Putting the small business brand on expos

What do you get when you connect Queensland small businesses? A vibrant community of engaged people doing millions of dollars of business together. Paula Brand, who five years ago, realised Queensland’s small businesses were isolated and not collaborating and had limited face to face sales opportunities.

The Small Business Expo is heading to Toowoomba on November 29 at the Clive Berghofer Recreation Centre from 10a. Over 80 local small businesses including Toowoomba Mumpreneur Movement, Canvas Co Working, Jessica Ritchie and Little Pig consultancy set to do business.

Paula said tens of thousands of small businesses across Queensland, many working from their homes, online or mobile, plugging away, adding value to the economy, were missing out on business opportunities because there was nothing out there to connect them so they could Show-Tell-Sell their products and services,” she said.

“If there was a business expo, the prices were cost prohibitive and there was no focus on building a community, and in actual fact most business expos held over the past 5 years in South East Qld had failed leaving business owners out of pocket and frustrated.

“I knew I had to do something about that.”

Fast forward, and Paula is about to launch the Small Business Expos Program for 2019. What has grown from the first sold out expo four years ago and expanding to six council areas and connecting over 8000 small businesses.

“There is nothing small about the Small Business Expos. We showed last year, with five expos, connecting with a quarter of a million from Gold Coast to Moreton Bay and out to Toowoomba, that when we work together a lot of money can cross the table and most importantly feed families,” Paula said.

The number thing that small business needs? Is MORE business.

“In 2018, $6 million was generated in sales leads. Now, you are told in small business that you are in the business of marketing. Yet so many are not equipped with that skill set; they miss out on so many opportunities to grow their bottom line.

“The Small Business Expos gives the solo businessperson, the micro business, the home-based business and any other size of business access to warm leads; people who want to do business with them but never knew how to find them.”

The Small Business Expos are a shopfront in a marketplace-style setting that are like a pop-up Westfield shopping centre … without the hefty lease.

“This year we are going to do more for small business, adding another region to the program with the Brisbane West/Springfield region coming on as the sixth region. We are ramping up and doubling the number of people we talk to,” Paula said.

“Last year, we had 840 businesses exhibit; this year, it will be 1,200.

“The Small Business Expos are also about giving back. In 2018, we supported 11 charities. This year, we want to do more for more people and will be supporting four more charities.”

Key stats from 2018

·        Connected 4800 business professionals across 5 Small Business Expos

·        Reached 66,000 via email across South East Queensland

·        Reached 237,000 via Facebook Events promotion

·        Collaborated with 71 sponsors/business groups, media and charities

·        Supported 11 charities

·        840 Businesses exhibited

·        Trained over 500 exhibitors in the pre-expo workshop

·        Worked with 5 councils

·        Generated $6 million in sales leads for exhibitors and attendees

www.smallbusinessexpos.com.au

paulabrand@smallbusinessexpos.com.au

0475 411 793

ENDS