Honiton-based digital specialists Cosmic are offering a package of free training and business advice to help retailers fight back in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

With East Devon’s high streets battling to cope with the effects of the lockdown, the community-minded social enterprise organisation is putting on a series free workshops.

Cosmic, who specialise in digital skills training, IT support and website development, said they wanted to support businesses looking to adapt to the circumstances and wanting to improve their sales opportunities.

They are staging a series of free training workshops over the next six weeks and inviting all who take part to also take advantage of a free, one-to-one action planning session with their advisors.

Cosmic said that each of the one-and-a-half-hour sessions will be run three times, giving plenty of chance for people to attend.

The selling online workshop is described as a “straight forward, no fuss workshop”, which will guide retailers through setting up a successful online shop, establishing an online selling strategy, online customer service, payment options and the rules for online and distance selling.

A second workshop, covering social media for retail businesses, aims to look at how enterprises can become successful on social media, how they can create a sustainable social media strategy and how they can be sure customers will engage and interact with their business.

It will be led by a professional creative marketeer with a background in creative industries, leisure and hospitality marketing.

A third workshop, called digital marketing strategies for retail businesses, will help traders learn how to build a digital marketing plan to reach their customers, raise awareness, interest and create a desire to purchase their products.

The sessions are running now and into March. They are part of the Retail Recovery Project, which provides training and support for businesses who work in a retail environment, particularly those who have been impacted by Covid-19.

Cosmic is being supported by the Heart of the South West Growth Hub, with funding coming from the European Regional Development Fund.

Booking details and further information is available on Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/retail-recovery-programme-by-cosmic-32430893185