Boost Your Business Online this New Year

News release

3rd January 2013

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to get your business online, Lincolnshire County Council is running a series of free Internet workshops this month as part of its onlincolnshire campaign.

The workshops, called The Internet, Social Media and Your Business, will include an overview of online services and digital software, practical assessments and one-to-one reviews on how businesses are using the Internet.

They are split into four sessions and are being offered to businesses in Lincoln, Boston and East Lindsey by CDI Alliance on behalf of the onlincolnshire project. They will be run by online expert and social media guru John Popham.

The first sessions will take place at Skegness Business Centre from 8.30am to 11.30am on 29th January; Boston Enterprise Centre on the same day from 1pm to 4pm; The Terrace in Lincoln from 8.30am to 11.30am on January 30th; and the same day at Fairfield Enterprise Centre in Louth from 1pm to 4pm.

All the activity is being part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the onlincolnshire project.

Director at CDI Alliance, Stuart McFarlane, said: “The workshops are free and the only outlay needed is your time. Committing just a few hours of your time could benefit your business massively as you will come away knowing how you can improve your company’s global profile and presence online.”

The first session will give an overview of how the Internet can transform business, demonstrating different broadband capabilities, possibilities and opportunities, including social media.

The second session is a chance to apply the skills learned in the first workshop in people’s own time, with work being monitored remotely, while the third is a review of that practical work and a chance to learn about digital software available.

The fourth session will be a one-to-one review of the business and the way the Internet is used, which will be done at individual appointment times in the same location where the workshops are held.

The sessions are being introduced following similar successful courses in November 2012, which were also run by John Popham. Companies which benefited from those sessions ranged from a photographer who had previously been sceptical about social media and has now increased business through Facebook, a hypnotherapist who is able to treat patients remotely using video conferencing and farmer who now uses a Wireless Broadband Extender (WiBE) to input data in the field.

John said: “There will be a lot for any business to gain from attending even if you already have some knowledge of the subjects we’ll be discussing.”

In rural communities where connectivity is poor, businesses have been unable to take full advantage of the opportunities available online, limiting economic activity and growth. These workshops are aimed at helping businesses prepare for the arrival of superfast broadband following the approval of state-aid funding by the European Union.

Spaces are limited to 12 delegates per programme, so early booking is advisable. To make a booking on The Internet, Social Media and Your Business, visit the events section at www.onlincolnshire.org

Ends

Notes to Editors:

The session times and locations are:

Session 1:

Skegness Business Centre, 8.30am to 11.30am on 29th January

Boston Enterprise Park, 1pm to 4pm on 29th January

The Terrace Lincoln, 8.30am to 11.30am on 30th January

Fairfield Enterprise Centre in Louth, 1pm to 4pm on 30th January

Session 2:

Monitored remote learning

Session 3:

             Skegness Business Centre, 8.30am to 11.30am on 5th February

             Boston Enterprise Park, 1pm to 4pm on 5th February

             The Terrace Lincoln, 8.30am to 11.30am on 6th February

Fairfield Enterprise Centre in Louth, 1pm to 4pm on 6th February

Session 4:

             Skegness Business Centre, individual appointment times

             Boston Enterprise Park, individual appointment times

             The Terrace Lincoln, individual appointment times

             Fairfield Enterprise Centre in Louth, individual appointment times

About onlinolnshire

• onlincolnshire is a £57 million project run by Lincolnshire County Council which aims to provide broadband speeds of at least 24 Megabits per second (Mbps) for 90% of homes and businesses in the county, and a guaranteed 2Mbps for the remaining premises by 2015.
• onlincolnshire is part-funded by the East Midlands European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013
• Some Internet users in rural Lincolnshire experience speeds of less than 1 Mbps. The UK’s average broadband speed is 7.6 Mbps, according to Ofcom.
• The Department for Communities and Local Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme, which is one of the funds established by the European Commission to help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support local businesses and create jobs. For more information visit www.communities.gov.uk/erdf
• For more information visit www.onlincolnshire.org

Cerri Delaney
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
07985 143990
cerri@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @CerriDelaney

Tags: