On June 6th 2010 Local Enterprise Organisation for the Ashfield, Bolsover and Mansfield districts, LEO, held an extraordinary celebration event called ‘The Really Useful Show’ in the centre of market town, Mansfield, and in the heart of the communities it serves.

Background

Over the last few years LEO’s six Enterprise Coaches had found themselves increasingly involved in organising fairs, markets and business-to-business events - bringing together and showcasing clients in their own communities.

Positive feedback following these types of events was growing. The value that many, often initially sceptical, clients found from this type of event continued to exceed expectations. Coaches reported news of businesses joining forces, refining their stock list to complement another local business, buying and selling between businesses and joint promotion.

You could say a winning formula for small business growth and championing enterprise had been identified!

The Concept

As LEO was starting the final year of its initial funding period, it was felt the time was right to demonstrate to stakeholders, the local communities and potential investors to the region just what had been achieved over its five years in operation.

In February 2010, the LEO management team floated an idea to Coaches and Advisers that it would like to hold an awards event with a difference, something engaging and that would stimulate further growth and enterprise within many of the small businesses it has helped along the way.

The wider LEO team responded in total favour of a celebration – specifically that it should be an event that truly reflected the LEO ethos of providing local people and businesses with tangible and long lasting benefits.

Building on past success, the event was based around the winning formula of a wedding fayre – but broadened along a Homes and Lifestyles theme to neatly accommodate a high percentage of some 900 LEO-supported businesses, past and present.

It was to be a useful event, not just a showcase or an empty celebration. Two team meetings later - LEO’s ‘Really Useful Show’ was born!

Planning

The planning process was a tough one, given the team had just 3 months to pull it together, and needed to engage and co-ordinate the bringing together of around 100 small businesses across the 3 districts.

Marketing efforts were concentrated initially on engaging the businesses and securing bookings for businesses to appear at the show, which at a time of such economic strain was no mean feat. Recent advertising successes had started to impact on the small team of Coaches and Advisers’ time availability, so this had become a real issue for staff wishing to personally engage their portfolio of clients at this stage of the planning.

Despite the many barriers, by the end of April 125 clients had been signed up to exhibit, a planning event had taken place on site with half of the businesses – and the marketing to the public was about to kick in.

Promotion

The venue of the Mansfield Town FC ground had been chosen due to its central and high profile location. We had a relatively modest advertising budget to work with, concentrating most of it on local newspaper advertising and editorial and local radio. This was supported by the display of posters, banners and leaflets in local Council buildings and other public spaces across three districts. Each client taking part in the show was supplied with advert templates, website link buttons, posters and leaflets and encouraged to distribute and display them at a more local level as heavily as possible.

Setting Up

As the day approached, numerous hours were spent by the LEO team – and some family volunteers - in preparing the venue and ironing out unexpected logistical issues – such as power supply in the case of bad weather and the positioning and filling of a rather large water pool for a canoeing display.

Set-up was completed the day before the event, with only a few ‘flourishes’ required on the day. The 40ft marquee was in place, the four exhibition spaces had been decorated, pitch-side stalls set out, signage installed, bunting up and stallholder plans and provisions were finally set in stone.

On The Day

The team arrived early to prepare for the arrival of the exhibitors to a torrential downpour and heavy grey skies. After a few desperate moments when the dreaded word ‘cancelled’ was nervously uttered, the team decided that the bad weather would definitely not stop the show! The ‘set in stone’ plans were seriously re-worked and 17 pitch-side stalls were quickly relocated by a couple of very soggy Coaches!

The weather did unfortunately deter a few businesses that had booked – but nonetheless it was a very impressive turn out. Ten minutes before the starting time of 11am, 88 businesses were in place and watching anxiously for arriving visitors.
The bad weather early in the day had undoubtedly discouraged a large number of people from turning out for the day, but the emerging blue sky and the grand efforts of our live Mansfield 103.2 radio broadcaster, worked wonders pulling in an increasing number of visitors throughout the afternoon.

It was estimated that around 600 people came on the day, discovering the many and varied businesses who braved the weather, the fabulous fashion show in the marquee, unique food stalls, a performance by the local youth theatre company and a colourful collection of outdoor activities for all ages. Every stall, show and activity a local business supported by LEO.

The Outcome

Feedback from staff and stallholders was amazing. Many new contacts had been made with customers, suppliers and potential partners and new marketing methods explored and learned from. For some the experience of simply selling in a public arena had made them rethink their whole business model - the impact was that strong.

LEO had provided a tangible service for 88 of its clients to learn and develop from in the coming months and years. Many attendees requested another event soon.

Media coverage was achieved both pre- and post-event creating general public awareness of the organisation and increasing client enquiries. The LEO team has the experience of producing events of all sizes for its clients.

In short, the event was a resounding success!

For further information, please contact:
Judith Scholar Winfield, LEO Programme Manager, on: 01623 457 158
or email J.ScholarWinfield@ashfield-dc.gov.uk

Really Useful Show 2010: Client Feedback

Here is a small sample of the feedback that has been received by the LEO team following The Really Useful Show:

“This event truly reflects LEO’s practical approach to business support. I’m delighted with how the day went – it’s been a really good vehicle for Family Grapevine generating a lot of business already. A very enjoyable day and even better - the phone hasn’t stopped ringing since!”

Shirley Towle, Editor and Owner of the local thriving Family Grapevine magazine

“Can I just say that the show so far, has been really useful to me. As you can imagine it's quite difficult to market and receive work for something quite unusual as Interior Design (especially in our current financial climate) and thanks to the show, I have already had a query for some shop fitting work and collected some very useful contacts as well as various people showing interest on the day. I'm sure it took a lot of organising, but if you ever do something similar or hear of other shows I could attend I would really appreciate a nudge. Many thanks again.”

Tracey Adgie, Spacekind Interior Design, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

“I think everything went very well (at the Really Useful Show), I have already had two new clients. I am now thinking of doing my own event in my area as the show gave me some brilliant ideas to promote myself and my business - and help other businesses.

Hopefully I will be expanding - but I will give you more detail on this if I decide to go ahead.”

Kim Hopewell, His & Hers Dream Hair

LEO's Really Useful Show