Unlock Your Business Potential with Two Free Workshops

News release

23rd October 2012

Two free events aimed at helping businesses reach their potential will be held in Lincoln next month (November).

The first, at Lincoln Drill Hall on Tuesday 6th November, kicks off a series of four Tuesday Breakfast Talks. Industry experts in a range of different fields will offer advice on issues like accessing funding, generating creative ideas and developing staff.

The second event, Broadband Business Benefits, will be led by online guru John Popham over two sessions at The Terrace in Grantham Street, with the first being held on Thursday 8th November.

Both events are part-financed by the European Regeneration and Development Fund (ERDF). They are run through the Digital Business Cluster, which the County Council has helped to create to support businesses in East Lindsey, Boston and Lincoln to understand the benefits that the Internet and digital technology can provide and to help them get ready for superfast broadband when it arrives as part of Lincolnshire County Council’s onlincolnshire campaign.

Stuart McFarlane from CDI Alliance, which is providing the business support sessions on behalf of onlincolnshire, explained: “The Tuesday Breakfast Talk sessions are all about building knowledge, particularly in the creative and digital sector. Technology is always changing so there is a need to constantly keep up to date with what’s new.

“The Broadband Business Benefits are aimed at giving you an overview of the Internet and its potential, while equipping you with the tools to make use of it once the sessions end.

“It might be that you are aware of new technologies, but don’t necessarily know where or how to access them. We’ve taken a look at a number of common business issues and we’ve pulled together some of the hot topics people need to know about.”

The first Tuesday Breakfast Talk workshop will feature a talk from Frank Boyd, Director of the Creative Industries Knowledge Transfer Network (NTN), which works to support businesses in the creative sector. There will also be a talk from the directors of What Could Be aimed at digital agencies, creative thinkers and digital businesses, to look at how they might work with clients to add value to their services.

The Broadband Business Benefits workshop is divided into two three-hour sessions on separate dates to ensure minimal disruption to the working day. The first session will offer details on benefits including e-commerce, flexible working, online conferencing such as Skype, Facetime and Google Talk, booking travel online and keeping in touch with staff and clients.

The second session will look in depth at different options available for doing business online including cloud computing, banking and accounting, research, mobile apps and the different equipment and technology available.

To book a place on the first Tuesday Breakfast Talk at Lincoln Drill Hall between 8.30am and 10.30am on Tuesday 6th November visit the news and events section on www.onlincolnshire.org

The first Broadband Business Benefits event on 8th November takes place between 9am and 12 noon. The second session is at the same venue and time on Tuesday 27th November. Both can be booked through www.onlincolnshire.org. If you are unable to make the Lincoln sessions, there are additional events planned in Boston, Louth and Skegness.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

• Tuesday Breakfast Talks and the Broadband Business Benefits workshops are part-funded by the East Midlands European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013 and are managed by Lincolnshire County Council as part of the £57 million council-led onlincolnshire project 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 2Mpbs for the remaining premises by 2015.
• 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
cerri@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @CerriDelaney

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