Reviving Retail - Navigating the Way to the New Normal

Reviving Retail – Navigating the Way to the New Normal

If you're in the retail sector, we have an evening event designed specifically for you. It's tailored to address the sector's challenges and explore a range of ways to enable your business to adapt, survive, and thrive.

The retail sector, a significant contributor to the UK economy, generated a substantial £112.8 billion in 2023*. It also accounted for 8.7% of employment in the North West*. In Greater Manchester, retail is a crucial pillar that has been hit hard by the pandemic lockdowns and cost-of-living crisis but has shown remarkable resilience and innovation.

Our Reviving Retail event is a unique opportunity for retailers across Greater Manchester to come together and gain insights and strategies to tackle some of the most pressing issues in the current climate, directly benefiting your business. Through guest speakers with years of retail, digital marketing, and customer experience backgrounds, attendees will discover new strategies for growing their retail business.

Speakers include:

·        Elaine Simons, Business Development and Marketing Consultant, EJS Marketing

·        Gregory Couzens, Managing Director, Gregory Couzens Salon

·        Martin Ballard Dip SCM Ma MAC, Centre Manger, Rochdale Exchange Centre

      Andy Smith Co-Found Royal Flush Marketing

      Ben Martin Co-Founder Royal Flush Marketing

We will explore a range of topics, such as:

·        The Changing Face of Retail: The Post Covid R(evolution)

·        Customer's newfound self-entitlement

·        Customer Retention: How to Find and Keep New Customers

·        The Retail Experience- Changing Customer Behaviour

·        Customer Engagement

·        Opportunities from Change

·        Customer satisfaction

·        Digital Marketing – how to promote brand awareness and target new markets and customers

In addition to engaging speakers and a Q&A session, attendees can share their ideas and discover new strategies for enhancing client retention, sales, marketing, and digital.

Reviving Retail is aimed at all retail businesses in Greater Manchester with at least six full-time or part-time employees. You can be based on the high street or have an e-commerce store.

To ensure that attendees gain valuable insight, we will include prior research on some of the most pressing issues, giving participants helpful advice to implement in their business and serving as illustrations of essential ideas and expertise.

* https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn06186/

Bio of Deliverers

Elaine Simons, Business Development and Marketing Consultant, EJS Marketing

Elaine Simons established EJS Marketing in 1992 and held several senior management posts, including at the British Airports Authority (BAA) and GKN.

She provides business development support across all sectors, including retail, hospitality, the creative industries, education, professional services and manufacturing.

Elaine worked with Rochdale MBC to establish the Rochdale Borough High Street Forum. She was a previous board member of The Middleton Town Team.

Over the last fifteen years, Elaine has worked with pre-start / new start and high-growth SMEs, providing training workshops and one-to-one coaching.

Gregory Couzens, Managing Director, Gregory Couzens Salon

Gregory Couzens is a dynamic businessman with over 40 years of experience, significantly impacting various sectors, particularly in media. As the Cabinet Member for Finance at RBC, he spearheaded the groundbreaking initiative of offering three hours of free parking. This move dramatically increased foot traffic in the local town centre and revitalised the community. 

With a proven innovation and leadership track record, Gregory continues to inspire and drive positive change, blending his extensive expertise with a passion for community development.

Martin Ballard Dip SCM Ma MAC, Centre Manger, Rochdale Exchange Centre

Martin has spent the last two decades in the shopping centre and retail environment, including running his own business and putting events on across the UK and Europe. Landing back in Rochdale in March, Martin is now running Rochdale Exchange for the new owners, who are investing heavily in the town. Martin is charged with bringing theatre and live back into the mall, attracting both new shoppers and retailers to the venue.

Andy Smith - Co-Founder Royal Flush Marketing

Andy co-founded the company in late 2019 not knowing that only a few months later Covid would be our biggest obstacle.

With this in mind Andy quickly changed strategies to focus on businesses who needed help the most, so using all of his sales experience he started to find new routes to market by offering training webinars covering everything from paid advertising, PPC, SEO, marketing strategy, and content creation.

Ben Martin - Co Founder - Royal Flush Marketing

Ben co-founded Royal Flush Marketing with Andy because he was frustrated with how agencies often skip the research, strategic and planning stage and get straight into delivery.

Having a broad range of skills and experience, his main role is as Creative Director and Marketing Consultant, and he’s always involved in every project in both a directional and hands-on capacity. He’s worked for clients such as Disney, Sambro, Next, Home Bargains, Ten Acre Crisps, Ice & Easy, and Ultimate Products. 

Eligibility:

· Greater Manchester Clients Only

· Sole trader, micro business, small and medium-sized enterprise, or large business.

· Social enterprises where these engage in economic activity.

· The workshop is targeted to retailers across Greater Manchester who have 6+ employees.