Firms feel the benefit of Business Boost 360 help

Published: November 11th, 2024

Two fledgling businesses have enjoyed a significant upturn after getting help from Shropshire Growth Hub’s Business Boost 360 Programme.

Beamish Prestige Ltd, run by Alex Brennan, and Kate Parslow Interiors are now enjoying a trading boost after the programme helped them improve their digital skills and social media presence.

Beamish Prestige is a luxury chauffeur business which was set up in 2023 and Kate Parslow Interiors is an interior design company which also helps customers to complete work themselves after a consultation with Kate.

Both entrepreneurs were struggling to find new customers but thanks to the Business Boost 360 scheme, they both received help to improve their digital marketing and social media from the Buy-From Creative Agency.

Experts from Buy-From helped Alex to create a new website and get maximum benefit from it, as well as improve his use of social media to attract customers. The positive impact on his business has been enormous, with a significant increase in traffic and website inquiries.

Alex said: “I cannot praise Louise and her team at Buy-From enough. They took on board what I wanted and delivered what was needed. At Buy-From I found a warm and friendly welcome and knowledgeable professionals who helped me every step of the way.”

Kate knew her business had something great to offer, but she lacked the confidence to communicate this effectively to her target audience. Kate received a raft of digital training from Buy-From, including search engine optimisation (SEO) and Google Analytics, email marketing, advice on digital strategy, and blogging.

She said: “I fully appreciated the need to get this part of the business right but struggled to know how to achieve it. I found it time-consuming, confusing and a little overwhelming. But now with the expert advice and support I received I am far more confident to tackle it. I have successfully launched my marketing strategy which is successfully bringing in new leads and customers.

“Buy-From were friendly and approachable and always conscious of the fact that I am a small business with a limited marketing budget. I plan to use them in the future for other aspects of digital marketing and would recommend them to other small businesses who could benefit from the same sort of help.”

Emma Chapman, manager of the Shropshire Growth Hub said: “All our consultants have been carefully selected and offer a wide range of expertise to businesses.  Business Boost 360 provides a business with up to six hours of funded support from one of our experts. Whatever a business wants to achieve, whatever the challenge might be, large or small, we have someone ready and willing to help.”

Mark Jones, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for growth and regeneration, said: “This programme allows Shropshire businesses with expertise to help other Shropshire businesses flourish and grow. It is reassuring to know we have such a terrific system of support in place and the funding available to make it accessible to the small companies that really need it.”

Business Boost 360 is a programme offered by Shropshire Growth Hub.  It is funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and provides six hours of fully funded support tailored to a business’s specific needs.

The UKSPF is £2.6 billion of funding for local investment by March 2025. It aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.