Bristol companies are being offered the opportunity to attend one of a series of free workshops to help improve their digital presence and capability, and trade more effectively online.
They will allow businesses to focus on the future of mobile, covering effective digital marketing techniques that can help give companies the edge over their competition. 
Businesses can choose to attend one of three workshops – Digital Marketing That Will Give Your Business The Edge, How to Drive Results Through Social Media, and How to Grow Your International Business Through Digital Marketing.
The programme has been designed and implemented by Business West on behalf of the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) with funding from the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS).
They are being staged against a backdrop of researcg by the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) which reveal that while 92% of small firms are online, just 59% have a website and only 33% sell their goods and services online.
Business West managing director Phil Smith said: “There is a real appetite from businesses to make better use of digital technology to increase sales and reduce costs, and we have had tremendous interest in these workshops.
“Local businesses are making the most of the free specialist advice and support to help them trade online, and improve their digital presence. We are using local specialists to help SMEs to really understand how they can increase their sales and grow their business. And the help continues after the workshops which are supported by a digital hub on the Business West website packed full of useful hints and tips on digital capability.”
The workshops will be held across the region between now and March and interested businesses are encouraged to register at http://www.businesswest.co.uk/events/all?topics=digital
Courses in March are:
Google Search: Search Engine Optimisation and You – 10th March 17:30 – 19:30, Berwick Lodge, BS10 7TD
How to Grow Your International Business through Digital Marketing – 11th March 8:30 – 14:00, Novotel, Victoria Street, BS1 6HY
Driving Results through Social Media Marketing – 17th March 9:30 – 15:30, Mercure Holland Hotel, Redcliffe Hill, Bristol
Digital Marketing That Will Give Your Business the Edge – 19th March 9:30 – 15:30, Aztec Hotel, Almondsbury, BS32 4TS
