Do It Digital is a not-for-profit campaign that aims to help small businesses get online or improve their existing digital capabilities. The campaign is bringing together and celebrating current digital initiatives all over the UK to enhance their success and reach, and will increase small businesses’ digital engagement and participation. Small businesses are personal to everyone in the UK – everyone knows someone who runs or works for a small business. Targeting digital fluency in small businesses is therefore targeting digital engagement in 15 million people across the UK plus their family and friends. Small businesses are the uniting factor of communities up and down the UK and can act as a catalyst for general digital engagement and empowerment through digital competence. The campaign will help small businesses and communities to: ➢  Realise the benefits of digital engagement ➢  Take their first steps online for those not engaging at all ➢  Get more comfortable and willing to utilise digital for those reticent to engage more ➢  Gain digital skills to help their businesses grow ➢  Access more great opportunities for those willing to ‘go for it’

What is Do It Digital?

The campaign launched in December 2015 with 100 Days of Digital: promoting and highlighting every day for 100 days a tool, service, provider or solution to help small businesses get online – mostly for free The campaign runs workshops and one to one drop in sessions around the UK, helping small businesses get more out of digital It also creates a press buzz about digital for small businesses, helping to get the topic in front of as many small businesses as possible The hashtag #100daysofdigital reached 22 million people on Twitter through our handle @DoItDigitalUK and the campaign was supported by Lord Sugar, Ministers Matt Hancock and Ed Vaizey as well as numerous big firms such as Sage, O2, Go Daddy and more

100 Days of Digital

Campaign press coverage

The Times, The Mail on Sunday and The Telegraph

Mobilise and Motivate

The Do It Digital campaign exists to Mobilise and Motivate small businesses and support organisations to make a change Mobilise – Small Businesses are not UNAWARE of the internet, but there is a disconnect between their need and taking some action We need to work together to mobilise these small businesses to engage with their local help and advice that can bring them substantial benefits Mobilise – Providers of digital help and training also need to mobilise to reach these small businesses – ineffective marketing or lack of reach means that the demand is not reaching the supply Motivate – local organisations, including LEPS, councils, BIDs, trade groups etc. all need to work on getting small businesses excited about digital. This will often require external help, such as from campaigns like Do It Digital or big businesses such as Google Garage

Speaking to businesses face to face about digital and making a strong business case for engagement is the most effective way to get them engaged Utilising intermediaries with strong links and access to small businesses, such as accountants, banks, networking groups and solicitors is key to spreading the word about digital initiatives, and introducing you to small businesses themselves Networking and trade organisations such as the Federation of Small Businesses, Chambers of Commerce and local networking groups are also an effective way to reach new businesses, particularly those who may not be online at all

Use others networks

Fire up case studies and mentoring

Small businesses trust other small businesses, and therefore case studies and mentoring from small business are powerful tools for getting them to engage with digital Getting these case studies into local press is critical to using them to influence local businesses – local business will read local papers and listen to local radio, even if they never visit your website A voluntary mentoring scheme in which small businesses with digital skills mentor businesses that want to grow online brings additional support to LEP initiatives and demonstrates the success of a business that has been through a positive digital transformation

Local initiatives have found success through running competitions and interesting PR events to engage small businesses in digital For example, Decorum Council ran a Dragon’s Den initiative for businesses to pitch for £1,000 to help them develop their offer and help them to grow. This was sponsored so limited cost to the council These activities are fantastic PR tools and great for getting press coverage, social media promotion and can help to address small business motivational issues

Create exciting PR activities

Use BIG business support and marketing

Digital initiatives run by local groups are not always adopted by small businesses, and the feedback is that there may be an issue of brand perception Local groups may need help with the branding of their digital programmes in order to portray them as a fun and exciting opportunity for small businesses Some big businesses are already doing this, such as Google Digital Garage, Barclays Digital Eagles and O2 Gurus and can help by partnering on local activities Big businesses can be a big raw for small businesses and can also support with resources and expertise

Gaps that can be filled

LEPs often have gaps in the following areas: Resource – people, venues, collateral in order to train and excite small businesses Media – reach and impact across media channels Impact – lack of one to one relationships with the local community, working with partners rather than directly with the small businesses

Lets fill these gaps together

How Do It Digital can help you

Get your business online for £1 Free local workshops in your area Round tables to share best practice and be the best you can be Reach to small businesses in your area Reach to small business groups if you need this Media reach, both locally and nationally

Get in touch!

For further information please contact Michelle Ovens Campaign Director for Do It Digital at michelle@doitdigital.co.uk

Twitter: @DoItDigitalUK

Web: www.doitdigitaluk.co.uk

Facebook: /DoItDigitalUK