A campaign has been launched to inspire a Mary Portas-style revival on high streets across Denbighshire.
The County Council has teamed up with Coleg Llandrillo Cymru to help independent retailers boost sales.
Staff of the Coleg Llandrillo’s Retail Skills Shop will deliver a series of taster sessions for the Mary Portas Guide to Successful Retailing.
The aim is to give shop owners and staff an insight into a programme of courses on offer which can help retailers improve their performance.
However, there are only 15 places up-for-grabs at each of the Denbighshire County Council-funded taster sessions, which will be held in towns across the county.
The taster sessions will be delivered by qualified Mary Portas trainer, Helen Hodgkinson, who says they are free to retailers.
Ms Hodgkinson said: “At the sessions I will be giving an overview of the current retail landscape and what retailers are doing. We will look at how business owners can buck the downward trend and drive sales.
“The taster sessions are really a snapshot of what the full courses can deliver as a guide to successful retailing.
“The full courses, which are each around five hours long, cover topics such as Retail Business Planning and Finance, Driving Sales Through Marketing and Buying and Visual Merchandising.
“The taster sessions are free and those retailers wanting to enroll for the full courses can do so for just £20 a head. That is a massive saving of £80 as the courses are being part-funded by Denbighshire County Council.”
Ms Hodgkinson, who has worked in retail all her career including management roles in large supermarkets as well eight years as an independent retailer, has been a qualified Coleg Llandrillo Cymru Mary Portas trainer for two years.
She said: “It is tough out there on the High Street at the present time. However, there is a great deal that retailers can do to help themselves. It’s amazing how independent retailers miss out through simple bad planning, marketing or poor merchandising.
“We want to introduce shop owners and managers to the new retail landscape, the importance of building their brand and communicating a consistent message to their customers.
“It gives delegates the chance to step outside the constraints of their business and to work with other like-minded individuals to explore various retail scenarios.”
“Thanks to the support of Denbighshire County Council we can hopefully help retailers across the county to improve performance and grow their businesses.”
Kirsty Hutton-Davies, a Business Investment Officer with Denbigshire County Council said: “Building upon the success of the Ruthin location modelling event held in February 2012, we are delighted to offer these courses at a heavily discounted rate in partnership with Coleg Llandrillo.
“Effective buying and visual merchandising requires skill, insight and a well-informed commercial eye. Get it right and profits increase. But get it wrong and it can prove very costly to a business.”
“Keeping tills ringing is the top priority for any retailer and requires thoughtful planning, focused activity and creativity.
“There are, of course, traditional marketing techniques, like advertising, to the new opportunities now available through new social media. This intensive course will provide the tools to drive sales.”
“The courses have been developed in response to feedback from retailers and is supported by Denbighshire County Council.”
For a full list of taster sessions and courses please go to the Denbighshire County Council website www.denbighshire.gov.uk
The Taster Sessions will be held at Ruthin Castle, Ruthin, 6pm to 8pm, on May 17; Owain Glyndwr Hotel, Corwen, 6pm to 8pm, May 22; and the Hand Hotel, Llangollen, 6pm to 8pm, on May 28.
The Buying and Visual Merchandising Course will be held at the Brookhouse Mill, Denbigh, from 5pm to 9.30pm on June 18 while the Driving Sales through Marketing course will be held at the Scala, Prestatyn, between from 5pm to 9:30pm on June 19.
More dates are being organised in the coming year To book a place at any of the sessions contact Catrin Lloyd-Jones at Coleg Llandrillo on 01745 345823 or e-mail retail [email protected]
