Registration reminder!

Are you looking for ways to grow your business? Do you need some help with your online marketing and promotion? Is work/life balance presenting some challenges for you?

Council’s 2021 Business Development Program provides you with fantastic opportunities to build and grow your business. The program is now open for registrations of interest from businesses across East Gippsland.

There is no cost to participate, however, places are limited for each program so make sure you register your interest via the links below! Contact the Economic Development team if you need more information.

Introductory sessions for the Women in Business program and Business Growth program will be held next week, more information below.

Women in Business program - commencing June 2021

Have you had some challenges? Do you sometimes feel isolated and overwhelmed? Are you looking for work/life balance? 

Survive, Revive, Thrive BizGrowth Accelerator program is presented by Christine Boucher, founder of EmpowHer for women in business who want to connect and grow their business.

The BizGrowth Accelerator program for women in business is a series of 5 workshops and 5 group coaching sessions. Participants will also have access to a self-paced online program and 1:1 coaching session if required. You can find out more about Christine and the program here.

An online introductory session will be held for participants on Thursday 10 June from 10am - 12noon. You'll be provided with an overview of the program, dates for workshops and group sessions, and find out how to access the online tools, and participate in a Q&A session. Register your interest below.

Business Growth Program - commencing June 2021

Ray Clark from Optim Improvements presents a program for improving business productivity and efficiency that allows businesses to make the changes needed for improvements across their business. Participants will have group training sessions and personal onsite facilitation sessions.  

Businesses can send up to 3 employees to fornightly group learning sessions (5 x 2 hour sessions), participate in on-site facilitation sessions, and access online support. 

The program is suitable for most businesses across a number of sectors including manufacturing, building, service industries and agribusiness. Find out more about the program and read testimonials from past participants in East Gippsland here.

Past participants who wish to send new employees along to the program are very welcome to join the program.

An online information session will be held on Tuesday 8 June at 2pm, to register your interest please email economic.development@egipps.vic.gov.au

Getting Social

Ailsa Page from AP Marketing presents Getting Social, a program designed to improve the way businesses run their social media. Whether you're a beginner or advanced user, Ailsa will ensure that your Facebook and Instagram pages are fully functional and you'll leave with a 6 month content plan. 

Getting Social is a five week online program and business can attend one or all of the program workshops covering:

1. Strategy - How social media works: Pros and Cons of Business Social Media, how it’s different from your personal profile, determining the right strategy for your business, and how to get a return on your investment of time, money and energy. There's also the opportunity to ‘sharpen’ your existing social media strategy or create one.
2. Making the most of Instagram and Facebook: Setting up profiles correctly. Explains all features of both platforms, how they work and when to use them. Looks at advanced features and taking it to the next level.
3. Facebook Advertising: How facebook advertising works and the different levels available. It will cover how much it costs and how to do it successfully.
4. Creating great content: What content is appropriate for each platform and will demonstrate different ways to generate content ideas including re-purposing content. A content planner template will be given to each participant.
5. Getting help: This workshop is a hands-on help session for people who need some support implementing social media. It could be for people wanting to set up their online presence to getting help with posting and crafting some posts.

Home Based Business

Ailsa Page from AP Marketing presents Home Based Business, a program to empower participants by exploring all the options of running a home based business. Whether you're currently running a home based business, or thinking about starting one, this workshop will provide you with the tools you need to successfully operate and grow your business from home, as well as knowing where to go for support. 

The Home Based Business workshops will be run online over three x 2 hour sessions. Topics covered include:

• Fundamentals legals, pros and cons
• What you need to make it work – helpful tips
• Tools to help
• Low cost websites, creating an online shop
• Marketing
• Managing home and business
• Common mistakes/pitfalls
• Support and networks
• Action plan

Customer Service

Ailsa Page from AP Marketing presents Customer Service, a practical guide to improving and creating a customer service ethos in your business, particularly those in the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors.

The Customer Service workshops will be run over three x 2 hour sessions and will provide strategies and practical information to improve business viability through exceptional customer service. Topics covered include:

• Who is your Customer
• Staff training on best practice customer service
• Improving the bottom line through effective customer service
• How customer service creates customer experience
• Different communication styles
• Handling difficult customers/troubleshooting
• Understanding the customer journey
• Self and staff care

Tourism 101 - commencing soon

Running for the first time, Tourism 101 is a bespoke program for tourism businesses in East Gippsland. Presented by Sally and Alysia from Destination Yellow, the program will provide you with practical support and advice to start, continue and strengthen your recovery journey. This program is for sole traders, tour operators, accommodation providers and visitor services providers in the tourism sector.

Tourism 101 will run over five x 2 hour online workshops and is designed to create confidence in recovery efforts, provide focus on the fundamentals, create simple pathways for activation and identify opportunities for product development and market diversification. Topics covered include:

• Cross packaging and promotion
• Collaboration and leveraging from events
• Branding and professional imagery
• Staff retention and training
• Understanding your customer
• Simple business and marketing plans
• Product development/adaptation
• Crisis communication planning.
• Eco/Sustainable practices for tourism businesses
• Introduction to International markets
• Storytelling/interpretation skills to engage your customers
• Basic tourism structures and information everyone should know and understanding how those structures work for you
• State of the industry

Get in touch

Handy links