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| February 2020 |
| Back to business... as usual? | |
Are you back to business, as usual? As we embark on a new year and decade, now is the perfect time to pause, reflect and revisit your business operation - could you be doing business differently or more efficiently? Need support with your business plan - setting clear goals, identifying strategies for achieving those goals, and developing a plan for implementing your longer-term goals or strategies? Would you like to explore how online marketing tools might benefit your operation and grow your business? Could free business mentoring kick-start your business in this new decade? See the range of upcoming activities in this newsletter to help achieve your new year business resolution. |
| Events, networking, workshops and more |
| Coffee Connect business networking | |
Hobsons Bay City Council invites business professionals from across Hobsons Bay to come together for Coffee Connect business networking. These informal events are a great opportunity to enjoy coffee, promote your business and share ideas, while meeting business people from a range of different industries. Date: Wednesday 5 February 2020 (fully booked) Date: Wednesday 4 March 2020 |
| ASBAS Series: Low cost marketing tools for your small business - Thursday 27 February | |
Countless tools exist to assist with your online marketing. Whatever your need, there is likely a tool to help you: creating high-quality visual content, optimising landing pages, reviewing analytics, managing social media posts, and much more. Many such tools are free or low-cost. This workshop will walk you through the best and most affordable tools to assist with your online marketing, including Hootsuite for scheduling and posting on social media, Canva for creating attractive designs, and Unsplash for a range of free stock photos. Delivered as part of the ASBAS Digital Solutions Program. Date: Thursday 27 February 2020 |
| Business coaching and mentoring - Tuesday 17 March | |
Want to get your business moving? Are you looking to start a small business but not sure how? Do you own a business and need expert advice on how to grow and thrive? The Small Business Bus offers:
Hop online now to book your session. Date: Tuesday 17 March 2020 |
| Altona and Williamstown retail precinct forums: New Visions New Directions | |
Hobsons Bay City Council is hosting two events for local retailers & hospitality industry professionals, one in Altona and one in Williamstown. Retail industry professionals VillageWell will assess the two main activity precincts and provide suggestions on what both Council and local businesses can do to make the retail precincts the best possible places for shopping and visiting, and also provide tips to help retailers keep up with trends and insights. Altona event Williamstown event |
| Spotlight |
| Recycling 2.0 starts 3 February | |
From Monday 3 February, Hobsons Bay will be running a four bin waste and recycling service, Recycling 2.0. All households and businesses that use Council’s waste and recycling service should have received a new purple glass recycling bin, kitchen caddy for food scraps and, if you don’t already have one, a green bin for food and garden waste. You will also have received or will shortly receive a 2020 Waste and Recycling Calendar which explains on which days each bin will be collected for your area. There are some important changes to what can and can’t go in your bins: You’ll find all the information about the service, how to use your bins, and tips for reducing waste in the Recycling 2.0 Information Booklet delivered inside your kitchen caddy, and available on Council’s website. Some residents and businesses may have specific needs that require an additional or a larger bin, which can be ordered through Council’s website. We recommend you try the new system for a few weeks before ordering additional bins, as you may find that the new weekly food and garden waste service reduces more landfill volume than you expected. If the new service does not suit the needs of a business, they can opt out of the service and associated waste charges, and source an independent waste and recycling provider. An opt-out form will be available on Council’s website. For the moment, the new waste and recycling service is primarily for residential properties. Businesses can use Council’s service if the type and quantity of waste is similar to residential waste. For more information, including where you can chat face to face with our Recycling 2.0 team, visit www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/recycling. For enquiries, please call 9932 1000 or email recycling@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au. |
| Business news |
| Food safety award program 2020 | |
Outstanding food premises are being acknowledged and rewarded for demonstrating high food safety compliance. Businesses are awarded with an 'In the Running' certificate and are eligible for nomination towards the Food Safety Award. There are three award categories: Class 1 food premises include food businesses that provide meals to vulnerable persons, i.e. child and aged care facilities The highest achieving business in each category will receive:
Reap the rewards, to find out more email publichealth@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au. |
| Hanging Local in Melbourne’s West | |
‘Hanging Local’ is a program for international university students to uncover the tourism hotspots of Melbourne’s west. Developed in partnership with Western Melbourne Tourism, Get Lost Travel Group and Victoria University, and with funding through the Victorian Government’s Study Melbourne program, ‘Hanging Local’ aims to get international students out and about exploring their local neighbourhoods, making new friends and feeling more at home. It will also assist students in broadening their knowledge of local experiences across Melbourne’s west to show off to their family and friends when they visit and includes a number of experiences in Hobsons Bay. Local businesses currently involved are Melbourne Sunseekers SUP, Williamstown Life Saving Club and Kiosk D'asporto. If you'd like to get involved, follow the Facebook page to keep up to date with what's happening throughout the program, and for any future opportunities. https://www.facebook.com/hanginglocal |
| Google Reviews 101 | |
95% of Australians use Google to find goods and services. Whether your business shows up in Google's search results depends heavily on your Google Reviews. Business owners and marketing managers that want to drive in-store traffic and net new customers know the importance of focusing on improving their Google Reviews. • Step-by-step to get more Google Reviews Get the free guide "Google Reviews 101" |
| Statistical tools and resources to assist with your business planning | |
Where can I get more data? Hobsons Bay (and many other local government areas) subscribe to .id's suite of local government interactive statistical tools, which may assist with your business planning: |
| Melbourne's West Jobs | |
Melbourne's West Jobs is a one-stop-portal for employment in Melbourne’s west created for employers and job seekers in the region who want to live, work and employ local. Are you looking for new staff and want to employ local? Melbourne’s West Jobs provides you with an efficient way to access staff and talent within Hobsons Bay. Job vacancies can be posted on the Melbourne’s West Jobs portal for free. Melbourne’s West Jobs offers you no cost job advertising, the opportunity to showcase your business brand, job beacon posters for display in your business and the opportunity to share vacancies via social media channels. Find out more at www.melbswestjobs.com.au. |
| NBN Check. Select. Connect. | |
Join other Hobsons Bay businesses that are now enjoying enhanced online performance and increased productivity - check to see when your business will be ready to connect by clicking here . 5G is shaping up to have a dramatic impact on all businesses. Learn more about what you need to know to understand the technology and make it work for your business. |
| Sustainability |
| 2020 National Energy Efficiency Awards - nominations now open | |
The National Energy Efficiency Awards 2020 are a fantastic opportunity to be recognised for your efforts and celebrate your commitment to energy efficiency. |
| Property update |
| For sale or lease | |
36-40 Mason Street, Newport - For Sale
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| Community connection |
| Formal launch: Creative Technology Hub - Thursday 27 February | |
Join the celebration of the formal opening of the Creative Technology Hub. Explore this unique and new community space while trying your hand at the equipment on offer. Speak to skilled staff about how to bring your creative visions to life. Date: Thursday 27 February |
| Access Hobsons Bay Libraries eBooks from your device and read anytime, anywhere | |
February featured title: Five stars : the communication secrets to get from good to great by Carmine Gallo Mastering the ancient art of persuasion is the key to standing out, getting ahead, and achieving greatness in the modern world. Communication is no longer a soft skill - it is the human edge that will make you unstoppable, irresistible, and irreplaceable - earning you that perfect rating, that fifth star. Find out more… |
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