Enterprise European Network Activity 2: network promotion and communication
In order to understand the current article, we recommend you check first the previous publications on this matter: “EEN: Support to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Europe” and “EEN Activity 1: Provision of value-added services to clients”
Enterprise Europe Network is a great opportunity to help SMEs in your region, so we congratulate you on your interest in this content!
Introduction
In line with the previous article on the activities to be described in the development of an EEN proposal, the Network promotion and communication activity is of essential justification in order to obtain programme approval and therefore, funding.
As this is a project with a great potential to reach a wide audience of SMEs and to achieve a higher visibility of the services offered, applicants will have to justify, through the development of Activity 2: Network Promotion and Communication[1], how to achieve this taking into account the situation of each region.
Thus, the partners of each consortium will promote the benefits of the Network and its services in the corresponding business support system of each region, with the message that this service is intended to promote added value, not to create competition.
Enterprise European Network Activity 2: Network promotion and communication
The importance of promotion and communication activities and its development in this programme is absolutely indispensable, as these tools are the way each consortium can reach and help more SMEs that will act as clients for the Network.
This way, development and implementation of the Network’s promotion and communication activity will be supported by the following sections:
Communication strategy and work plan
Included in the Activity 2 of the Enterprise European Network, all proposals require a communication strategy for the whole period of the action and a work plan for the first year of operations only. This work plan which will set out:
- Key communication objectives will be achieved
- Target audience for the communication
- Communication channels to be used
- Measurement of the results of the communication activities.
On the other hand, the communication work plan for the first year of operations should include:
- The list of detailed communication activities to be developed in one year
- The specific objectives, target audiences, draft messages, tools and channels proposed, as well as
- The specific indicators for each communication activity.
As part of these requirements, each consortium must:
- Appoint a communication correspondent to act as interlocutor
- Set a common national website of the Network, available in the national language(s) and in English
- A generic e-mail address with the same structure
- Follow the Network’s Visual Identity Guidelines and apply the branding standards in full framework of the developed project.
Success stories
In the Network’s customer journey, a good result in providing advisory help and reaching SMEs is so essential, that when an achievement is reached, the success of a customer’s case and the positive impact on their business is explained in a story.
In this way, each consortium must provide, at least once a year, with a solid and validated example of a good story that demonstrates the impact of the Network’s services on SME clients.
Such stories could get later promoted at EU level through the corporate communication channels as Network success stories.
Communication within the Network
All partners will have to play an active role in communicating with each other through the Network’s intranet and IT platform, for coordination is indispensable for the correct development of the project and activities.
In addition, an online directory of Network staff members with their professional and contact details will be made available to allow clients and potential clients and other partners the easiest approach to the consortia
It is important to keep in mind the communication and promotion activities of the proposals, as reaching SMEs with the offer and quality of the Network’s innovation and internationalisation services is the main objective of any grant project.
[1] Source: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/smp/wp-call/2021/call-fiche_smp-cosme-2021-een_en.pdf
