KIB Newsletter January 2020
Innovative Sector Exchange (ISE) Project Update
Through the ISE project, Kent County Council and Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce are organising the following events in early 2020 in which Kent companies can participate:
- A Digital & Creative sector Cluster meeting in Lille from 12-13 February. This will be a chance for digital & creative companies in Kent to focus on joint working & collaboration opportunities on the theme of Smart Cities with businesses from France, Belgium & the Netherlands.
- Visit for manufacturing & engineering companies the to the Kortrijk, Belgium to see the inspiring ‘Factories of the Future‘ initiative in West Flanders. 4 March.
- A visit for Kent’s agri-food businesses to the Tavola fine food & drink trade show in Kortrijk from 16-17 March
- The ISE Innovation Summit in West Flanders on 24 March with keynote speakers from several global companies and a chance to interact with businesses and contacts from Kent’s neighbouring European regions.
- Participation in an Innovative Ingredients event for the ISE Food & Drink Cluster companies in Ghent on 28 April
These events are all free of charge and further details will be available on the ISE website – please click here to visit the site for more information.
Book a free 121 Diagnostic:
Kent businesses still have time to request a 121 innovation & internationalisation assessment with an international trade expert from Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce which will give you some practical recommendations to help your business grow.
For more information about ISE Project please email Natasha White or visit the project website: www.iseproject.eu
Diary Dates:
International Trade Events in Kent (and a few nearby!) for early 2020:
- 3 February, KICC, Incoterms Training, Ashford. More information & register
- 12-13 February, ISE Project, Digital & Creative Cluster Event: Future Collaboration, More information & Register
- 13 February, KICC, Letters of Credit Demystified, Ashford. More information & Register
- 27 February, KICC & HSBC, Preparing for a new Trading Environment, Ashford. More information & register
- 4 March, ISE Project, Visit to Factories of the Future, Kortrijk, Belgium. More information & register
- 4 March, EEN, Futurebuild International Matchmaking, London. More information & register
- 10 March, KICC, Incoterms Training, Ashford. More information & register
- 16-17 March, ISE project, Visit to Tavola 2020, Kortrijk. More information & register
- 26 March, KICC, Incoterms Training, Medway. More information & register
Events & Webinars from the Department for International Trade:
Discover new opportunities in Latin America & the Caribbean
With a population of 650m people, Latin America and the Caribbean (combined) are the world’s 3rd largest economy. Why not take advantage of this massive growth market? Join us for 1-2-1 meetings and workshops to learn about the opportunities awaiting in these vibrant markets.
Central London, 11 March 2020 – click here to email an expression of interest in attending
AgriTech Trade Mission to Kazakhstan
Showcase your UK business alongside DIT at the AgriTek/FarmTek International Exhibition featuring over 200 companies from 19 countries. This mission offers the chance to meet with potential buyers, sit in on round table discussions and attend site visits in the region.
This is a unique opportunity to position your business among international agriculture experts and gain insight into current trends and innovations within the sector.
Location: Kazakhstan
Date: 08-13 March 2020
Deadline for Applications: 31 January 2020
click here to email an expression of interest in attending
Visit SXSW Media Conference in Texas, USA!
Is your company part of the UK’s progressive creative and media industry? Then this mission to Austin might just be what you’re looking for.
South by Southwest (SXSW) is arguably one of the world’s most important creative festivals, attracting 8,000+ delegates from almost 100 countries. Have your chance to learn from these industry professionals while attending conference keynotes, meetups, mentor sessions, and more.
Please click here to express an interest.
Webinar – Crossing the Atlantic: All about e-commerce in the USA with Amazon.com
Amazon is teaming up with the Department for International Trade, to help UK companies who are interested in accessing the USA’s 300 million consumers to onboard with Amazon.
Research by Amazon shows that the companies who are most successful throughout the year launched on Amazon in Q1.
This webinar offers a comprehensive guide for all UK businesses wishing to export to the US. Topics covered include the US business and cultural environment, the top selling product categories on Amazon, the onboard process and how Amazon can help contribute to your companies exporting sales.
Join the webinar by clicking here
Date: Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Time: 3:30PM GMT
Duration: 1 hour
Webinar – reach up to 21 million customers per month in Germany with real.de
Join us to learn about real.de, the fastest growing and third largest open online marketplace in Germany.
This webinar will not only teach you the steps you need to take to be able to sell on real.de, but also give you a good understanding of the current German B2C e-commerce market and some hints on how to successfully sell online in Germany.
Real.de is looking for online sellers across a wide variety of categories including: home and living, sport, baby and kids, garden, electronics and more.
Join the webinar by clicking here
Date: Wednesday, 22 January 2020
Time: 10AM GMT
Duration: 1 hour
Webinar – Expert advice and information on international SEO to attract visitors from overseas for e-commerce
The Department for International Trade is partnering with Barrett Dixon Bell (DBD), bringing UK businesses the opportunity to gain valuable insights from SEO specialists.
With the global e-commerce landscape rapidly expanding, international SEO is critical to reaching potential customers overseas. This webinar will help you understand how to optimise your website and effectively signal search engines.
You will learn how to:
• Build an SEO strategy and elevate your online brand presence to reach global potential customers
• Increase website traffic from multiple international markets to generate more sales
• Identify keywords with high search volumes
• Create a seed list on your on-page SEO
• Increase your EAT score to improve your SERP ranking
• Localise your strategy to further brand reach per country
• Integrate social media and turn likes into sales
Join the webinar by clicking here
Date: Thursday, 23 January 2020
Time: 10AM GMT
Duration: 1 hour
Webinar – Reach millions of customers in Italy with ePrice
Learn more about ePrice.it, the leading online marketplace in Italy, and how you can use this channel to reach millions of customers. Originally known for consumer electronics, gaming and office supplies, ePrice now covers a much broader range of categories including books, media, toys and home improvement.
During this webinar, you will hear directly from the platform about the Italian e-commerce market, their customer profile, business model, seller requirements and other key information to sell successfully on this popular channel.
Join the webinar by clicking here
Date: Wednesday, 29 January 2020
Time: 10AM GMT
Duration: 1 hour
Wednesday 4 March 2020, ExCeL, London
Enterprise Europe is organising a matchmaking event at Futurebuild, one of the biggest events in the world for sustainable construction.
The matchmaking event gives the opportunity for participants to pre-arrange meeting with businesses, research organisations, and construction companies active in the Eco-construction sector.
Register now for this FREE matchmaking event by clicking here and meet new partners from all over Europe in one day!
Thematic Focus
- Sustainable design
- Progressive and efficiency technologies (low energy, passive, intelligent, ecological)
- New building material and technologies
- Systems and equipment using energy from alternative sources
- Heating equipment
- Control and metering equipment
You can find out more about the Ecobuild trade fair and seminars by clicking here
Proud of your Export Achievements?
Why not let others know by applying for an export award. Winning not only gives your business additional kudos but can motivate staff and re-assure potential new clients. There are 3 opportunities to apply at the moment:
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- The Kent Invicta Chamber Awards ‘Exporter of the Year Category – deadline for applying is 24 January 2020. Find out more by clicking here
- The Federation of Small Businesses Awards ‘International Business of the Year’ – deadline for applying is 7 February 2020. Find out more by clicking here
- The Kent Excellence in Business (KEIBA) Awards ‘Success in International Trade’ Category – deadline for applying is 21 February 2020. Find out more by clicking here
Are you covered?
Doing business globally means you will encounter unfamiliar laws, languages, and customs that can create liability risks for your business. Towergate explains below how they seek to anticipate, mitigate and prevent their customers from contravening local laws, help them protect their assets and provide advise where staff are employed abroad.
Businesses involved in international trade should ensure that have International Property and Liability Insurance for several key reasons:
- Compliance – Each country has different regulations when it comes to insurance, your insurance broker can guide you to the right coverage and make sure you are compliant
- Protection – The world is not perfect and disasters can happen at any time. What you do have control over is how you can protect against such losses so that you do not suffer a financial loss as well.
Insurance is one tool that you can use to protect your business, yourself, and your employees
3. Emergencies – Traveling abroad can be very exciting, but with it comes new risks. In the event of an emergency, your insurance broker can assist you and your employees with medical, personal, travel, and security issues. Insurance helps protect you and your employees in case they are injured or get sick when traveling abroad.
A good insurance broker can provide the right support for Kent’s exporters and companies should consider working with one to protect their business overseas.
With offices in Ashford and Sevenoaks, Towergate, for example, has access to a World-Wide Broker Network, the largest network of independent insurance brokers in the world. Through over 110 partners it can tailor a solution to meet internationally trading companies’ insurance requirements.
Please click here to read Towergate’s guide to its local branches.