Small businesses invited to attend free internet workshops

14th September 2010, 8:01am

Business owners across Britain are being invited to a series of free events which will explain how to make the internet work for them.

Web design and search engine optimisation (SEO) are among the topics to be covered at the 11 breakfast events, which will also provide business people with valuable networking opportunities. 

The seminars are being hosted by the Forum of Private Business, which has just discovered that 21% of UK small businesses still do not have a website. 

Forum spokesman Phil McCabe said: "We believe that having a website may not be right for every single small business, for a variety of reasons.  

"However, the vast majority of small firms should, by now, have at least some form of online presence – they are missing out on valuable sales and marketing opportunities if they don't. 

"The internet is now thought to be the first port of call for around 80% of people when looking for a product or service, and having a website carries with it a range of other benefits, such as adding legitimacy to your business in the eyes of your customers and clients." 

The Forum is hosting the events in partnership with the UK's largest web design and SEO company, Creare. 

Creare managing director Mike McKinlay said: "Starting off as a small company, we have had to learn the tricks of the trade over recent years. We are hoping that these seminars will make it easier for companies to reach their goals by understanding the problems they may be having and how to resolve them effectively."

The programme starts with an event at London's Hilton Hotel on Park Lane tomorrow (Friday, September 10) and continues with an event for the wider South East region on Tuesday (September 14) at the Holiday Inn in Basingstoke, Hampshire. 

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