New year, new boost
tHIS PROGRAMME IS ONLY AVAILABLE TILL mARCH 31ST
Are you a business looking to thrive in Stafford’s town centre?
Stafford High Street Boost is a transformative initiative designed to propel your business and is already helping many businesses in the town centre of Stafford with practical support delivered by retail experts.
As we hit 2025 – we have two new High Street Boost Stafford programmes available to all Stafford Town Centre businesses completely free of charge to get 2025 off with a bang: Workshop sessions and tailored one-to-one diagnostic sessions….
New Year Business Success Events
Join one of our dynamic New Year Business Boost events, where you’ll gain valuable insights through:
Business and retail workshops - Engage with interactive sessions led by experienced retail experts, covering everything from digital marketing strategies customer engagement techniques through social media savvy and fabulous merchandising and customer experience.
This practical session will give you tips and strategies that separate exceptional retailers from the average. Learn from award-winning experts such as Carmel Allen, Homes & Gardens ‘Retailer of the Year’ who shares her experiences and advice for Stafford businesses.
dATES
Stafford
- 23 January 5:30-7:30pm
- 19 February 5:30-7:30pm
Posthouse in Greengate Street, Stafford
Plus:
- Networking
- Buffet included
- Retail overview from experts
Tailored One-to-One Support from Retail Business experts
Following the workshops our programme offers personalised, fully funded, one-to-one support ensuring you get the targeted assistance you need:
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In-Depth Guidance:
Benefit from a 2-hour diagnostic session of focused support directly at your business premises, with support and backup from our extensive library of resources.
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Expertise at Your Fingertips:
Learn from the best in the business – our mentors are award-winning professionals with real-world experience.
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Customised Support
Choose from up to 5 modules to suit your specific business needs and goals
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Convenience:
We come to you, delivering support right where you need it most, at a time that suits you.
Mini module training overview
Areas Covered
It's just window dressing
Great visual presentation, both outside and in, is one of the cornerstones of effective retailing.
Whether you are selling products, services or hospitality there is a great deal of science to planning and implementing effective visual presentation that gets you noticed and makes you stand out from the crowd.
We look at quality enhancers and destroyers, what makes you unique and gets you out of your own space to look at your offer with fresh eyes - your customers’ eyes.
Retail sustainably
Set goals, manage margins and cash, control costs, grow sales and manage staff to achieve sustainable profitable growth. Armed with these tools make small incremental changes which will boost your bottom line.
If you can’t honestly say that you know how your business is performing because your grip on the numbers isn’t what it should be this is for you. Brushing up on the numbers makes a considerable difference.
Locally social
Master the power of social media to engage with your customers to grow sales and profitability. Make sure you can be found easily on the web. Currently only 19% of businesses have an active digital presence. In contrast 82% of consumers say digital communication influences their purchasing decisions ( Maybe*, 2024) so there is still time to jump onto what could be your most powerful salesperson…
How to develop relationships and deliver targeted advertising to your existing and future customers. Using tools to take your business online.
Being big in your community
Being an asset to your community is good for the bottom line and the sustainability of your business. Now, more than ever you need to be ‘more than a store’...
Learning how to adapt and thrive in the modern local high street environment needs a different way of thinking - building on traditional principles of serving the community to help you win the hearts and minds of the community.
High street excellence
Set goals, develop your marketing, be more competitive, attract more customers and grow sales and profitability. Who it’s for: already trading and you your business can attract more customers and be more profitable but don’t always know how.
Understand what steps you need to take to ensure your business stands out from the crowd. Hospitality retail and service businesses
Keli King
Little Green Pantry
Keli is the founder of The Little Green Pantry an eco refill shop in Wellington, Shropshire which she set up during her maternity leave in 2019. She has a BA(Hons) in International Hospitality Management and over 15 years experience in Business Management and training.
Since starting her business Keli has won and been shortlisted for Midlands Green Start Up of the year 2024, Telford & Wrekin High Street Hero, Telford Community Pride Award for Business Champion for Social Responsibility 2022 and was a finalist in Small Award Net Hero 2023, Shropshire Chamber of Commerce Eco Award 2023 and FSB Best Start Up Business of The Year and Sustainability Award 2023.
Roger Boyle
Acoustic Boutique
Roger has retailing in his DNA. From helping set up and run a car rental business; to working at Sony for ‘Key regional’ audio accounts, to setting up and running his own Bang & Olufsen dealership in Shrewsbury.
After winning dealership of the year in 2008, he added Sonos, Panasonic and Bose to the offering, re-branding as ‘Acoustic Boutique’ to help customers get the best solution for their circumstances.
Roger has had practical and advisory roles across the retailing and merchandising sector and has worked with major retailers such as Tempo, Scottish Power, Miller Brothers and Hughes Electrical.
Tina Boyle
Acoustic Boutique
Tina ran audio/visual shop, Acoustic Boutique, in Shrewsbury with her husband Roger. As well as selling in the shop, Tina was responsible for database management, marketing and accounts.
Prior to this Tina worked for a large blue chip company in several marketing management roles.
Always keen to support her local town, she was part of the Shrewsbury Business Improvement District (BID) Board for several years.
Together with two friends, Tina has been the powerhouse behind the Shrewsbury Secret Artist Sale - an innovative fundraising and footfall enhancing initiative.
Rosalie Arran
With Rosalie
Rosalie has a background in Visual Merchandising, Presentation, Customer Service, Training and Retail.
She worked within Visual Merchandising alongside high street department stores and major cosmetic houses, which came with wide and diverse environments.
With the careful placement of people and products in an aesthetically pleasing way, together with colour, a theme, use of light and props to create an ambience and emotion, clients are engaged and encouraged to purchase.
“This is why I can often see people’s brands when they can’t see it themselves, enabling me to create images that tell their story about their business.”
Kate Gittins
Shrewsbury Market Hall
Kate has been the driving force behind the rise of Shrewsbury Market Hall in her role as Manager for the last 15 years during which she was the winner of Britain’s Favourite Market in 2018 and 2023.
When she took on the market, it was run down, quiet and tired. Today it is an exemplar attracting visitors from far and wide as well as market experts from all over the UK to witness this vibrant and current offer - proving that anything and everything can be achieved with passion and vision!
Nicola Edwards
NAE Solutions
Nicola has a background within the retail fuels industry, managing the commercial performance of over 50+ Shell Fuel Stations, driving retail sales, ensuring safety and compliance. Working closely with franchisees, Nicola’s team delivered over £40 million in annual retail sales across the Midlands and Central London.
Nicola also played a key role in the opening of Shell Little Waitrose conversion process, mentoring 17 newly opened store conversions, consistently boosting sales, profitability, and customer satisfaction; strategies which are highly transferable to high street businesses, particularly in the areas of store presentation, upselling techniques, effective use of social media, and enhancing customer engagement.
Sally Themans
Good2Great
Sally started life as a graduate trainee with Bass Taverns – the retail arm of Bass Brewers – which saw her involved in operations, purchasing, property and investment within the pub industry.
She has gone on to run her own high street hospitality businesses and now helps a number of High Streets across Shropshire through her work as the ‘High Street Champion’ for Love Bridgnorth, Love Wellington and Love Shifnal.
She won The Great British High Street Award for Bridgnorth in 2016 and was runner up in the High Street Rising Star for Wellington in 2020. She has advised on high streets and place marketing at a local and government level.
Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your business operations, attract more customers, and increase your profitability. Join High Street Boost Stafford and take the first step towards a brighter future for your business and help Stafford centre thrive. Turning visitors into leads.