In today’s competitive business landscape, a robust online presence is crucial for expanding your reach into new markets. Crafting and executing an effective digital marketing strategy that aligns with your objectives, target audience, and market conditions is essential to achieving success.

If you’re tasked with business expansion and growth in an established SME or large company with over 10 full-time employees and are already exporting outside of Ireland, you may be eligible for Enterprise Ireland’s Digital Marketing Capability Grant. This grant aims to support your organisation in developing and enhancing your digital marketing strategy and skills through collaboration with an approved digital marketing consultant.

The Digital Marketing Capability Grant offers coverage of up to 50% of eligible project costs, up to a maximum amount of €35,000. Eligible expenses include external training or advisory services provided by a qualified digital marketing consultant. Additionally, the grant can subsidise a portion of the salary for an internal project champion tasked with overseeing the implementation of your digital marketing strategy and training other team members. In essence, this grant enables you to access expert digital consultancy services at half the cost, while also covering part of your internal salary expenses.

Benefits of the Digital Marketing Capability Grant

1. You will get a strategic review of your existing digital channels and a plan for your future digital marketing strategy.

2. You will learn about international best practices, competitive landscape, effective tools and strategies in the area of digital marketing.

3. You will embed digital marketing practices and skills in your company by developing the capabilities of senior management and staff.

4. You will get a deep understanding of your target customer and markets through expert research and audit, assisting with critical decision support and future planning

5. You will get a sustainable and best practice setup of current digital marketing platforms (advertising, SEO, Analytics etc)  for your business which will continue to perform long after the project finishes.

6. You will improve your digital presence and reach new customers and markets.

Eligible Activities Under the Digital Marketing Capability Grant

Digital marketing is a broad term that encompasses various activities and channels that aim to promote your brand, products, or services on the internet. Some of the most common EI Digital Marketing Capability Grant eligible activities are:

Optimising your web presence to ensure visibility in your target export market. This means making sure that your website is fast, user-friendly, mobile-responsive, and aligned with the expectations and preferences of your target audience. You also need to optimise your website for search engines (SEO) so that it ranks well for relevant keywords and phrases that your potential customers are searching for.

In-depth analysis of your web presence, your target audience, and your brand (from a marketing perspective) which should help you make informed decisions about which digital marketing channels are the most appropriate and cost-effective. You can use various tools and methods to analyse your website performance, traffic sources, user behaviour, conversion rates, bounce rates, and other metrics that indicate how well your website is meeting your objectives. You can also conduct market research and competitor analysis to understand the needs, challenges, and opportunities of your target market and how you can differentiate yourself from other players in the industry.

Development of a digital marketing strategy and production of a roadmap for implementation of this strategy (incorporating resource/process considerations). A written digital marketing strategy is a document that outlines your goals, target audience, value proposition, key messages, online marketing channels, budget, timeline, and expected outcomes. A roadmap is a visual representation of the steps and milestones involved in executing your online marketing strategy. Having a clear and detailed online marketing strategy and roadmap can help you stay focused, organised, and accountable throughout the process. 

Ensure that your web presence is being fully utilised/optimised to fulfil its overall marketing potential, tying in with and supporting other initiatives that have been undertaken or are planned for the future. Your web presence is not an isolated entity; it should be integrated with your other marketing efforts, such as offline advertising, events, public relations, social media, email marketing, etc. You should also monitor and measure the results of your online marketing activities and adjust your strategy accordingly based on the feedback and data you collect. 

Training for measuring, monitoring, moderating, and managing online marketing channels (including SEO, Analytics, Google Adwords, email marketing, and social media campaigns). Online marketing requires constant learning and improvement. You need to keep up with the latest trends, tools, and best practices in the field. You also need to know how to use various platforms and software to create, launch, track, and optimise your online marketing campaigns. You can either hire experts or train yourself or your staff to handle these tasks effectively.

Comprehensive analysis of your competitor’s online presence. Knowing what your competitors are doing online can help you identify their strengths and weaknesses, as well as gaps and opportunities in the market. You can use various tools and techniques to analyse their website design, content, SEO strategy

At Digital Strategy Consultants we have developed a customised 6-12 month Market Access Digital Feasibility & Activation Programme which provides the maximum value and benefit from the Digital Marketing Capability Grant. This involves:

• Detailed customer and digital research in target markets
• Comprehensive audit and remediation of your digital presence
• Setup and optimisation of advanced analytics & insights capabilities
• Advertising feasibility studies to understand most appropriate customer acquisition strategy
• Scaling and optimisation of revenue acquisition activities
• Expert training and knowledge sharing

Choosing the Right Consultant

When applying for the Digital Marketing Capability Grant from Enterprise Ireland, choosing the right digital consultant is crucial for the success of your digital marketing strategy. To be included in the Enterprise Ireland list of Digital Marketing agencies/consultants, consultants must meet specific criteria.

Consultants should have a proven track record in providing digital marketing consultancy services to businesses in either the large and/or the small and medium enterprise (SME) sectors. They should have experience in developing, implementing, and managing a digital marketing strategy that achieves measurable improvement in internationalising a company’s web presence, ensuring visibility and increased sales in a target export market.

Expert knowledge of digital marketing business processes and strategies, as well as recognized qualifications in this area, is also required. This should include the ability to work with a company’s existing web presence, which may need to be lifted to the next level. The consultant should be able to conduct an in-depth analysis of a company’s web presence, their target audience, their competitors, and their brand. This analysis should help them make informed decisions about which online marketing channels are the most appropriate and cost-effective.

Experience in providing training and embedding capabilities for measuring, monitoring, moderating, and managing online marketing channels is essential. The consultant should also have the ability to ensure that a company’s web presence is effectively utilised/optimised to fulfil its overall marketing potential, tying in with, and supporting other initiatives that have been undertaken or are planned for the future.

The consultant should have the capability to identify a company’s value proposition and to develop content to ensure that this is communicated consistently and efficiently to support the development of the company brand and meet the needs of their target audience and export market. They should have full-time resources and capacity to deliver prompt and professional responses to inquiries from Enterprise Ireland clients and to successfully complete assignments for Enterprise Ireland clients participating in the Digital Marketing Capability support program.

Our Value Proposition at Digital Strategy Consultants

At Digital Strategy Consultants, Dr. Eamonn O’Raghallaigh is our Principal Consultant for EI Digital Marketing Capability projects and will work with you step-by-step from preparing the application to executing the project to completion. Eamonn is a highly qualified digital marketing strategist with extensive experience in providing digital marketing consultancy services to businesses, both large and small. As Managing Partner & Strategy Lead, he has over 15 years of experience in digital marketing leadership and drives the research and strategy function within his organisation. Eamonn has a passion for digital and assists organisations to achieve their strategic goals through best practice research planning and tactics. 

Eamonn holds a PhD in Digital Marketing from Trinity College Dublin, MSc in Neuroscience from RCSI, MSc in Digital Marketing from UCD Smurfit, and undergraduate degrees in Pharmacology and E-Business. His recognized qualifications in digital marketing and his proven track record in providing digital marketing consultancy services align perfectly with the criteria for Enterprise Ireland’s list of Digital Marketing agencies/consultants.

Eamonn’s expertise in developing, implementing, and managing digital marketing strategies to achieve measurable improvement in internationalising a company’s web presence, ensuring visibility and increased sales in a target export market, is evidenced by his academic background and experience. His capability to identify a company’s value proposition and to develop content to ensure that this is communicated consistently and efficiently to support the development of the company brand and meet the needs of their target audience and export market, aligns with the requirements for Enterprise Ireland’s Digital Marketing Capability Grant.

Contact Eamonn Today for an informal discussion about how the Digital Marketing Capability Grant can add value to your business and for more detail on the process and approach.

Digital Marketing Capability Grant Application Process

1. The first step is to contact your Development Adviser at Enterprise Ireland to confirm your eligibility and discuss your intention to apply for the grant and your high level objectives

2. Select and engage an appropriate approved Enterprise Ireland digital marketing consultant. At Digital Strategy Consultants we have a strong track record of successful EI digital marketing capability projects and can guide you through the application process and help you craft a detailed application proposal. You won’t incur any fees for this service, we just ask that if you secure the grant, that you work with us to execute the project we have developed with you. Get in touch with Eamonn for the inside track on how the application process works. 

3. Complete a Digital Marketing Maturity Questionnaire (.doc) from Enterprise Ireland. This will help you assess your current level of digital marketing capability and identify areas for improvement.

4. Submit your application form and supporting documents to Enterprise Ireland. You will need to provide details of your project objectives, activities, budget, timeline, expected outcomes and key performance indicators (KPIs). Your selected digital marketing consultant will assist you in developing this detailed proposal and project plan.

5. Wait for the approval decision from Enterprise Ireland. This may take up to 6 weeks depending on the volume of applications received.

6. If approved, sign a Letter of Offer (i.e. Grant Agreement) with Enterprise Ireland. This will confirm the terms and conditions of the grant, including the project number, expenditure types and amounts, final claim date and reporting requirements.

7. Start your project with the selected digital marketing consultant. You will need to agree on a contract with them that specifies the scope, deliverables, milestones and payment terms of the service.

8. Monitor and evaluate your project progress and results. You will need to submit regular progress reports to Enterprise Ireland using the template provided. You will also need to keep all invoices and receipts related to the project expenditure for verification purposes.

9. Claim your grant from Enterprise Ireland. You can make a maximum of two claims against this grant: an interim claim anytime after expenditure has been incurred and a final claim before the final claim date specified in your Letter of Offer. You will need to submit a claim form, a director statement and supporting documentation to Enterprise Ireland by email or post.

Final Thoughts

The Enterprise Ireland Digital Marketing Capability Grant is an invaluable resource for SMEs and large companies seeking to enhance their digital marketing strategy and online presence. By leveraging the expertise of an approved digital marketing consultant, your organisation can benefit from a comprehensive approach to optimise your digital footprint, expand your reach, and ultimately grow your business. Further details can be found in the programme brochure.

As outlined, the application process for this grant is straightforward, and working with experienced consultants like Digital Strategy Consultants can help streamline the process even further. With a proven track record of successful projects and a team of qualified experts, Digital Strategy Consultants can guide you through each step, from preparing the application to executing the project to completion.

Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Reach out to your Development Adviser at Enterprise Ireland or contact Digital Strategy Consultants today to learn more about how the Digital Marketing Capability Grant can unlock new growth opportunities for your organisation. With the right support and guidance, you can develop a powerful digital marketing strategy that propels your business forward and sets you apart from the competition.

Contact Eamonn Today to get the inside track on the Digital Marketing Capability Grant and get expert guidance and assistance through the application process.

by :

Eamonn O'Raghallaigh, PhD