Business Link adopts ‘How To’ approach

BUSINESS Link West Midlands has identified June as ‘New Business’ month after launching a trio of workshops aimed at boosting sales and increasing turnover.

The business support organisation, which last year assisted more than 90,000 companies, has secured the services of three leading experts to provide insight into the three themes for the workshops – Networking Made Easy, Generating New Business by Phone and How to Get Results From Marketing.

Each event is free for companies in the West Midlands and aims to equip delegates with the practical skills and knowledge needed to target new customers and make the most of their services and products.

Helen Goring, BLWM’s head of marketing and events, said: “With the regional economy showing sustained signs of recovery, it is more important than ever for firms to take a more concerted look at promoting their businesses and identifying new opportunities that can add to the bottom-line,.

“This is why we have put together this trio of individual events, specifically aimed at getting companies in front of the right people and making sure they know how to exploit opportunities when they get there.”

There are five different sessions across the three topic areas and they have been designed to cover as much of the region as possible.

The Networking Made Easy workshops are being led by the Midlands Networker of the Year, Helen Dowling, pictured, of Exceptional Training.

A specialist in working with small business, she has designed an interactive workshop that identifies which events a business should attend, how firms or sole traders can describe what they do in 30 seconds, how they should develop contacts and how they should network.

Ethos’ Michelle Mills-Porter will host the first Generating New Business by Phone workshop at Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce on June 24. This will start with the basics of identifying targets and quashing the fear of ‘cold calling’ before unlocking tricks of the trade.

These include creating a dynamic database, making sure callers get through to VIPs and ensuring people call you back.

The How to Get Results from Marketing sessions are being led by Rob Lowell, a former electronics design engineer turned sales specialist.

He will explain to people how to build brand recognition, retain customers and generate sales.

Traders wanting to book a place at one of the events should call 0845 113 1234 or email events@businesslinkwm.co.uk

Timetable of Events

Networking Made Easy

June 17 – Stoke City Football Club
June 23 – Mount Hotel, Wolverhampton

Generating New Business by Phone

June 24 – Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce

How to Get Results from Marketing

June 16 – Shrewsbury Town Football Club