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Growing your business
Use the expertise of your local universities
As well as training and education that ranges from short courses to professional qualifications, they offer consultancy, subsidised access to university experts via Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and student and graduate placements. They can help you develop yourself, your people, your products and your services.
Find out more about your local university services for business development.
1:1 advice from a university expert
If you've looked through our resources and would like more advice about growing your business, email a University of Brighton expert at enterprise@workandlearning.co.uk
Look for training courses
ManagersPitStop offers free online management training in the Gatwick Diamond - there are dozens of topics to choose from in relation to managing people, recruiting people and coaching people.
Use the national mentor scheme
The National Web Portal - www.mentorsme.co.uk - providings mentoring for people growing their business.
Meet others in the same situation
Networking will help you to meet people and create new opportunities for your business. Most will have membership fees but you may also be able to attend individual events for a one off fee. Many offer breakfast meetings with invited speakers. Networking events for the Gatwick Diamond area include:
- The Better Business Conference 2011 - organised by Crawley Borough Council is a half day event which provides the opportunity to network, make contacts and attend workshops - 11 October 2011.
- Profitnet groups in Sussex improve business planning and create business opportunities for members through networking with peers and access to experts from the University of Brighton.
- Cadia, the Gatwick Diamond Business Association, is the largest networking group in the area and is a leading voice for business and commerce in Sussex and Surrey.
- You can see how much Gatwick Diamond business support is available, although do bear in mind that some of it is more applicable to large organisations.
- Federation of Small Businesses for Surrey and West Sussex - the FSB organises local networking events aimed at small businesses. The links to local councils are useful.
- West Sussex County County Council provides links to business events, networking opportunities, training and seminars taking place in West Sussex.
- Chambers of Commerce:
- Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce
- Crawley Chamber of Commerce
- Surrey Chamber of Commerce
- Surrey Economic Partnership
- Dorking and District Chamber of Commerce
- Leatherhead and District Chamber of Commerce
- Sussex Enterprise
- LinkedIn is an onlinetool that enables you to access and build work-related networks. Basic membership if free but you can pay for enhanced membership.
- Try Ecademy - it is free to sign up but you pay for enhanced membership. Members also organise real life events.
Sales, marketing and advertising to get the word out
- Bytestart sales and marketing guides for small businessesare free and cover aspects of selling and marketing your new business, from winning new customers to getting mentioned in the press and on the web.
- Santander guides on marketing and advertising include planning, research, advertising, customer loyalty, brand creation, mailshots and effective PR.
- Consider using Twitter - lots of businesses use it as a marketing tool and it's free. The Twitter help centre has advice about the basics and how to maximise the benefits.
