Events

Join us for a day discussing all things social media, as we examine the ways tools like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok can help (and hinder) your business objectives.

Social Media is much more than just a promotional tool. Used effectively, you can truly engage and influence your target market audience and achieve better business objectives. Used wrongly, and you’re likely just wasting your time hoping for some vanity likes.

This session aims to ensure you remain “business focussed” with your own usage of social media and will cover:

• The current social landscape
• The power of social influence
• Creative social media business examples
• The business dangers of social media
• Practical Tips and Tricks

There will also be plenty time for questions, and some live audits of attendee social media profiles (with advice and recommendations given).

To book a place click here.

An actionable course on creating sales funnels and audience groups in Facebook and Instagram.

Understanding this can allow your business to grow faster, boost your return on ad spend and find better audiences than other simple digital marketing techniques.

We will cover:

• How to target your first customers online
• How to build audiences
• How to retarget the customers who engage most with you
• How to find more customers like your existing ones
• Creating ads that overlap audiences

This is not a conceptual class, we will show you a step by step guide within Facebook or how to do this so you should leave with the skills to do this for your own business.

Length: Approximately 2 hours, plus time at the end for questions.

To book a place click here.

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 principals 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.

To book a place click here.

You will leave this workshop with practical actions to help improve your marketing plan and a fresh injection of creativity.

New services have been introduced, business engagement and delivery methods have changed, geographical boundaries are evolving and consumer attitudes changing.

What does this mean for your business and in particular your business marketing?

• A business re-launch?
• Are your prior marketing goals still relevant?
• Do you have a new target market?
• How can you protect and continue to grow your brand identity?

Join our workshop to answer these questions and take a fresh look at your marketing plan.

To book a place click here.

Get your laptop and join us for a fantastic practical beginner’s workshop and learn how to design simple but beautiful graphics using Canva the FREE simple online tool.

Get your laptop and join us for a fantastic practical beginner’s workshop and learn how to design simple but beautiful graphics using Canva the FREE simple online tool. These creations can then be used to market your business – online and off.

Creating stunning images for presentations, your website/blog, email newsletters and any social media channels.

This workshop is not exclusively for online marketing, you will learn to create images for print as well – e.g business cards, flyers, posters or invitations.

At the end of this session, you will be able to edit pictures, design cover photos, collages and create stellar images to market your business both offline and on.

*Please note: Participants must have a laptop to use. This is a hands-on, practical course so some basic computer skills are essential.

To book a place click here.

This workshop is a series aimed at people who are planning to start or have just started a business and need to know the basics of what to do.

Whatever your reasons may be for considering being your own boss, Business Gateway is here to support you and this workshop will help you decide if this is the right path for you.  We will explore your potential customers, the problems your business can solve for them and how you can do that better than the competition. Once that is clear, we will look at the key activities and costs involved in starting and running the business and tools for determining the commercial viability before considering the main options for business structures (sole trader, partnership, or limited company).

We will look at:

• Personal finance planning – how much do you need to earn?
• Researching your market – to develop an understanding of your market, who your customers are, understanding your competition and what the trends are within your chosen field
• Business structure – what are the main business structures? How to decide which is right for you and how to register as a business
• Creating your start-up action plan – an outline

Attendees will be provided with a PDF copy of the slides and a workbook to complete. We will also signpost you to Business Gateway’s Planning to Start tool which will then direct you to further resources and your local Business Gateway advisor.

To book a place click here.

This workshop is aimed at new and existing businesses which are looking to use Xero to manage their bookkeeping or would like a refresher on how to use Xero.

Delegates will leave the course with a greater knowledge of what cloud accounting is and how it is beneficial for your business. We will look specifically at the accounting software Xero in detail including how to set up a Xero account, link and reconcile bank accounts, create and personalise sales and purchase invoices, view relevant reports and use contacts feature.

As a result of this session, delegates will be able to:

• Set up an Xero account
• Link and reconcile bank accounts
• Create and personalise sales invoices
• Create purchase invoices
• View relevant reports (Profit and Loss, Balance Sheet, Aged Debtors and Creditors)
• Use contacts feature

To book a place click here.

This workshop will equip you with the networking skills necessary to build effective networks.

This workshop will:

• Explain the importance and benefits of effective networking
• Discuss the impact of first impressions and body language
• Help you describe your business in a consistent and interesting way
• Reveal the importance of active listening
• Identify networking opportunities
• Assist with planning the development and maintenance of regular networking contacts

By the end of the workshop you will have developed a strategy for establishing and maintaining stable business relationships.

To book a place click here.

An opportunity for new & existing Ayrshire businesses to meet with Business Gateway & each other.

Join us for an in-person networking event! You’ll hear from our advisors, be surrounded by local business owners and our team will be on hand to offer advice or answer any questions.

Meet, connect, and collaborate with fellow business owners, meet our business advisors, and book a free 1-2-1 surgery session with an advisor, tailored to YOUR business.

Bring your business cards! There will be the opportunity to introduce your business and take part in a 1-minue speed pitch!

There will be complimentary refreshments for you to enjoy as you network.

To book a place click here.