September 2020 Newsletter
It's back to school season, and things are starting to feel more 'normal' again - especially with the funfair in Princes Park over the bank holiday weekend. This summer, more than most, we've appreciated how great it is to have the seafront and the Downs on our doorstep.
If you have any news, shout outs, or case studies we can feature in a future newsletter, please let us know.
DEVELOPER STUFF
Julia launches to help with CPD
This week Eastbourne-based software development agency Switchplane is launching Julia, it's first SaaS product. Julia is a website and an app for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) to record, reflect and report on their CPD.
Following insight and reports of CPD being a nightmare for those in the healthcare industry, with the worry of a CPD audit from their regulatory body HCPC, Switchplane decided to solve this issue for AHPs all over the UK with a digital solution.
Julia runs on Amazon ECS, with PHP containers built for the website and its API. Both containers talk to a MySQL database for shared data, with assets being stored on S3. The app is written in Dart using Flutter and released as native code to Android and iOS.
If you know of any AHPs with this CPD nightmare, they can sign up for a free trial at juliacanhelp.com.
Correction: Free digital skills
Last newsletter we mentioned that TechResort were giving away funding; in fact, they've received funding in order to be able give people in Eastbourne free and low cost help with their digital skills. Read more about their Digital Do Tank here and if you know anyone needing help with digital, share the news.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
How to create a cracking design brief
Brighton-based agencies Bright and Evoke have teamed up for an episode of The Big Bright Podcast. Creative director Tom Leach, who has worked with some of London's leading brand agencies, shares his creative secrets on how to create a cracking design brief.
Give it a listen on Spotify.
MARKETING
How to use emojis to convert customers on social media 🤓
Digital Firefly director, James Armstrong, who is based in Eastbourne, shares a great blog about emojis and how social media ads featuring them can convert up to 145% more prospects than those without.
Take a look at his blog featuring case studies from a couple of this creative digital marketing agency's clients, The TEFL Academy, Rowcroft Hospice and Toupret UK, and read James's thoughtful analysis on why ads with emojis perform better.
EVENTS
Although in-person events are still a bit of a 'no' at the moment, there's plenty of events going on online that may spike your interest or help with CPD. Here's a breakdown of some we've found:
TECH | THE NEW ERA
Tuesday 8 September 2020, all day.
During London Tech Week, there will be a day-long conference involving technology thought leaders, start-ups, scale-ups, commentators, analysts, writers, economists, investors, and policymakers; some of the most important and influential technology thought leaders on the planet. The objective is to provide a forum for some of the best, unhindered thinking on how we should respond and what technology solutions we should be building and funding right now.
REACT LIVE CONFERENCE ONLINE
Friday 11 September 2020, 1pm - 8pm, €49.
React Live is a unique opportunity to watch React Experts share their knowledge via the online stage. Numerous topics will be covered, hooks, testing, state management, performance, Next.js, Style Components and more, including the most recent topics like Recoil.js.
TECH BREAKFAST: AI FOR BUSINESS
Wednesday 16 September, free.
Wired Sussex are stepping into the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, giving a beginner-level introduction to the technology, its potential and how your business might benefit from it. You’ll get to hear from companies who have implemented AI and machine learning to streamline their workflow, increase productivity and achieve technological processes which were previously inconceivable or laborious.
MACHINE LEARNING ZERO TO HERO
Various dates this autumn, free.
AWS Machine Learning Heroes share their knowledge on Machine Learning, AWS, and everything in between. Upcoming talks include EC2 vs containers vs SageMaker (19 September), Creating and Scaling AI in Enterprises (26 September), and Building a Bot That Plays Videos for My Toddler (14 November).
SHOUT OUT
LoCASE Funding Extension
Thanks to LoCASE and the European Regional Development Fund, there's been an extension to the end of September 2020 to help SMEs in the region with grant funding. This is applicable to SMEs looking at 'green' projects, or LCEGS firms seeking grants for business development purposes.
If you're interested in getting your hands on a share of the £500k, get in touch with LoCASE as soon as possible.
Digital Recognition for the Sheldon B&B
The Sheldon B&B in Eastbourne has been recognised as one of the best in the town, having won the 2020 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Award for Bed and Breakfast. This means they have consistently received great feedback online from their guests, and the TripAdvisor platform has enabled them to boost their profile in the town during this difficult time for tourism. It's great to see different ways that digital supports other industries.
ONE LAST THING…
Fully funded brand strategy sessions
Lewes-based strategic brand, web design, and digital marketing agency Tomango are offering expert advice free of charge for businesses in Sussex. Their Discovery sessions, usually £750+VAT, take place over 3-4 weeks and look at your longer term goals, where you want your business to be, and their recommendations for your next steps.
Read more about these sessions here, or contact Tomango on 01273 814019 / hello@tomango.co.uk.
Until next time!
Sarah
