Invest in Angus

The essentials of bookkeeping and what expenses you can claim
2024-03-11 14:00 - 16:00 UTC
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

Accessible tourism - welcoming all customers
2024-03-11 14:00 - 16:30 | St James Quarter, Edinburgh, EH1 3AD
This half-day training course focuses specifically on customer service for disabled customers, which also benefits other customer groups. This is the second in a series of inclusive and accessible tourism events.
Participants will learn about:

adopting a positive attitude to all customers and anticipating accessibility requirements
successful communication styles to identify customer needs
legal obligations and types of discrimination

This interactive session will include activities, exercises, and discussions. Each participant will receive a guide containing practical tips. Participants also receive a jointly branded VisitScotland / Welcome to Excellence attendance certificate.
Normally, a full-day course would cost organisations £950 + VAT for 16 delegate places. However, ETAG in partnership with VisitScotland are giving 16 businesses the opportunity to attend a condense version of the course, for a reduced cost of £15 per person.
Please note that there are only 16 places available on this training workshop. To allow more businesses the opportunity to be trained, only one person from each business can sign up to attend.
These events are aimed at tourism businesses only who operate on a B2C (business to consumer) or B2B (business to business) basis.
Unfortunately, no places are available for intermediaries, consultants or suppliers of services.

Getting ready for offshore wind farm constructions - lessons from Scotland
2024-03-12 09:00 - 10:00
This webinar will cover a few examples of Scotland’s experiences with offshore wind preconstruction works (UXO safe disposal, surveying, marine life protection), which Poland’s upcoming projects can benefit from.

Scottish Tourism Month 2024: The Signature Conference
2024-03-12 09:00 - 2024-03-13 17:00 | P&J Live, East Burn Road, Aberdeen, AB21 9FX, United Kingdom
March is dedicated to Scottish Tourism Month; an opportunity to amplify the voice of the tourism and hospitality industry, recognising its enormous contribution to Scotland and highlighting the support it needs to overcome the immense challenges it faces to grow sustainably.
The flagship event of Scottish Tourism Month, The Signature Conference, will explore these themes from Tuesday 12th to Wednesday 13th March 2024 at the P&J Live in Aberdeen
Delivered as a collaboration between leading industry trade bodies, The Scottish Tourism Alliance (STA), the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) and the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA), the event is designed to connect, engage and empower organisations in and related to the sector.
The biggest conference of its kind in Scotland, the event will bring together the leading voices in the industry and beyond to deliver a high-quality programme which will cover:

The latest trends and insights across travel, tourism, hospitality, food and drink, the economy and policy.
Useful information and actionable advice to take into your business
Inspirational stories and relevant examples of innovation
Best practice and knowledge sharing

Programme coming soon – early 2024.

Producing engaging online content
2024-03-12 10:00 - 12:00
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

Open age inclusion awareness
2024-03-12 14:00 - 15:30
Age Scotland’s age inclusion awareness webinar is an hour-long introduction to the topic of age in the workplace. The purpose of the session is to:

raise awareness of ageism in the workplace and the potential consequences for organisations and individuals
explore what you can do as an individual to co-create an age inclusive working environment

It will provide you with some research data and ideas for developing your knowledge, skills and understanding further.
The webinar will be followed by an up to 30 minutes Q&A session with the speaker.

Google Analytics – Understand how your website performs
2024-03-12 14:00 - 16:00
Google Analytics (Universal and GA4) 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.

The Basics of Starting a Business
2024-03-12 16:00 - 18:00
This webinar will give you the information needed to build a start up action plan. The plan will enable you to consider which actions are relevant to your plan, start building a set of SMART Goals, give thought to business skills development and provide a clear path for steps to launch your business.
You will also learn about the key considerations when starting a business and what steps you will need to take from legal, financial and strategic standpoints.
By the end of the webinar, you will have the information required to start building an action plan and be confident about understanding the next steps.

Photography for online business
2024-03-12 18:00 - 20:00
During this webinar you will:

Discover the basic ‘dos and don’ts’ of taking your own pictures, editing them and uploading them onto digital platforms.
See some real-life examples of posts that demonstrate good, bad and indifferent use for businesses.

How to improve your Google search rankings - Part 2: Off page optimisation & technical considerations
2024-03-13 10:00 - 12:00
Join us as we take a further, more detailed look at how the Google search engines indexes and ranks websites based on a number of external (off-page) and technical factors. Implementing this learning will increase your chances of customers discovering your business through Google – the world’s leading research tool.
We will cover:

How to block or control what websites are allowed to ‘index’
The importance of a fast loading mobile website
How security and usability influence Google
What “off-page” optimisation means, and tactics to generate back-links
The importance of Local SEO, and why a “Google Business Profile” is vital

Kickstart your Marketing
2024-03-13 10:00 - 12:00
The workshop will cover the basic principles of marketing, including target audience identification, competitor analysis, value proposition, and the development of marketing strategies.
The workshop will also explore the importance of measuring the success of marketing strategies and how adhering to good business practice can positively influence Customer Generated Content
Overall, this workshop is ideal for businesses – new and existing – who want to gain a solid understanding of the basics. By the end of the workshop, you should have the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and execute an effective marketing strategy for your business.

Accounts and tax - top tips for new businesses
2024-03-13 12:00 - 13:00
This is an essential event for new business owners, those starting their own business, or anyone who finds accounts and tax challenging. It will be conducted via Zoom.
In this one-hour session, Katie Gilmour, an expert in accounting and taxation, will demystify the complexities of business finances. This training will provide you with fundamental knowledge and practical tips to manage your business’ financial aspects with confidence.
Key aspects of the session:

Understanding financial statements. Katie will explain the basics of a balance sheet and how it differs from a profit and loss account, helping you understand the core of business financials.
Types of taxation explained. Get clarity on different types of taxes including corporation tax, VAT, personal tax, and PAYE. This knowledge is crucial for legal and efficient business operation.
Profit versus cash flow. Learn the difference between profit and cash flow, and why understanding both is vital for your business’ health.
Avoiding common financial mistakes. Katie will highlight common financial pitfalls that new business owners often encounter and how to avoid them.

March Open Age Inclusion Workshop
2024-03-13 13:00 - 16:00
Age Scotland’s Age Inclusion for Managers workshop is a 3-hour interactive virtual workshop which will provide an opportunity to learn about Age Inclusion and to develop skills around managing difficult conversations.
The purpose of the workshops is to:
• raise awareness of ageism in the workplace and the potential consequences for organisations and individuals
• explore what you can do as an individual to co-create an age inclusive working environment
• develop skills in handling challenging workplace conversations around age
The workshop will provide you with some research data and ideas for developing your knowledge, skills and understanding further. There will be time for questions at the end of the session.

Planning & scheduling your online content
2024-03-13 18:00 - 20:00
Businesses who plan their content in advance, aligning their channels with actual business objectives, customer themes and national events, and then schedule it to ensure it reaches the target market at the right time, on the right platform – hugely increase the chances of achieving impact.
In this webinar, you will learn how to:

Plan content based on your business and your customer needs
Evaluate current social media dashboards and management tools
Create a social media content calendar and schedule updates automatically
Reach more people through automating your blog and email newsletter content
Implement simple automation techniques to increase efficiency

Having great content is just the start. This webinar will help you better organise and setup your content strategy through simple planning and effective scheduling, to achieve great business results.

Using AI for business and international growth
2024-03-14 10:00 - 11:00
This webinar will help you understand artificial intelligence (AI) and its potential business uses.
Get an introduction to AI technology, see practical steps for using it, and learn about its limitations.

An introduction to business websites & what you need to consider
2024-03-14 10:00 - 12:00
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.

Canva
2024-03-14 10:00 - 13:00
This course covers editing pictures, designing cover photos and collages, and making professional-looking images without needing a designer.
You’ll pick up quick Canva tips, shortcuts, and best practices for free, understand the importance of good graphic design for building your brand, and discover how to create quality graphics. The goal is to help you quickly and effectively produce engaging content, saving time and effort.

DBT’s Australia and New Zealand Roadshow 2024 - Dundee
2024-03-14 13:30 - 16:30 | 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.
