Whether you are just beginning your entrepreneurial journey, or you are an already experienced player in the market, you may have wondered by now: What should I do to build a strong business and propel it to success? In today’s dynamic enterprise world, it is important to gain the necessary creative and analytical competences to deliver comprehensive services.
In this scope, The CIRCLE was formed. The CIRCLE is a cross-country, cross-disciplinary program for European freelancers and entrepreneurs, organized by Zitec, Impact Hub Bucharest, Impact Hub Madrid and Matera Hub. Since October 2021, it has offered the ideal medium for a series of workshops. During these meetings, participants from Romania, Spain and Italy were encouraged to venture and develop their entrepreneurial, creative and digital competences.
The latest learning circle took place between 5th – 10th September 2022. As schools started in September, Zitec’s team recreated the academic atmosphere by hosting the digital wellbeing workshops. Zitec opened the doors of its headquarters office in Bucharest to provide the participants with the know-how to transform their business’ processes and culture via digital skills, in order to generate better results. Therefore, via The CIRCLE program, we took on the opportunity to turn our first-class specialists into teachers for people from around Europe.
A glimpse into an autumnal “seminar” in digital wellbeing
15 participants gathered in Romania to assist in the networking, peer-sharing, and digital sessions hosted by Zitec. Technical specialists, innovators, creative freelancers and entrepreneurs engaged in collaborative learning activities. They also shared their insights about their personal, professional, and business-wise experiences.
Here’s what our specialists taught The CIRCLE’s participants:
✅ Understanding the industry: Porter’s Five Forces Analysis
Analyzing the state of affairs of the market is a must. But sometimes this can constitute a challenge for entrepreneurs and freelancers. However, one easy way to obtain an accurate overview is by using the Porter’s Five Forces Analysis. This method studies the industry, considering five different criteria (competitive rivalry, new entrants, substitution, buyer power, supplier power) and the high or low level of the power, threat, or rivalry in each area. This analysis offers a broader picture on the needed tangible activities that can help in overcoming any possible risks.
✅ Understanding the competition: SWOT analysis
Another strategy we presented is the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis that shows the situation one fits in. This research will provide the specific areas of potential risks that any organization may begin to either develop or overcome.
✅ Understanding the buyer persona
An important aspect is investing time to understand where one stands in the eyes of the existing and future consumers. Equally important is how one’s product is regarded in the industry. More precisely, the target market, what matters to them, the price points, impressions of the branding, as well as the competition.
✅ Understanding the digital marketing channels
We also spoke about different types of digital marketing channels. These range from Content Marketing, Search engine optimization (SEO), Social Media Marketing, Paid Social, Display Advertising. We discussed what Cold Email Outreach Marketing is, as well as the impact of Influencer Marketing & PR and Inbound Marketing.
✅ The 5D’s in the digital marketing strategy
An important part that should not be missed in any business strategy is the concept of the 5 crucial terms to the marketing activities. As such, Digital Technology, Digital Data, Digital Channels, Digital Metrics and Digital Devices are aspects to bear in mind. Understanding these terms and how they work together can help in creating a strong digital marketing plan. This plan might lead to the increase of the business online visibility and conversions.
The outcomes of the last day: a win-win situation
As the fifth day unfolded, we really felt that The CIRCLE program had created the perfect environment for networking, collaboration, learning, ideas, initiatives, and brainstorming. The participants are now more prepared in understanding the digital environment:
- why digital transformation is important;
- the steps needed to build digital strategies;
- how to choose the most appropriate digital channels;
- the methods that could facilitate digital experiences.
How Zitec and The CIRCLE open digital doors
The CIRCLE started in June 2021 as part of a European Union’s series of projects. Four partners developed this program: Impact Hub Bucharest, Impact Hub Madrid, Matera Hub, and Zitec. Here, a group of 60 freelancers and entrepreneurs participate in learning circles. It ensures that creative, non-creative participants and specialists with a more technical background are brought together in one place. The scope is to share and build business creativity and digital knowledge. Thus, sharing and learning could only result in an incredible mutual avail.
Zitec joined The CIRCLE through the Innovation Grants Consulting service, which offers our clients professional consultancy. The service helps them be one step closer to gaining grants for their projects implementation and accessing innovative technologies. Leveraging our wide experience in digital transformation, we help The CIRCLE’s participants to generate better results for their businesses and achieve success. Zitec’s team created an interactive digital wellbeing toolkit that comprises a handbook, webinar presentations, case studies and success stories. We brought to the table all the necessary resources businesses must be aware of to maximize their efficiency and make use of advanced digital technologies.
Zitec will continue to support The CIRCLE’s endeavor into helping entrepreneurs and freelancers gain more creative and digital skills. Future learning experiences will unfold between October 2022 – January 2023, consisting of 4 online reconnecting workshops hosted by each national hub. The CIRCLE project will finish in February 2023 with an online festival where participants will share their stories and learnings achieved during all this period. Follow these initiatives and don’t miss the opportunity to join the next learning journeys.
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