Supporting Local Economic Growth Through Digital Skills

Commission a 5-week programme that gives self-employed people and business starters the digital skills they need to grow

Your area has talented people running businesses, building side hustles, and creating local jobs. But without digital skills, they're struggling to reach customers and grow. We deliver practical digital marketing training that turns micro-businesses into growing enterprises that contribute to your local economy.

WHY THIS MATTERS FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH

Self-employed people and small business owners are vital to your local economy. They create jobs, generate business rates, keep money local, and fill gaps in your high street. But they need digital skills to compete in 2025. Traditional business support doesn't give them the hands-on skills to build a website, show up in Google and AI searches, or use social media to reach customers. Without these capabilities promising businesses stagnate or fail. Our 5-week programme gives them practical digital marketing skills while they continue running their businesses. It's intensive, hands-on, and focused entirely on customer acquisition and business growth.

Interested in learning more? Send us a message

EXAMPLE PROGRAMME COMPONENTS

Core Programme (Weeks 1-5)

Week 1:

  • Digital Foundations for Business

  • Understanding your online customer journey.

  • Website building begins (Wix or Squarespace)

Week 2:

  • Building Your Digital Presence

  • SEO basics, getting found on Google & AI

Week 3:

  • Social Media for Business Social media strategy for your business

  • Content creation with Canva

Week 4:

  • Email Marketing & Integration

  • Bringing it all together, integrated campaigns

Week 5:

  • Launch & Growth Planning Advanced tactics and troubleshooting

  • Growth planning and next steps

Post-Programme Support (Optional) 3 months access to workspace/co-working space. Alumni network and peer support. Advanced workshops and masterclasses. One-to-one business support signposting

PROGRAMME DELIVERABLES

For Participants:

  • 30 hours of in-person instruction

  • Complete digital marketing foundation

  • Network of local entrepreneur peers, growth plan and on-going support

For You (The Funder):

Monthly progress reports

  • Attendance tracking

  • Pre/post digital capability assessments

  • Participant feedback

  • Business growth tracking (revenue, customers, enquiries)

  • Employment outcomes (if participants hire staff)

  • Economic impact measurement (GVA, business rates)

  • Case studies for reporting Economic Impact. Additional GVA (Gross Value Added) generated, jobs created (participants hiring staff), reduced benefit dependency

  • Strengthened local business ecosystem

WHO WE SERVE

Ideal Participants

Self-employed people: Sole traders, freelancers, side hustlers wanting to go full-time, creative professionals, trades and service providers.

Aspiring business owners. Unemployed people with business ideas, those ready to launch, people leaving employment to start businesses

  • Business stage: Pre-launch with valid concept, recently launched (0-12 months), established but digitally behind (12+ months)

  • Barriers Addressed:

    • Digital skills gap

    • Limited marketing budget, isolation (working alone)

    • Time constraints (running business while learning)

    • Lacking technical confidence

    • Customer acquisition challenges

  • Not Suitable For:

    • Limited companies with employees (different needs)

    • Those unable to commit to 5-week intensive schedule

    • Businesses already digitally proficient

Flexible Commissioning Options

Option 1: Single Cohort Delivery Commission one cohort (12 participants)

  • Fixed delivery dates

  • Pilot approach to test effectiveness

  • Lower initial investment

Option 2: Multiple Cohort Series Commission 3-4 cohorts per year

  • Continuous local presence

  • Sustainable entrepreneur community building

  • Volume pricing available

Option 3: Partnership Programme co-designed with your business support ecosystem and integration with existing enterprise services

WHAT'S INCLUDED

  • 30 hours of instruction per participant

  • All software licenses (Wix/Squarespace, Canva Pro, Mailchimp)

  • Materials and resources

  • Pre and post assessments

  • Business growth support

  • Progress reporting economic impact tracking (12 months)

What's Not Included

  • Participant domain name registration (approximately £10-15/year)

  • Website hosting (£10-£15 a month)

  • Ongoing software subscriptions post-programme

  • One-to-one business mentoring (available as add-on)

  • Workspace access (available as add-on)

Optional Add-Ons:

  • Extended workspace access (3-6 months)

  • One-to-one business mentoring

  • Advanced masterclass series

  • Graduation event/business showcase

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