Businesses invited to investigate online international selling
18th September 2013
The second of two successful sets of free sessions to help businesses develop their websites to attract a wider market are coming up in Inverness and Forres.
The e-commerce sessions, developed as part of the Smart Exporter programme through Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), are being held in Eden Court on Monday (23 September) and in Horizon Scotland in Forres on 30 September.
Following on from an initial session which focused on developing a website this next session will look at selling online – and how to manage orders. The workshops will be delivered by Julian Lawson Hill, a consultant with 20 years’ experience of helping Scottish companies to export.
HIE’s Laura Robertson, development manager, said: "It doesn't matter if you missed the first session, as the workshops stand alone perfectly. The courses around website design were really well received and this next instalment will provide advice on online trading.”
"Businesses of all sizes can attend. Companies have told us the advice they are getting is highly practical and really valuable. Many businesses are interested in selling online internationally and it makes sense to invest time getting advice on how to do this successfully - especially when it's free."
Melanie Muir of Jewellery Design, from Nairn, who attended the first session in Forres, said: "I can't recommend this workshop highly enough - I thought I already knew quite a bit about the subject, and hesitated to attend, because I'm so busy. However, I learned so much more than I expected and had so many 'a-ha' moments, now I'm glad I didn't miss it. Julian is a highly knowledgeable and professional presenter, yet relaxed and engaging at the same time."
Smart Exporter in the Highlands and Islands, which is part-funded by the European Social Fund, provides companies with the knowledge and skills required to target international markets and help them develop their export capabilities.
Smart Exporter is delivered by Highlands and Islands Enterprise in partnership with Scottish Development International and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce.
For more information or to book your place, visit www.hie.co.uk/ecommerce
Related Businesses
Related Articles
The much-anticipated return of the funicular railway at Cairngorm Mountain will not take place in December, as had been hoped. Contractor Balfour Beatty has substantially completed an extensive remediation programme to strengthen the 1.8km viaduct, however detailed inspections have shown that further work is required in some areas.
A sand mining company in Lochaber is set to double its production and increase annual turnover by more than £2.6m. Lochaline Quartz Sand Limited (LQS) has secured up to £230,000 investment from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) towards the £855,000 costs of upgrading equipment on site.
The newly appointed head of business growth for Highlands and Island Enterprise (HIE) in Argyll and the Islands is to focus on expanding the agency's portfolio of business clients. Liam Orr, originally from Benderloch near Oban, took up the post in early December and leads HIE’s business growth team across an area covering Argyll and Bute, Arran and the Cumbraes.
An Aviemore-based adventure tourism operator has made significant progress in sustainability over the past two years by investing in e-bikes, e-vehicles and a carbon labelling system. Wilderness Scotland has reduced its scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions by 16 percent through its commitment to business decarbonisation.
The funicular railway at Cairngorm Mountain looks set to be back in action towards the end of December or early in the new year. Contractor Balfour Beatty has confirmed that, weather permitting, its current programme of remediation works on the viaduct that supports the railway is due to finish in the next week to 10 days, after which teams working for the company plan to demobilise from the mountainside.
Fetcha Chocolates is investing in new equipment to quadruple its capacity, increase turnover and create employment. An Argyll based chocolate manufacturer is investing in new equipment to quadruple its capacity, increase turnover and create employment.
Is your young business ready for the next step?. The Young Business Capital Grant helps young businesses and social enterprises (under 5 years old) invest in projects that stimulate growth.
Shell-volution is an ambitious industry-wide initiative supported by the public sector and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) which has been awarded £4.4 million of investment from the UK Government as part of the Islands Growth Deal. This innovative, ground-breaking project is set to transform shellfish aquaculture, bringing sustainable growth and additional quality jobs in mussel farming, based on detailed investigations (mapping and monitoring) and creating a model for improving security and reliability of wild spat recruitment, through industry best practice.
A Nairn-based foundry, which has achieved international recognition for its larger-than-life bronze castings has invested in a £200,000 expansion to help it reach greater heights. An award of £60,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has helped Black Isle Bronze to improve infrastructure and purchase equipment to extend the range of projects the firm can undertake.
Young businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands looking to increase productivity, innovation and employment can apply for funding from HIE. The fourth round of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) Young Business Capital Grant (YBCG) is now open to businesses that have been trading for less than five years with up to 250 full-time equivalent employees.
