Invest in Angus

An introduction to business websites & what you need to consider
2023-03-01 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.

TikTok and Instagram Reels for business
2023-03-01 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.

Selling on Global Platforms: Shopify
2023-03-01 10:00 - 11:00
Shopify is a leading global commerce company, providing trusted tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business of any size. Shopify makes commerce better for everyone with a platform and services that are engineered for reliability while delivering a better shopping experience for consumers everywhere. Shopify powers over 1.7 million businesses in more than 175 countries and is trusted by brands small and large.
Rakesh has over 15 years’ experience in the IT/digital/online industry, working with companies small and large on all aspects of technology. A former e-Business Adviser with Scottish Enterprise, he worked with high-growth new-starts and established businesses, offering strategic advice on online and technology issues.
With business, agency and public sector experience, Rakesh continues to work in a business advisory and consulting capacity, while also delivering training and workshops with a focus on technology adoption and improvement for businesses.
Rakesh has been delivering workshops and seminars for Business Gateway now since 2008 and in addition has also delivered on a number of Scottish Enterprise Expert Help frameworks including Digital Marketing, Innovation and ICT and E-Commerce.

An Introduction to Bookkeeping
2023-02-28 18:00 - 20:00
This workshop aims to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to manage your finances and comply with regulatory and legal requirements through a relevant bookkeeping system.
This workshop will explain:

what financial records are needed
the broad principles and procedures of accounting systems
how to choose accounting systems – both manual and computerised
which financial statements and statutory returns are relevant to your business
different accounting periods and financial years
how to use financial records for monitoring the financial state of your business
cash flow forecasting, profit and loss statements as well as what they should contain
what financial measures and forecasts are needed by your business
what information on financial record keeping is available and from whom

By the end of the workshop you will be able to introduce or improve your financial record keeping system and improve how you manage your finances.

Cost of Doing Business: Reducing Energy Costs - Part 2
2023-02-28 14:00 - 15:00
Is your business impacted by rising energy costs? Join three practical webinars to discover low-cost investment opportunities to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions.
Join Mike Milner, Tomson Consulting Ltd, and Scottish Enterprise’s Sustainability Specialists on this practical three-part online series looking at the no cost, low cost, and investment opportunities for your company to reduce energy costs, increase efficiencies and support decarbonisation – building long-term resilience in your business.These webinars are of value to all Scottish companies looking for practical solutions to reduce the impact of the energy crisis while working towards net zero. The webinars will provide insights into cost saving options for all sectors, including energy monitoring, management, and behavioural change. You’ll also hear about specialised solutions associated with heating and cooling, equipment, and on-site renewable energy generation.
Mike Milner is a highly qualified and experienced engineer with over two decades of practical experience in many sectors including food and drink, manufacturing, hospitality and leisur, construction, and historic buildings.
Webinar 2 — Opportunities – electricity saving and renewables:

Lighting and controls
IT equipment and servers
Compressed air – generation, distribution and use
Motors, drive and pumps
Renewables and battery storage

The essentials of bookkeeping and what expenses you can claim
2023-02-28 13:00 - 15:00
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

Google and VisitScotland presents: tourism accommodation – make the most of Google Hotels and Google Vacation Rentals
2023-02-28 11:00 - 12:00
Join this special session for tourism accommodation (hotels, B&Bs, guest houses, hostels and self-catering owners) with Google and VisitScotland.
Hear from Google as to how your business can take advantage of direct booking links on their Google Business Profile and in Google Maps.
You’ll also gain a better understanding of how to more effectively advertise your accommodation using Google Hotels and Google Vacation Rentals.

Tourism industry webinar: free energy-saving advice and funding
2023-02-28 11:00 - 12:00
Business Energy Scotland are partnering with VisitScotland to deliver a free webinar to provide energy saving advice and highlight the funding and support available to tourism businesses.
Discover what free support is available so you can quickly get started making changes.
Join to learn about:

The interest-free loans available to Scottish small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – currently with up to £30k cashback grants
The fully funded expert consultancy advice and support available to SMEs
How you can help your business minimise the impact of rising energy costs and reduce your carbon footprint
Businesses that have already implemented energy-saving changes, what they did and the positive impact this has had on their business

Who should attend?
This event is designed specifically for managers, directors and owners of Scottish tourism businesses and organisations, including accommodation providers, attractions, and more. This webinar will be especially useful for decision makers in these organisations who hold responsibility for business improvement, and responsible and sustainable tourism targets.

Online Sales: Improve, develop & make more money
2023-02-28 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

Improving Your Search Engine Ranking
2023-02-28 10:00 - 12:00
The session will focus on assisting with search engine performance, with reference to Google Analytics (GA) and Search Console data, both offering a wide selection of reports.
To get the most out of the session it’s important that you:

Have a website live and running.
Have Google Analytics setup and active on the website (Universal, not GA4).
Have Search Console setup and active on the website.
Check that there is data collecting in both tools.
Know your login details for both tools and are able to login in advance of the session.

Building a Sustainable Business
2023-02-28 09:30 - 13:00 | Sustainable Kirriemuir, 2 St. Malcolms Wynd, Kirriemuir, DD8 4HB
This workshop, run by Business Gateway sustainability advisors, will give you everything you need to know to start integrating this new, exciting part of business into your company.
By the end of this session, you will be confident with the definition of sustainability and how it relates to your business, know how to go about making your business more sustainable, and be able to identify methods to enhance your business’ sustainability and the opportunities surrounding this.
The event will also hear from Sustainable Kirriemuir who will guide us through Carbon Literacy, what it means and the opportunities for training within your business.
At the event attendees will have the opportunity to sign up to a two hour one to one session with David to take place on 13 or 14 March (in person or on Zoom) when he can provide more tailored support to you and your business.
This is a face-2-face event taking place at Sustainable Kirriemuir, lunch will be provided.

Fair Work Workshop
2023-02-28 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 programme 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

The type of projects and 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

Angus Outdoor Adventure Strategy Workshop
2023-02-28 09:30 - 11:30 | Forbes of Kingennie, DD5 3RD
Book your free place today at the Angus Outdoor Adventure Strategy Workshop – Come along, have your say and get involved in how outdoor adventure tourism is developed in Angus.
The Angus Tourism Cooperative are undertaking a tourism planning process that will result in an Outdoor Adventure Tourism Strategy with the aim of raising awareness of outdoor adventure, nature, health and wellbeing focussed tourism activities in Angus.
This is an exciting initiative that will give the Marine, Adventure, Health and Well-being and Wildlife tourism industry a unique opportunity to look at emerging opportunities, and to discuss ways of addressing issues and concerns that together will generate a greater return from our visitors and build a stronger industry.
This is a critical time as we emerge from Covid-19, face new consumer trends & expectations, and adapt to a future net zero agenda. Now is the time to help shape the future of the sector in Angus.
As part of this process, we would like to invite you to participate in one of our upcoming workshops being held in Angus. At the workshops we will share with you the key findings to date and importantly the latest outdoor adventure market trends.
The workshops will focus on questions such as:
1. What is the current provision of outdoor experiences in Angus, and do they meet consumer expectations?
2. What are the gaps within the current offering and can we identify the potential to develop achievable, deliverable activities and experiences within Angus?
3. What differentiates Angus and gives us a competitive advantage as a Marine, Adventure and Wildlife tourism destination?
4. What factors are hindering sustainable growth of outdoors adventure tourism in Angus, and how do we build on our advantages and strengthen the return on our key markets?
BTS is working with The Angus Tourism Cooperative on the planning process and will facilitate these workshops. We invite you to participate in a workshop to discuss your aspirations and thoughts for outdoors adventure in Angus and to assist in identifying the most appropriate steps that should be taken in the next five years.
These workshops are the initial phase of consultation and we are looking forward to working with you in the ongoing process of developing the strategy.
Event Dates
The workshops are being held on the following dates and you can book your place on one of the workshops by clicking the links below:

Monday 27th February; 4.00pm – 6.00pm; Murton Farm, Murton Steading; Arbroath Road; Forfar, DD8 2RZ; http://bit.ly/3HD0CXe
Tuesday 28th February; 9.30 – 11.30pm; Forbes of Kingennie Country Resort; Kingennie, Broughty Ferry, DD5 3RD; http://bit.ly/40JRPeH

The workshops are open to any business, community group, local authority with an interest in Marine, Adventure, Health and Well-Being or Wildlife Tourism in Angus.

Marketing Made Easy
2023-02-27 18:00 - 20:00
This workshop aims to help you identify your customers, understand your competitors and plan an effective marketing strategy.
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

Angus Outdoor Adventure Strategy Workshop
2023-02-27 16:00 - 18:00 | Murton Farm, Arbroath Road, Forfar, DD8 2RZ

Engaging and supporting an intergenerational workforce
2023-02-27 14:00 - 16:00
Did you know that by 2025, millennials (Gen Y) and centennials (Gen X) will make up over 75% of the workforce? What will this mean for your workplace?
This webinar will explore how you can get the best from today’s multigenerational workforce by addressing communication, prioritisation and staff morale. We’ll look at some of the challenges that intergenerational working can bring, and focus on how your team can work more effectively together by understanding generational traits and their impact on team effectiveness.
During our ‘Journey Through the Generations’, you’ll learn why we associate certain traits with each generation. We’ll look at the stereotypes and challenge and debunk some of them, with the aim of helping you understand your colleagues better. In this session, we’ll focus on the perspectives of Gen Z in particular, and explore how we can prepare ourselves to be better colleagues and managers to the youngest demographic in our workforce.
The talk is delivered by Get the Gen, a social enterprise that helps employers across the UK to understand the value and overcome the challenges of embracing a cohesive multigenerational workforce.

The basics of trading on eBay, Etsy and Amazon Marketplaces
2023-02-27 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.

Social Media Listening with Dr Jillian Ney
2023-02-27 13:00 - 14:00
This Q&A between Dr Jillian Ney, Founder of the Social Intelligence Lab, and Hugh Lightbody, Chief Officer, Business Gateway National Unit will help dispel the myths around social listening.
Dr Jillian Ney, is a digital anthropologist, entrepreneur, author, and keynote speaker who specialises in the analysis of internet culture. She’s also known as the UK’s first ‘Dr. of Social Media.’
Exploring how all businesses can benefit from analysing social and internet data, Dr Ney will highlight quick, simple, and sometimes free tricks that can be used to understand customers, competitors, and your business. The insights you find can be used in marketing, communications, customer experience, and even new product development.
We’ll cover:

What social listening is and how it can help businesses of any size or scale
How businesses can use social listening
How internet culture and social media usage has changed, especially with the introduction of ChatGPT, and how businesses can keep up with these changes through social listening
How to use social listening to differentiate yourself in the market to remain competitive
What resources are available to help businesses get started

How to improve your Google search rankings - Part 2: Off page optimisation & technical considerations
2023-02-27 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

Build your ECommerce sales on Amazon Masterclass
2023-02-27 09:30 - 13:00
In this half-day masterclass, we’ll explore how to grow your business on Amazon.
Amazon is delivering consistent growth year-on-year, leading online sales in the UK and around the globe. Learning how to effectively use this platform is an excellent way to boost your online sales.
Data is core to Amazon, and we’ll take a deep dive into the brand and market data available on the platform, through the Brand Registry programme. The program has a host of essential tools available, and we’ll look at how to use these to maximise your brand’s visibility.
We’ll also cover common mistakes when advertising on the platform and reveals the key to structuring advertising campaigns for maximum visibility and success.
Learning outcomes will include
Brand Registry – Essential tools and Marketplace data available to brands on Amazon

Challenges and solutions when advertising on Amazon
What successful brands do to win on Amazon and how we can learn from them
Understanding what matters to Amazon and how you can use that to grow
What not to do – common mistakes that can lose you profitability instead of growing it with your sales

Photography for online business
2023-02-24 10:00 - 12:00
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.

Digital tools to help run your business remotely
2023-02-23 14:00 - 16:00
Are you ready to ‘go live’ and engage your audience with a live stream? What about running webinars or working remotely with clients or collaborators on the other side of the world? Let us guide you through:

How to use video live streaming, webinars and remote collaboration tools to get results for your business
Equipment you need to get started
An overview of the tools and platforms currently available
Examples of what others are doing
How to monetise this way of working

Sell on Wholesale B2B ECommerce Marketplaces Masterclass
2023-02-23 13:00 - 16:30
Selling online via wholesale marketplaces has become an increasingly attractive way for new and existing retailers to reach customers all over the world.
Thanks to B2B marketplaces like Faire, Wayfair and Alibaba, it’s easier than ever to sell online – but that’s not to say it’s without its challenges.
This event, presented by Karen Riddick, business owner and writer, will explore the range of B2B marketplaces available, from transaction sites to shipping sites, and discuss some of the challenges and solutions to keep in mind when adding this capability to your business operations.
This half-day session will explore:

The background and advantages of Online B2B Marketplaces
What to think about when choosing the right marketplaces for you
Three walk-through examples of current marketplaces (Faire, Fairling and Wayfair)
Alibaba inthe UK
Challenges and solutions when selling on B2B ECommerce.

About the presenter
This event will be delivered by Karen Riddick, Business Owner, Writer, Speaker and Amazon Guru. Karen founded Second Nature Online, an eco-friendly soft furnishing business in 2008. Since then, she has grown it considerably utilising global e-marketplaces to reach international customers.

Google and VisitScotland presents: tourism experiences – make the most of Google Things to do
2023-02-23 11:00 - 12:00
Join this special session for tourism experiences (tours, visitor attractions and activity providers) with Google and VisitScotland.
Hear from Google as to how your business can take advantage of direct booking links on their Google Business Profile and in Google Maps.
You’ll also gain a better understanding of how to more effectively advertise your tours, visitor attractions and activities using Google Things to do.

Planning & scheduling your online content
2023-02-23 10:00 - 12:00
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.

Preventing IT and Digital Project Failure
2023-02-23 09:30 - 12:30 | Apex City Quay Hotel, 1 West Victoria Dock Road, Dundee, DD1 3JP
Evidence suggests that 65% to 75% of IT and digital projects fail. The true cost of project failure isn’t just financial investment — it costs time invested by staff, as well as impact on service delivery and your brand’s reputation.
Do you need help navigating these challenges?
Scottish Enterprise is offering practical and interactive half-day workshops that will help you to identify causes of project failure, avoid common mistakes and maximise your success. These are delivered by Augmentum 360 and Scottish Enterprise’s Digital Team.
You’ll benefit from highly experienced professionals sharing their expertise on:

IT project and implementation
How technology can boost efficiency, profitability, market competitiveness and resilience
Best-practice tools and techniques
Real-life examples and resolving key challenges
Identifying and engaging suppliers
Support for Scottish businesses adopting digital technology

Who is this for?
If you’re a business leader within an ambitious Scottish company, who has responsibility for IT & Digital investment decisions and/or implementation.
In this workshop, you’ll get a chance to learn about:

True cost of project failure – money, time, quality, reputation
How to scope and plan
Assessing options — ROI, solution suitability
Identifying and managing risks
How to effectively implement and roll out How to initiate organisation change and take people with you
How to Choose a System and Supplier: CRM, ERP, Ecommerce, other systems — how to avoid costly mistakes and ensure solution and supplier are fit for purpose

Offshore Wind market opportunities in Denmark
2023-02-23 09:00 - 10:00
Scottish Development International, the Scottish Government’s international economic agency, would like to invite Scottish companies for a webinar and joint discussion on offshore wind market opportunities.
The main purpose of the event is to explore joint cooperation between Scottish and Danish companies in supply chains and ‘meet the buyers’. We will discuss strategic sourcing policy, how to enter into cooperation with chosen Danish developers.
The webinar will take place on 23rd of February from 10:00 – 11:00 am CET (9:00 am-10:00 am UK time). It is the first event aiming to prepare Scottish companies for Wind Europe Annual Conference in Copenhagen, in April 2023.

How to build a digital marketing plan
2023-02-22 18:00 - 20:00
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 protect and manage your intellectual property
2023-02-22 17:30 - 19:30
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

Email marketing for business
2023-02-22 13:00 - 15:00
Connecting with your audience through effective email marketing campaigns is a great way to improve your marketing strategy and boost sales. In this webinar, we’ll explore what makes an email campaign effective and ensure you are able to:

Segment your audiences and target them effectively
Create a quality marketing email and measure its effectiveness
Identify the most suitable platforms and tools for email marketing campaigns, including different paid-for account levels
Identify the different components of a successful email campaign, including design, HTML v text and other formats
Use reporting and key metrics to make sure your campaigns are successful
Be compliant with legal requirements relating to email communications
