#OpenForBusiness – A Business Fair for Widnes, Runcorn and Frodsham

I’m really excited about the Open for Business local business fair at the Holiday Inn in Runcorn in October – not least because I will be speaking there!

A local business fair for local businesses!

How often do you go to a business fair and see a local business with a stand? Not often! Generally the costs of stands are prohibitive for many small businesses.

Since there is never a guaranteed return on investment, business fairs are often populated by large businesses with marketing budgets that they don’t mind blowing on being seen and an off-chance of some sales!

Andy Guile of Bear Behind Events noticed this phenomena too, and decided to do something about it. I think many small business owners in and around Widnes and Runcorn know who Andy is. He’s one of those weird people who do networking for fun as well as arranging his own networking sessions (and training too!) In his words…

The Open for Business Fair is aimed at small, local business people who understand that keeping it local, can benefit their local area and their business.  Unlike most Business Fairs this is affordable and inclusive for all, so there is no excuse for not been part of this celebration of local business.

 When I saw Andy mention it on Facebook, I thought that’s a great idea to get local business owners in my area involved. Perhaps I spend far too much time behind my keyboard, but there doesn’t seem to be a thriving business community around Widnes or Runcorn. On the (very) rare occasions I do go networking, it’s often the same faces or people coming in from outside the area.

Jan Live…

I fired off an email to Andy to see if I could talk at the event. Somewhat shockingly, he said yes – obviously he hasn’t had enough coffee with me to be subjected to hours of enthusing about online visibility! I admit, I tend to get a bit over excited about local business online marketing…

I’m in the process of trying to compress years of knowledge into an hour! Now that’s a challenge and a half! A rough outline of what I’ll be chatting and enthusing about:

“Less Advertising – More Customers”

How to make the web work for your local business on a budget

1. Who are you talking to?

2. Free? Really?

3. What your web designer won’t tell you

4. Your website isn’t a “brochure”

5. There’s no such thing as the top of Google

6. Get on the map

7. The power of a long tail and how you can easily use it

8. It’s time to get social – when and where?

9. How to stop online ads from draining your credit card

10. Pulling it all together

Of course it will be delivered in my no bull way. There will be worksheets and notes for you to take away and start putting this into practice when you leave, not to mention an opportunity for us to have a chat over coffee (always the important part!)

Book your place online HERE

Open for Business

If me chatting away for an hour about how your local business can take advantage of the web isn’t enough for you to whiz over and book on the event, here’s what else is going on at the Open for Business Fair:

Networkers Network Breakfast

We start the day with a breakfast network meeting, hosted by Start Up Networking, come and meet the other exhibitors and local networks looking to invite people like you to gain more business at their events.

And for a bit of fun we are holding the first ever “Best 60 Second Pitch Ever” competition, do you have what it takes?

Price £15 per person

Exhibition Space

This is an unbelievable opportunity for you to have a stand at a business fair at a price you can actually afford. We provide a 6ft x 2ft table and cloth, you provide the rest. You can also have block spaces for your business network or close working partners to display under one banner, just call for details

Price £30-£40 per table, business networks for 6 tables £200

The Holiday Inn One to One Lounge

Throughout the day there will be an exclusive area for you to have one to one networking meetings, with tea and Coffee available to purchase.

However thanks to the Holiday Inn you can get a VIP pass for the One to One Lounge, entitling you to free drinks all day. All you have to do is book a one to one with one of the Holiday Inn Staff.

Seminars

We will be hosting a series of FREE business seminars throughout the day for you to attend, each will last for up to one hour and are aimed at helping you make your business grow and be even more successful, run by local experts and business people they are guaranteed to informative and beneficial.

Timetable

8.00am Business Network Breakfast (Including The Best 60 Second Pitch Ever)

9.30am Exhibition space and one to one lounge opens

10.00am Seminars begin

11.30am Second set of seminars begin

1.30pm Third set of seminars begin

3.30pm Close

I believe that at the time of writing there are still opportunities to book a stand at the exhibition. It’s an ideal chance to meet other small businesses trading in the Widnes, Runcorn and Frodsham area.

Will I see you there? Here’s the details…

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Book your place online HERE

Free seminars at the Open For Business Fair – Book Online Here