Using the councils’ COVID-19 recovery funds, Clare’s work will show businesses how to better market themselves, tackle social media, manage stock control, sell to their ideal customer, dress up shop windows and generate curb appeal, with the aim of instilling business confidence, so that together we can develop joint shopping/leisure marketing campaigns.
Clare said: “I am very much looking forward to working together with the councils and Destination Lincolnshire. For me, it is about the whole offer of a place. What makes a destination is both the local people who visit it on a daily basis and the visitors from elsewhere. Fostering collaboration between local businesses in retail, hospitality, leisure, personal care and attractions is what enables more exciting and curated experiences to be developed, giving people a more compelling reason to visit one place than another.
“I have seen firsthand how, with a little support, companies can come together to offer unique experiences. At West Lindsey we’ve already seen new weekends of Indian culinary experiences, theme nights at restaurants, coffee roasting, blending and tasting tours, and relaxing spa retreats!
“Usually only larger organizations can deliver such experiences, but by encouraging smaller companies to pool their skills and offerings, they could present something much more compelling to visitors. That is exactly what we will be looking to do in the coming months, and in doing so, the goal is to boost commerce for all by offering greater visitor attraction, increasing visitor numbers and creating a real buzz about our beautiful county.”
Councilor Adam Grist, Portfolio Holder for Market Towns and Rural Economy at East Lindsey District Council said: “Our independent retailers play a huge role in the character of our markets and we want to make sure they are in the best possible position to thrive.
“Since 2019, we have supported businesses with our vital and viable market towns project to get more people to shop locally and increase merchant footfall. We continue to support businesses as they recover from the pandemic and with the added pressures of the cost of living crisis, it is now more important than ever to do what we can to help businesses thrive.
“I hope that Claire works with companies and shares her experience.”
Clare is the best-selling author of The Retail Champion: 10 Steps to Retail Success and a leading UK retail and business consultant. With COVID-19 recovery funds, Clare will help you set and achieve your business goals. Clare, one of the UK’s best known and respected retail experts, is a leading authority on the sector, a regular guest on TV news, appearing on the BBC, Talk TV, Sky, Channel 4 and ITV. She speaks at conferences around the world and, during the pandemic, she supported thousands of high street and independent businesses to transform, adapting to the “new normal” and drastically changed consumer behaviors. She can get more information on The Retail Champion website.
With her extensive knowledge of the retail sector, Clare will work in partnership with Destination Lincolnshire, funded by West Lindsey District Council, Boston District Council and East Lindsey District Council, to offer tailored support and retail marketing campaigns. . While the focus of this work is on the retail sector, Clare will take a place-based approach, ensuring goals for Greater Lincolnshire are included in her work, to continue to strengthen the visitor economy more broadly.
If you have a business in the visitor economy, we invite you to register your interest today. Successful businesses will benefit from 1-2-1 business support with Clare, information on Clare’s 10-step growth plan, input and guidance on marketing campaigns, the opportunity to meet like-minded businesses, build business resilience and strengthen the visitor economy.
To sign up and start unlocking the full potential of your business, email Clare at [email protected]
