Make Your Website Work Harder: Essentials for SMEs
Turn your website into a tool that brings you customers, not headaches.
Outline:
Turn your website from a brochure into a business tool.
Your website should be bringing you customers, not just sitting there. This session helps you audit what you've got and make the handful of changes that turn visitors into enquiries.
We'll cover
• Why your website still matters in 2026
• Auditing your current site: is it doing its job?
• Quick fixes: images, speed, calls-to-action
• Adding essentials: forms, maps, bookings, integrations
• Mobile-friendly and accessible design
• Demo: before-and-after website improvements
• Next steps: when to invest in a new website
Who is this for?
Sole traders and SMEs with outdated or underused websites; businesses wanting to integrate their website with marketing tools; businesses that rely on their site for enquiries or bookings.
What will you learn?
The purpose of a website in 2026; how to make a site work harder for your business goals; how to measure basic website performance.
Quick win
Run a 10-point audit on your own site and apply one improvement straight away.
Date: 10th November 2026
Time: 6pm - 8.30pm
About the trainers
Greg Thomas and David Taylor have between them over 50 years’ experience in online marketing, communications and business support.
With over 15 years’ experience supporting startups and SMEs, Greg Thomas is a business adviser, mentor and innovation lead known for helping organisations gain clarity, improve performance and manage change with confidence.
He has guided hundreds of entrepreneurs across financial planning, marketing strategy, digital transformation and business growth, offering practical, results-focused support grounded in real-world challenges.
Since 2019, he has worked independently across the UK, developing business plans, funding proposals, budgets and forecasts, and providing tailored advice on sales, risk and digital presence.
His work has earned national recognition for innovation, including commendation from Her Majesty the Queen.
With more than 30 years’ experience across journalism, media relations, marketing, digital strategy and business consultancy, David Taylor specialises in guiding organisations through today’s fast-changing business and communications landscape.
His broad, cross-sector background - from early days as a newspaper journalist to advising SMEs on digital transformation - gives him a unique, practical perspective that resonates with leaders and teams alike.
David has co-authored books on digital marketing, delivered national and international talks on digital change, and appeared regularly on BBC TV and radio as a commentator on the evolving digital world.
His business support methods have been used by enterprise organisations across the South and East of England to help hundreds of SMEs build stronger digital skills and more resilient businesses.
Venue and transport arrangements
The Welcome Building is just a short walk from Eastbourne Mainline train station.
There are also parking spaces available at the venue.
FAQs
Does my business still need a website in 2026?
Yes - even where social media and Google Business Profile do a lot of the work, a website remains the place you fully control and where trust and bookings are usually confirmed.
How do I know if my website is underperforming?
Common signs include very few enquiries relative to visitors, slow load times, no clear call-to-action, or a site that isn't mobile-friendly. The workshop includes a simple 10-point audit you can run yourself.
What are the quickest wins to improve website results?
Usually image and speed fixes, a clearer call-to-action, and making sure the site works well on mobile - all covered in the session.
When should I invest in a new website rather than fixing the existing one?
If your site is on an outdated platform, isn't mobile-friendly, or would need a rebuild to add essentials like bookings or integrations, a new platform (such as Wix or Shopify) is usually more cost-effective than patching. We'll help you judge which applies to you.
