New online learning programme launched for creative businesses in Offaly

Online Craft Portal and Information Centre, Craftlink has announced the launch of its new online learning programme tailored specifically for micro, small, and medium-sized businesses in the fields of craft, design, and creative industries in Offaly and Westmeath.

The craft portal has introduced 'Lunch and Learn,' a series of short online workshops designed to fit into busy schedules. Each session lasts 50 minutes with an additional 10 minutes for Q&A.

The workshops will commence on Tuesday, September 19 and will run weekly for ten weeks. The confirmed topics include storytelling for brands, raising brand profiles, and developing effective market development plans. Some of the classes will focus on the following themes; Telling Your Brand Story, Why Being Authentic Pays Dividends, Raising Your Brand Profile - How to Stand Out from the Crowd and Top Tips for Developing a Simple but Effective Market Development Plan.

Join Craftlink online between 1pm and 2pm for an immersive hour dedicated to each topic. After each workshop, participants will receive a link to the presentation deck and a practical 'how to' checklist to implement what they've learned.

The trainer of the wokshops, Nicola Doran has over 25 years management experience in delivering supports and results for SME clients. Nicola set up Nine Arch Consulting in March 2023. Nicola has a strong understanding of the challenges facing small business owners, and the variety of supports, interventions, and advice that they may require in order to succeed. Her commitment to providing tailored, practical, and effective supports and her passion for ensuring that her clients succeed is central to all that she does.

Nicola's key objectives are; To provide effective and relevant training to micro and SME business, to provide mentoring support that is based on lived-experience, to work with clients on a variety of levels, to assist them in setting and achieving their business goals and to make a tangible and positive difference for every client she works with.

Offaly Local Development Company and Westmeath Community Development have developed an enterprise craft training programme Craftlink in partnership with Finnish Craft Producers.

This is an innovative programme which provides craft makers in both countries with opportunities to develop new techniques and skills and look at the use of different materials to adapt their current offerings of products or to create new products. It also examines retail opportunities in Finland and Ireland.

The programme feeds into an enterprise and product development programme and looks at the marketing and promotion of the craft makers work exploring new technologies and use of e-commerce, social media, retail events as avenues for promotion and selling of craft products. This cross fertilisation of skills with makers from both countries and from different disciplines will provide a new platform for all craft makers.

This project is funded through the Leader Rural Development Programme by Offaly Local Development Company and Westmeath Community Development.

Booking is essential for the upcoming workshops. To reserve your spot visit the website www.craftlink.eu.