Business network helps West Cork micro-enterprise to engage online

Aug. 26, 2008 - PRLog -- A unique business network tailored to the needs of Small Office / Home Office workers in rural Ireland is turning to the internet and social media to boost micro enterprise in the region. The West Cork chapter of the SOHO Solo network has launched a new blog on http://www.sohosolowestcork.com, and is posting regular updates to the popular micro-blogging service Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/sohosolo) as part of a drive to introduce home-based entrepreneurs to the potential of Web 2.0 technology.

SOHO Solo, which is coordinated by Cork Business Innovation Centre (CorkBIC) with the support of the City and County Enterprise Boards, has active chapters operating in Cork City & South, West Cork and Kerry. This latest initiative from the West Cork chapter is part of a drive to encourage and support small businesses to tap in to the online conversation: to listen, learn and connect with their customers.

“This is just the beginning of a concerted effort by SOHO Solo to help members engage with one another, their industry peers and their customers through social media, and to explore some of the untapped potential of the Internet for home-based businesses in the region,” said Calvin Jones, SOHO Solo member, and co-author of “Understanding Digital Marketing”, which will be published by Kogan Page (London) in January 2009.

“The commercial landscape is changing radically, and it's doing so very quickly; the internet, broadband penetration and the widespread adoption of social media are driving that change,” explained Calvin. “Change can be daunting, but it also represents a great opportunity for smaller businesses, which  tend to be more nimble than their larger competitors, to steal a march on them and engage positively with online consumers."

For many though this is uncharted territory; to navigate it effectively business owners need help, guidance and support... and that's what this new SOHO Solo initiative is all about: helping SOHO enterprises to share their experiences and expertise, and giving them the opportunity to see the benefits of social media engagement first hand.

To get the ball rolling, the next SOHO Solo West Cork meeting will be an informal discussion on how small businesses can benefit from using social media for research, communication collaboration and engagement. It will take place at the Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery, Co. Cork on Wednesday the 17 September from 12:30 to 14:00. For more information visit http://www.sohosolowestcork.com/social-media-for-micro-en....

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About SOHO Solo West Cork: SOHO Solo West Cork is part of SOHO Solo Ireland, a vibrant business networking and support group uniquely tailored to the needs of independent entrepreneurs and Small Office/Home Office workers.

The Soho/Solo project was launched in 2003 as a European pilot project funded by the Interreg IIIB 'Atlantic Area' Programme for two years. The programme promoted the Atlantic regions of Europe as better places to live and work, encouraging rural sustainability and regeneration.

In April 2006, following the success of the pilot project, Cork Business Innovation Centre(CorkBIC) and the County and City Enterprise Boards in Cork and Kerry agreed funding to sustain the project in the South West of Ireland.

The project aims to identify Small Office Home Office Workers(Soho Solos) in the South West of Ireland, to encourage others to relocate or return to the region, to promote Small Office Home Office Working and to offer support to these "new" entrepreneurs.