Thousands of small and medium sized enterprises will benefit from a new programme to help them attract overseas customers through the internet.

The government’s UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) body has established a series of support networks to helps SMEs in the West Midlands expand trade into high-growth markets including China, India and the UAE.

Before then firms can attend a free e-commerce workshop on how to optimise websites to generate web traffic and gain international business. The masterclass on November 13 at Sixways Stadium in Worcester is one of the many events taking place across the region as part of Export Week (November 11-15).

The UKTI ‘Grow Online, Expand Worldwide’ campaign will deliver training and advice to SMEs and provide funding to help improve their web capability over the next two years.

Paul Noon, regional director for UKTI West Midlands, said: “There are thousands of companies in this region - large and small - who would benefit from support to grow their exports through internet-based technologies.

“These might include optimising their international web presence, making better use of social media or engaging with e-commerce business-to-business platforms.

In the West Midlands we are also piloting a new suite of services to support firms that have the potential to grow through web-based exporting.” For more information about Export Week events in the West Midlands, log onto the website at: http://www.exportweek.ukti.gov.uk/full