The Buckinghamshire Business First member-to-member workshops are a fantastic opportunity for you to give something back to the business community and share your knowledge with your fellow BBF members. A full programme of workshops ran throughout 2014 that were so well received we have even more lined up for 2015.

The workshops benefit those who both attend or host them, as two examples from this year show.

Max Barbour of Sales Revolution held a workshop on ‘Essential Sales Tips’ that went down a storm. Max drew upon his vast sales experience to give attendees the tools to gain more clients and close more sales. The event achieved a 100% satisfaction rate, with all who attended saying they were ‘very satisfied’. This includes Stuart Holcroft from Fearless Putting who said it was ‘great to hear from a highly experienced businessman about his area of expertise’.

In November Helen Isacke from Crown Coaching hosted a workshop on Team Dynamics, which achieved another 100% rate of ‘very satisfied’ attendees. The reviews were very positive – ‘Great content, well presented and a very inspiring interactive session’ (Sound Solutions Marketing), ‘Thank you for providing this terrific opportunity’ (627 Transfer) – and are indicative of the overall impression that delegates left member-to-member workshops with in 2014.

This brings us to 2015. There are currently six confirmed member-to-member workshops starting in January, with more to come. The confirmed events are:

• 7 January – Explaining the relationship between business owner and banker and how to build the most effective relationship with your bank manager.
• 21 January - A workshop that will illuminate the benefits of a sound business plan.
• 4 February - Giving you the tools you need to carry out effective treasury management of your business – that is, cash flow forecasting, tax and pension planning and more.
• 18 February - Hear about the types of insurance available, why your business should have insurance, the risks of not having the right cover and the benefits of using a broker.
• 4 March - How to improve staff retention, motivation and productivity and reduce sickness absence by creating a cost-effective health and wellness package for your staff.
• 18 March - Gain clarity on the types of projects and activities that may be eligible for R&D Tax Credits.

Attendance is free, so why not take advantage of the expertise on offer from the Buckinghamshire business community?

From April 2015 we have opportunities lined up for businesses to host their own workshops. Max and Helen took the opportunity to share their expertise with their co-members and as a result both saw an increase in business. Though the purpose of the workshops is to inform those who attend, those who host a workshop may naturally see a boost to business themselves.

If you are interested in hosting your own member-to-member workshop, submit your proposal to events@bbf.uk.com. Please read through the attached PDF explaining the process for submissions and the member-to-member workshops in general.