Businesses encouraged to join Digital+ programme

Cheshire East Council’s arms-length Skills and Growth Company has launched a new business support programme called Digital+.

The Digital+ programme offers fully-funded support and advice to help small and medium-sized businesses maximise faster broadband and digital tools – such as cloud computing, digital marketing and social media – and adapt to wider issues, such as upcoming changes to data protection legislation.

The cornerstone of the Digital+ programme is a series of one-day seminars, which provide expert support in small groups and includes a bespoke audit of each participating business’s website.

Seminars on digital marketing or social media will take place on:

● 22 May – Digital marketing, at Wychwood Park, near Crewe;

● 24 May – Digital marketing, at The Cottons, Knutsford;

● 5 June – Social media, at Vale Royal Abbey, near Northwich;

● 12 June – Digital marketing, at Mottram Hall, near Macclesfield;

● 21 June – Digital marketing, at Mottram Hall, near Macclesfield; and

● 26 June – Social media, at Crewe Hall, Crewe.

To find out more and register your interest, visit www.digitalpluscheshire.co.uk

One business already reaping the rewards of the Digital+ programme is Direct Access, of Nantwich, a disability access consultancy.

Managing director Stephen Mifsud said: “We felt our existing marketing strategy was not working, so we needed to be ahead of the game and we now understand how important it is to get our voice heard through social media and how to be consistent with our branding.

“The Digital+ programme has been able to support us in a language we could follow and helped our social media campaigns go from being good to excellent.”

Cheshire East Councillor George Hayes, chairman of the Skills and Growth Company said: “We believe the Digital+ programme is a vital opportunity to help businesses grow and adapt to the ever-changing world of digital tools, broadband and social media. With our support, businesses can maximise the benefits and transform the way they work.”

The Digital+ programme is the latest phase of the Connecting Cheshire programme, which has been rolling out fibre broadband to more than 100,000 homes and businesses across Cheshire since 2013.

Digital+ is available to eligible small and medium-sized businesses in Cheshire and Warrington and is part of the Digital 2020 programme supported by the 2014 to 2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme.