use the features it offers to build a secure and powerful e-Commerce website
Use the Shopify page builder and work with free themes to get the design and style of your website on-brand
Understand how to manage orders and deliver great customer service
Understand how to launch your new e-Commerce website and ensure all essential building blocks are in place using a pre-launch checklist

TikTok for Business
2024-03-15 10:00 - 12:00
We’ll look at how to segment the global social media audience into the audience you are trying to target, discuss what social media platforms will work for your audience, and how to create engaging video content which will spark interaction with your brand.
Part of the session will look at planning video content and production and different methods to use.

How to generate and increase sales
2024-03-15 14:00 - 16:00
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

How to build a digital marketing plan
2024-03-18 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

Instagram for business
2024-03-18 14:00 - 16:00
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.

Scottish Manufacturing Advisory Service Continuous Improvement Workshop
2024-03-19 09:00 - 12:00 | Engineering Partnership Innovation Centre, Keptie Road, Arbroath, DD11 3EA
If you’re looking for ways to adopt sustainable continuous improvements in your business — especially to increase productivity and competitiveness — then this free workshop is for you.
This breakfast workshop focuses on how to learn and understand Lean principles through fun, interactive exercises.
The event will be hosted in partnership with Dundee and Angus College at the brand new Engineering Partnership Innovation Centre (EPIC), Arbroath Campus, Keptie Road, DD11 3EA on Tuesday 19 March 2024 from 9am to 12pm.
What you’ll learn from this event
Improving productivity in your business can lead to a reduction in production costs and a more competitive business. Focusing on adding value through applying Lean techniques leads to improved quality, cost and delivery performance along with increased capacity.
This highly interactive event will simulate how businesses are run. It highlights some of the typical daily challenges that most businesses experience and demonstrates an alternative way of looking at your business.
You’ll find out how, by applying some simple ‘Lean Thinking Principles’, you can start to think and act differently to improve your business efficiency.
Why attend?
This event is for progressive people who wish 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.
Who should attend?
This event is suited for people at a Senior Manager level, those who have responsibility for championing or driving business improvement within the workplace, and/or those involved in the implementation of new processes and new ways of working.
The event has been timed to ensure minimum time away from the workplace. It starts at 9am with breakfast and refreshments and finishes promptly at noon.
There will be ample opportunity to network with like-minded people and explore ways that SMAS can support your business.
This event is free of charge, with limited places, so book early to avoid disappointment.

Fair Work Workshop
2024-03-19 09:30 - 12:30
Fair Work is an investment in everyone, for everyone. It can improve productivity, innovation, organisational reputation and recruitment. It can also reduce staff turnover and help create inclusive workplaces with a richness of talent and a diversity of ideas.
For staff, Fair Work can increase financial security, physical health and psychological wellbeing. For businesses, it brings more engaged, committed and adaptable workers who spot challenges and opportunities, solve problems, offer insight and ideas for business improvement, and create value.
What’s the event about?
This is a fully funded workshop which will help participating companies to:

Understand the benefits of fair work (for both the business and its staff)
Develop an action plan to embed or improve current people practices
Prioritise and take next steps to implementing an action plan

This type of actions that could result from a fair work action plan include:

Improving people and fair work practices
Skills, leadership and management development
Creating a positive culture and values-based approach
Improving employee engagement and supporting performance management practices

What’s Involved?

Complete the Fair Work Employer Support Tool and familarise yourself with fair work and benchmark your company on where you are on your fair work journey.
Join your three-hour workshop to explore the key concepts of the five dimensions of fair work, along with some practical solutions to embed and improve this in your organisation and begin to develop your action plan.

The programme is for Scottish SMEs. You’re particularly suitable if you:

Are you business leader or individual who wants to understand more about Fair Work and the support available.
Have the autonomy and influence to implement an action plan

Scotland's Marine Tourism Conference 2024
2024-03-19 09:30 - 16:00 | The Waterside, Ardrossan Road, West Kilbride, KA23 9NG
Part of the national Scottish Tourism Month Programme and proudly sponsored by North Ayrshire Council, this is not just Sail Scotland members, everyone related to the industry is welcome to come together, learn, and network with others.
The event is for everyone with an interest in the marine tourism sector; whether it’s the delivery, skills, supply chain, marketing or development.
This year, the event will be focusing on:

the strategic importance of marine tourism and sustainable and responsible consumer behaviour
the importance of continued investment in marketing, infrastructure, and product development
opportunities and things to think about now
how everyone can collaborate to grow marine tourism further

The programme is still being finalised but it will include input from:

Fiona Hyslop MSP – Minister for Transport
Gavin McDonagh – Chairman of Sail Scotland and MD of Holt Leisure Group
Rob Dickson – Director of Industry and Destination Development, VisitScotland
Joshua Ryan-Saha – Director of Traveltech for Scotland Daniel Steel – CEO, Sail Scotland
Sinead Sheridan – Marine Planning and Policy Officer for NatureScot

Please remember that tickets are limited, and this event has often sold out in the past.
So, please book early and come along to join the debate and hear from our line-up of expert speakers, with more to be announced soon!

Inclusive recruitment training
2024-03-19 10:00 - 11:30
Widen your tech talent pool with inclusive recruitment.
The industry is facing a considerable tech/cyber skills gap. Workplace inclusion is no longer a “nice to have” and is now critical to attract and secure the best talent. Embedding inclusive recruitment practices ensures you are tapping into a wider talent pool, fostering diversity of people, experiences, and innovation.
Join ScotlandIS for free online training about inclusive recruitment practices specifically designed for small and medium sized enterprises.
What will you learn?

increase your understanding of what inclusive recruitment is within the Scottish tech ecosystem
learn about current best practices throughout the recruitment process and know how to apply them within your organisation
develop skills to review your own recruitment processes and identify short-term and long-term actions
where to find resource and guidance to continue your learning

Who should attend?

this training is designed specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises with a requirement for digital technology skills
ideal for professionals in a management or leadership position, working in Human Resources or involved in the recruitment process

When is it?
This training will be hosted online and split across two sessions to allow time for self-reflection.  Participants should attend both sessions:
Session 1: Tuesday 19 March 10am – 11.30am
Session 2: Tuesday 26 March 10am – 11.30am

Build your brand and promotional graphics
2024-03-19 11:00 - 13:00
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

The business benefits of running a sustainable business
2024-03-19 14:00 - 16:00
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

Responsible Tourism for a Sustainable Future
2024-03-19 15:00 - 16:00
In an exciting new partnership, VisitScotland are working with The Travel Corporation (TTC) and the Travel Foundation, to host a free “Responsible Tourism for a Sustainable Future” webinar.
The one-hour webinar on Tuesday 19 March will offer Scottish tourism businesses an insight into what global tour operators are looking for when choosing a business to work with in Scotland and advice on futureproofing your products and services.
The session will include guest speakers, case studies, free tools available to help businesses with their climate action planning, as well as advice on creating bookable experiences for tour operators – a key booking channel for international visitors.
The Travel Corporation is a global operator whose brands include Contiki, Luxury Gold, Insight Vacations, Brendan Vacations and Trafalgar. As well as sharing the latest consumer trends, the Travel Corporation will also outline the opportunities to support its development of MAKE TRAVEL MATTER ® Experiences and its collective mission to reduce emissions in its tour programmes globally.
As part of our ongoing work to support the industry on its journey to low carbon, the “Responsible Tourism for a Sustainable Future” webinar will include information about the free tools and resources available to help Scottish tourism businesses meet their net zero targets including our Climate Action Planning guide.

Business Finance Viability
2024-03-19 16:00 - 18:00
Led by experienced advisers, this webinar takes the fear out of finances, providing practical tools and guidance to help you confidently manage your business’s budgeting and forecasting. You’ll learn how to identify the hidden costs of running your business, including the cost of hiring staff, maintaining stock levels, and other crucial expenses.
Through a series of engaging exercises, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your business’s financial viability, helping you make informed decisions about its future growth and success. Whether you’re a new entrepreneur or have been in business for a couple of years, this webinar is tailored to your needs, providing you with the knowledge and skills to take your business to the next level.
Don’t let financial worries hold you back from realizing your business’s full potential. Sign up for the Business Finance Viability webinar today and discover how to confidently manage your business’s financial health!

How to protect and manage your intellectual property
2024-03-20 10:00 - 12:00
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

Quit stalling and build your brand
2024-03-20 12:00 - 13:00
Join this webinar to explore the current range of low-cost digital technologies that can help you build your business and your brand.

How to write and develop your business plan
2024-03-20 14:00 - 16:00
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

Unlock SPA Framework Opportunities Learn How to Bid For Our Frameworks
2024-03-21 09:30 - 12:30 | Scottish Procurement Alliance, 6 Deer Park Avenue, Livingston, EH54 8AF
This session will provide prospective bidders with the necessary knowledge of procurement practices, documentation, the scoring mechanism and other crucial elements of the application process.
There are several framework opportunities that will be available in the coming weeks and months. Attending this session will provide businesses looking to apply the fundamental knowledge that could land them a great opportunity to work with over 120 public sector organisations in Scotland.

Introduction to SPA
Upcoming frameworks
Open vs restricted procurement
Overview of the suite of tender documents
Scoring mechanism
Top tips for success
Q&A

The invitation is open to businesses of all sizes with an interest in applying for one of our framework opportunities.
Upcoming framework opportunities:

Retrofit and Decarbonisation (N9)
Design, Supply and Installation of Permanent and Temporary Modular Buildings (MB3)
Public Buildings Construction and Infrastructure(PB4)
Roofing Systems and Associated Works (RS5)

The low-cost guide to marketing your business
2024-03-21 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

Understanding machine learning
2024-03-21 15:00 - 16:00
This session teaches the foundations of how machine learning models learn and work, the components of designing a problem for machine learning to solve and a basic understanding of the resources and tools needed for a business to invest in machine learning. Aimed at small business leaders / owners or anyone looking to get a better understanding on the subject.
In this session, you will learn:

how different machine learning models work
the essentials for preparing data for a machine learning project
options for implementing machine learning for a business

This session is run using YouTube and is 60 minutes long.
The course assumes no prior knowledge or experience so there is no pre-reading necessary.
There will be the opportunity to ask questions during the session.
Please note, these training sessions are only available in the UK.

Boost your productivity with AI
2024-03-21 16:30 - 17:30
This Google Digital Garage session introduces learners to cutting-edge AI tools that are already available from Google and others, to show some of the smartest ways digital-age workers can use them to save time at work and on tasks.
In this session, you will learn:

an introduction to generative AI and how it works
how to use AI-powered tools and techniques to save you time
an overview to crafting effective prompts

This session is run using YouTube and is 45 minutes long.
The course assumes no prior knowledge or experience so there is no pre-reading necessary.
There will be the opportunity to ask questions during the session.
Please note, these training sessions are only available in the UK.

How to start a business: The basics
2024-03-21 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

Managing the growth of your small business
2024-03-22 14:00 - 15:00
Starting a venture is one thing, growing it is another. Scaling effectively can be one of the most challenging aspects, with mis-managed growth often leading to downfall after so much time, effort and money has been invested. So if you are a business owner that has started to see growth, this webinar will help you to gain more creative, time and financial freedom as your venture transitions to offer greater reach and impact.
Overview:
This session will look at the principles of growth and:

the distinction between self-employment and business ownership
identifying and implementing optimal systems for record-keeping, decision-making, monitoring and evaluation
devising a range of risk-management processes to better manage business functions and the people involved
how to hire to enable and enhance expansion
improving workflow and project management
licensing, franchising, acquiring another venture

The basics of trading on eBay, Etsy and Amazon Marketplaces
2024-03-25 10:00 - 12:00
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.

Productivity and Retention Benefits that flexible working can bring
2024-03-25 10:00 - 12:00
This interactive, online masterclass will explore the transformative benefits of flexible working, from boosting employee productivity and wellbeing to addressing the challenges of candidate shortages. Through real-world examples and practical insights, you’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of how flexible working can serve as a strategic tool in your recruitment efforts.
Our expert facilitators, from Flexibility Works, Nikki Slowey and Lisa Gallagher, will guide you through interactive discussions and actionable strategies, including:

Discovering the diverse forms of flexible working and how they can be seamlessly integrated across different job types and sectors to attract top talent.
Unveiling the latest trends and insights into the flexible working landscape in Scotland and beyond, providing you with a competitive advantage in recruitment.
Exploring practical tips and strategies for piloting, implementing, or reviewing flexible work arrangements to suit both your company and your employees’ needs, including our acclaimed Flexibility Works 7-step framework.
Delving into inspiring case studies and success stories from organizations that have successfully embraced flexible working, highlighting their impact on recruitment and retention efforts.
Takeaway resources, including the Flexibility Works ‘Business Case for Flex,’ flexible recruitment guides, and guidance around how to measure the impact of flexible working in your business.

Facebook for business
2024-03-25 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.

Hydrogen Expert Support - Networking Conference
2024-03-26 09:30 - 14:00 | Energy Transition Zone, Hareness Road, Aberdeen, AB12 3LE
Scottish Enterprise invite the participants of the Hydrogen Expert Support programme to the Energy Transition Zone hub in Aberdeen for a day of networking and collaboration.
We’re encouraging the included companies to learn from one other and find collaborative opportunities within their operations.
Together we can boost the capabilities of Scottish companies within this sector both domestically and internationally.

TikTok and Instagram Reels for business
2024-03-26 10:00 - 12:00
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.

Google Profile Optimisation & Organic Growth Strategies
2024-03-26 10:00 - 12:00 | Montrose Library, 214 High Street, Montrose, DD10 8PJ
This unique, informative and insightful masterclass with Niki Hutcheson our expert in all elements of enhancing a business using online tools and tricks will leave you with information and a plan to take your business to the next level.
The best thing about what you will learn in this masterclass is that to take your business to the next level can be done with a small or even no cost.
Organic marketing is marketing that costs nothing or very little. When it comes to growing a small business, there are lots of things you can do to generate results without spending money. During the masterclass, you will learn how to set up your Google Business Profile for success and grow an audience completely organically (without paying for ads). We will cover the key things your Google Business Profile must include, as well as how to keep it up to date AND the top methods that are working in 2024 to grow an audience organically online.

Selling Online - The Key to Success
2024-03-26 10:00 - 12:00 | Arbroath Football Club, Gayfield Park, Arbroath, DD11 1QJ
Are you considering selling your products or services online but feeling uncertain about where to begin?
Fear not, help is on hand! Join Business Gateway and three fantastic ecommerce experts to explore the potential for expanding your business online.

Zishan Ashraf, Senior Merchant Success Manager EMEA at Shopify Plus, will delve into the platform’s capabilities, including how their using data from buying habits to enhance the customer journey.
Daniel Rosie, from DLR Media, specialises in empowering brands to thrive online. He’ll share invaluable insights, from initial considerations and launch strategies to sustaining your online presence. Attendees will leave with a comprehensive checklist to guide their ecommerce journey.
Daniel McCabe from Trust Pilot will demonstrate how to take your business reviews to the next level.

During the event there will be networking opportunities for you to meet link minded businesses from across Tayside, helping grow your connections.
This event is open to businesses who are looking to grow their businesses online. Attendees can also schedule personalised 1-2-1 sessions with Daniel, providing tailored guidance on ecommerce strategies specific to their business needs. These sessions are scheduled for March 9, 2024.
