The Business & IP Centre, otherwise known as BIPC North East, is an organisation which helps SMEs and those who are self-employed improve and grow their business. As well as offering guidance and support on intellectual property, marketing and grants, BIPC North East runs regular business events where entrepreneurs can network, get advice and listen to industry experts. Here are a few of their upcoming events that can help you improve your business.
Business Brunch with South Tyneside Creatives: Tuesday 8th October 10:00 - 13:00, Sea Change Cafe & Arts Venue, South Shields, 158 Ocean Road South Shields, NE33 2JF
If you’re running a creative business, the Business Brunch with South Tyneside Creatives is an event you shouldn’t miss. This is a free business social funded by South Tyneside Council for business owners in the North East to meet like-minded individuals, and hear a talk from ecommerce marketplace expert, Racheal Straughan.
Straughen has years of experience in self-employment, business promotion and ecommerce retailing, and can help future retailers formulate their ideas into product concepts, offer their critiques of online shops and help research and prepare for shopping trends.
Better Photography for Small Businesses: Friday 11th October, 10:00 - 13:00, Morpeth County Hall, A197 Morpeth NE61 2AP
For those who are self-employed, or small business owners, you have to be able to do everything for your company; marketing, social media, brand design, website creation, search engine optimisation, customer service, and deliver a high quality product or service. High quality photographs are another business requirement that customers and clients expect.
If you’re struggling with professional looking imagery, this free workshop is for you. Better Photography for Small Businesses will be led by product photography expert Sue Todd, and is perfect for those wanting to take better photos without having to hire a professional photographer, or use a bunch of expensive equipment.
Increase your Confidence with Social Media: Thursday 7th November, 13:00 - 16:00, Sunderland Software Centre, 1 Tavistock Place, Hendon, Sunderland, SR1 1PB
Having a social media presence is an incredibly accessible way of getting your products and services advertised. But getting started with social media can feel intimidating. If you’re wanting to gain a social media presence, or refine your existing social media accounts, the Increase your Confidence with Social Media workshop could be for you.
This free workshop will be run by Business Confidence coach Sam Hook, and Social Media Expert, Ellen Rea. It will include help and guidance for those struggling to put themselves out there on social media, finding your unique selling point (USP), content planning and strategy, post ideas, and how you can use social media effectively for your business.
AI Practical Workshop for Small Businesses: Thursday 14th November, 10:00 - 13:00, The Catherine Cookson Room, The Word, Market Place, South Shields, NE33 1JF
With AI becoming more commonplace in businesses thanks to applications like ChatGPT and CoPilot, you might be wondering how it could take your organisation to the next level. There are a number of practical applications of AI for small businesses and those that are self-employed, such as streamlining business planning, automating processes, and data analysis.
The AI Practical Workshop for Small Businesses will look at how businesses in the North East are using AI, how it could be useful for your business, and how to use AI ethically and appropriately. Attendees will get to grips with AI that can analyse data, create images from text and chatbots, as well as speak to business leaders in the North East about how to integrate AI into the day to day running of their company.
