BG Effect Business Networking Event With Google: Tuesday 24th January 2017

Blaenau Gwent’s BG Effect Partnering up with Google to offer business and digital expertise to existing and new businesses ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is pleased to announce that it is partnering up with Google Digital Garage to provide digital support and training at the next BG Effect networking event. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The BG Effect event will be taking place Tuesday 24th January 2017, 5.00-7.30pm at the General Offices, Steelworks Road Ebbw Vale (NP23 6AA) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Google’s Digital Garage will offer businesses in the area a digital skills training platform to assist them in growing their business, career and confidence online. Furthermore, a Google digital expert is coming to teach you what is needed to gain a competitive advantage in the ever changing digital landscape, so come prepared to learn and ask questions too. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A number of BG Effect events are organised throughout the year and this particular event along with Google will provide support to businesses about marketing, digital presence and support to grow your business ideas. The event will focus on: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Tell Your Story Online – Learn how to make your website shine across all devices and improve your digital presence through social media, online video and Google my business.
• Reach New customers Online – Learn how to make your business more visible online to help new customers find you through search optimisation, local listings and search engine marketing.
• The Effect Marketing Zone – Marketing related services available from local businesses
• On-site Business Support – General business support will also be available from BG Effect, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council and Business Wales
• Financial Assistance – Potential grant assistance from Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council (Kick Start grant and Kick Start +).
  Free service called ‘Get Blaenau Gwent Online’ to help people in Blaenau Gwent to get online and making the most of technology.
• Informal Networking – Learn from others; share experiences, advice and support, new contacts, local trading opportunities, business generation
• Other Support –
  • Superfast Business Wales – a fully-funded business support service that can help business exploit the array of digital technologies available.
  • Business Wales – The Welsh Government’s Business Wales service supports new and established businesses in Wales.

On the day businesses (new and existing) will be able to seek advice on setting up and growing a business and the confidence to develop digitally. The Council’s regeneration team who offer a number of services to assist businesses will be on hand to offer support such as the grants available (Kick Start and Kick Start Plus), property and business premises support and employment skills initiatives. In addition to this; there will be a team of local marketing companies who will be available to provide further advice that will support the Google advice and the Council’s business services available. Therefore businesses will be offered an overall package of support in one place. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Jim McIlwee, Deputy Leader of Blaenau Gwent Council said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council is pleased to be organising another BG Effect event following on from the success of the previous event where approximately 155 people attended. Our Guest speaker Google Digital Garage together with the Council’s regeneration business services and our partners will provide businesses with access to support, advice and practical offering from the event. Businesses, whether they are new or existing, should leave feeling confident about their next steps with the right contacts and initiatives available to them that will help assist their business.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chris Wilkins from Wilkins Foot Clinic in Abertillery Said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As a new business; I attended the previous BG Effect event and received a vast amount of support to be able to boost my confidence and grow my business. Not only did I have access to business enterprise advice and support, I was also able to liaise with a team of people from the Council and its partners to be able to apply for Kick Start Plus grant funding which helps businesses. I am pleased to say that this has recently been approved. I highly recommend this event to new and existing businesses, where you are able to access on the spot advice and support in relation to finance, marketing and business from the team, its partners and a wide range of businesses from the community.”
Come and join us on Tuesday 24th January 2017. To register for the event visit:
http://eventpilot.evolutive.co.uk/eventDetails.aspx?siteId=323&eventNo=18077 ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​