Over 100 marketeers from around the region, many from the aviation sector, have been given a jump-start on how to successfully export into global markets thanks to Shannon Group bringing Google’s cutting-edge ‘Staying Ahead Digital Roadshow’ to Shannon.
Hosted in Atlantic Aviation Institute’s state-of-the-art training facility in Shannon Free Zone last week, the half-day event saw CEO’s, senior sales and marketing executives – many of them drawn from companies in Shannon’s International Aviation Services Centre (IASC) cluster – get face-to-face expertise from Google’s digital technicians about how to grow their business overseas and exploit the enormous opportunity that the digital world presents.
This was the first time that Google’s Staying Ahead Digital Roadshow has come to Shannon, and local firms jumped on the opportunity to take part to learn how to find new business overseas and tailor their offering for new markets.
The free of charge invitation-only event was aimed at CEOs and senior commercial/sales/marketing managers, with the packed agenda including workshops on the latest Google tools that can help Irish SMEs find and understand new clients overseas, as well as optional one-to-one ‘clinics’ for SMEs with key Google executives. Given the strong business and industry base locally, there was a special marketing focus on B2B (business-to-business) marketing for aviation and aerospace but also other industry sectors.
The event was organised by Shannon Group through its subsidiary IASC and, according to Shannon Group Chairman, Rose Hynes, brought real added value for attendees.
“Digital is the leading driver of growth in global advertising and is expected to account for 95% of all growth this year. That shows how critical it is for companies today. It’s a huge area of opportunity and we’re delighted to bring Google’s Digital Garage to Shannon,” said Ms Hynes.
IASC Managing Director Patrick Edmond said: “According to Google itself, digital marketing strategies have the potential to deliver almost three times better revenue growth. No organisation knows this space better than Google; it is responsible for 96% of mobile search traffic, for example, and we all know how pervasive mobile is. So it was hugely beneficial to have the Google Digital Garage here imparting this vital expertise, and for Google to come here is a great vote of confidence in Shannon as a business location and in the global outlook of Shannon firms.”