RURAL BUSINESS WOMEN GET UP TO SPEED ON BLOGGING, PODCASTING & TWITTER
Rural business women from Pembrokeshire & Carmarthenshire gathered in The National Botanic Gardens IT Suite Friday 10th July, to learn more about social media tools such as podcasting, blogging and twitter from social media expert Anna Farmery of the Engaging Brand. The workshop was organised by Juliet Fay, a freelance sales copy writer and member of WIRE (Women in Rural Enterprise) Carmarthenshire. She and several others from South Wales had seen Anna Farmery speak about using social media tools in business, at the WIRE national conference in Shropshire in March earlier this year. They were so excited, they wanted others in their networks to share this knowledge.
The workshop was jointly sponsored by Chevron’s Pembroke refinery and 
the West Wales Women in Management network of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Policy, Government and Public Affairs Manager for Chevron, Jane James, said: “By supporting this conference, Chevron can assist micro businesses in gaining the skills they will need to operate in rural Wales. Small and medium sized enterprises are incredibly important in the business community in west Wales and I am delighted that Chevron could be part of this workshop.” Nia Marshall an HR & Business Management Consultant and committee member from West Wales CMI said, “Supporting this workshop has helped introduce local women in management to the changing face of communication and how social networking tools can be used to promote their products or services – essential for rural businesses to reach the wider market place.” This sponsorship meant places at the workshop were free for women in business to attend.
During the workshop, Anna first of all challenged all the businesses there to think about their online ‘voice’. Why would people chose their business over their competitors? She gave detailed instructions on how to create a podcast, a blog and how twitter can be used for business. Lynne Whitemore a vegetable grower from Spring Meadow Farm, Caerfarchell near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire said the workshop gave her, “a whole new angle on how to promote my business which hopefully is the beginning of a journey into the future of my business”, Sian Bushell from Sian Bushell Associates who helps farming families deal with succession issues, felt Anna gave “incredibly important information to enable small businesses in Pembrokeshire to compete against larger, wealthier companies.”
For more information on joining WIRE please visit www.wireuk.org
