Chance for local companies to win a corporate image makeover (Click for Poster)

Local business people who attend a exhibition in Marple next month could win a FREE corporate image makeover.

One lucky visitor to the Marple Business Expo on Wednesday, October 17 will win a free makeover package comprising new company logo, 500 printed letterheads and business cards, or a corporate webpage design.

The exhibition is being organised by the Marple Business Forum which represents traders in the town. It is running the corporate image makeover competition to attract more visitors to Marple Business Expo.

Business Visitors will also have the opportunity to Beat the Bell on the 'Business Soapbox' by talking about their business offerings for two minutes before the bell rings and next person takes their turn on the soapbox.

At the Expo, being held from 6 pm to 9 pm at Marple Golf Club, there will be 16 business suppliers on hand to give business improvement advice to members. Exhibitors will be from the fields of marketing, professional services, IT and business services.

NatWest Bank will be there to advise on health and safety, employment law, card processing, and vehicle and asset finance. Stationery Supplies will be providing visitors with free samples. J E Mottram Insurance Brokers will be on hand to provide a wide range of insurance and financial advice. Also exhibiting is Inkbox, suppliers of computer consumables, Aquarius Cleaning Services where visitors have the chance of winning a business "first aid kit", Main Marketing & PR Ltd who will be advising businesses on using direct mail, and other business services specialists.

This is the second time Marple Business Forum has organised a Business Expo. The organisers are confident it will attract even more visitors than the successful 2006 event.

Said organiser Diane Jackson, of Marple Business Forum: "Whatever your business needs, from sorting out your business stationery to improving your IT set up, you should find the answers by visiting our Marple Expo and talking to the business experts who will be exhibiting. Paying a visit really will be worthwhile for business people - and remember everyone who comes along has the chance to win a completely free corporate image makeover."

For more information about Marple Business Expo - or you are a business which would like to exhibit - please contact Diane Jackson on 0845 129 9948.

DEPERATELY SEEKING TALENT

This year the Christmas Celebrations in Marple are taking place at various locations in the town between 11am and 4pm on Saturday 1 December.

Marple Business Forum are looking for talented individuals and groups preferably from Marple and surrounds who would like to take part in Marple's Christmas Cracker. We need street entertainers, anything from face-painters to jugglers, bell ringers to mono cyclists, singers, dancers in fact anyone with a talent who can spare some time to entertain the public.

Contact Julie Smith by email: in the first instance.....

Christmas cheer for Marple traders

Marple traders reported their busiest Christmas ever as shoppers spurned out-of-town retail centres and decided to shop locally.

Marple Business Forum, which represents the leading retailers in the town, says its members were delighted that so many people decided to do their Christmas shopping locally.

"It's a real vote of confidence in the town," said Marple Business Forum chairman Paul Whatmough, who runs a menswear shop on Market Street.

"We increased our sales significantly over the Christmas period. In fact in the week before Christmas our sales were up 30 per cent compared to the same period the previous year. Many of our retail members have been reporting similar sales success stories."

The ambitious Christmas lights pulled in more shoppers to Marple this year, but Paul believes it was the convenient car parking and the wide range of shops that were the main factors in the upturn in Christmas trade.

"Shoppers decided to avoid the hassle of queues and crowds at out-of-town centres and opted instead for the convenience of shopping locally," he said. "Thanks to the wide range of shops, including high street names and specialist shops, people found they could do all their Christmas shopping right here in Marple. There was a real buzz on Market Street and Stockport Road all through the festive period."

Marple town centre has seen a resurgence over the past two years thanks to regeneration work carried out by the Marple Business Forum and Stockport Council. The Marple Business Forum believes the general increase in the number of visitors to Marple during the last 18 months has justified the investment made into town centre improvements.

Marple Means Business (Click here for Expo Newsletter)

Business people and traders in Marple have a unique chance to get free expert business development advice at an event on Monday June 12. Marple Business Forum, which represents the leading traders and commercial organisations in the town, is hosting a Mini Business Expo. A panel of experts will be on hand to provide guidance and help on a variety of topics, all angled towards business improvement. It will take place from 6.30 pm at the Social and Forces Club on Lime Kiln Lane. There will be a free buffet for all visitors and the bar will be open throughout the event.

Said Marple Business Forum Expo organiser Di Jackson: "We all know the value of getting expert advice on how to make our businesses more successful. But professional advice comes at a cost. And there is not often time in the busy working day to spend on seeking help. This is why we have organised this evening Expo event for local traders and business people.

"The secrets of building a successful business include getting the basics right and avoiding the pitfalls, and it is in those areas where the experts at the Marple Business Expo will be able to help all the visitors to the event."

The panel of experts include:

HM Revenue and Customs
Advice on minimising tax liability and VAT

Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
Help on health & safety and environmental health issues

Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College
Benefits of adult occupational training for local businesses

Stockport Council Tourism and Marketing Team
Promoting Marple and Stockport as visitor destinations

Stockport MBC Regeneration and Economic Development
Ensuring Marple continues to be a viable and thriving centre answering the needs of business

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service 
Business-specific fire safety guidance

Greater Manchester Police
Advice on cutting business crime

Stockport College & Skillsmart Retail
Free employee training to NVQ level

Disability Stockport
How compliance with disability legislation can increase business success.

For more information on Marple Mini Business Expo ring Di Jackson on 0845 129 9949

Place your bets

Marple Business Forum recently gave local people the chance to take a gamble when it held a successful casino night at the Marple Social and Forces Club. But no-one lost their shirt - it was "funny money" only that could be earned on the night. All the real money raised, several hundreds of pounds, went to help finance the recently published Marple Business Forum guidebook, and to the Stockport Mayor's charities.

Website launch

Marple Business Forum's own website has been launched. Designed to complement the recently-published guidebook to the town, the website features a bang-up-to-date list of all Marple Business Forum member businesses and retailers in Marple. Visitors to the site can search for a business by name, or by business type. Local business people can learn all about the Forum and the advantages, including their free listing on the website, that membership provides.

The Marple Business Forum website, which was designed and produced for the Forum by Marple Promotions, can be found at: www.marpletraders.co.uk

To learn more about Marple Promotions visit www.marplepromotions.co.uk