Thank you very much to our sponsors and supporters who made Business Time 2006 possible we really appreciate your input and expertise.

If you’re looking for new business, you’ve found the right place
Business time is all about local business.
With 20,000 businesses spread across the borough of Croydon it is sometimes hard to believe that the majority of businesses don’t network or do business locally. Business Time is changing that.

Business Time is a 10 hour event based around Procurement for large and small businesses and in 2006 took place in July at Fairfield Halls Croydon. To give you a flavour of the event please take a look at the Business Time 2006 Gallery and Testimonials from the 400+ business visitors to the event.

Business Time 2006 consisted of

• Exhibition space for 30 local companies
• A designated zone for face to face meetings with senior buyers called ‘Buying Time’
• Business Boost Networking Sessions
• … a place to grab a cup of coffee!
• Stage area with live jazz music to promote the forthcoming Croydon Jazz Festival
• Launch party of the Best of Borough awards
• For more information on the previous Business Time 2006 see 'Your Day' for more details.

And on the first floor…
…All the tools and knowledge you will need to help you succeed in getting more business, from learning tried and tested methods from experts on how to write winning tenders through to making successful presentations that will put you ahead of your competition.

REACH A LOCAL AUDIENCE OF 20,000 BUSINESSES!
If you want to be part of Business Time 2007, please speak to Vanessa Skinner, 020 8680 6104 vskinner@croydonbusiness.com for further details. 

For the round up of the 2006 Business Time event please keep reading…

MUSIC AT BREAKFAST
Claire Wickes – aged 14 lead Flautist in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain from St Andrew’s CE School, Croydon performed jazz classics whilst 120 networkers ate breakfast at Business Time.

Speeches were given by:

• Ruth Brothwell of Supply London
• Nathan Elvary Director of Finance at Croydon Council
• Councillor Tim Pollard, cabinet member for Finance & Regeneration.
• Charles Walford, Director of Stanhope introduced Andy Bow from Foster & Partners who have designed the Millennium bridge and City Hall to name but a few.

THE BUSINESS BOOST
100 people took part in the three available Business Boost sessions at Business Time. Those  who joined in agreed that the format created by John Sayer of JFS Consulting, Nelly Berova of Art Division,  Michael Carroll of NLP Academy, Yvonne Bignall of Virtual PA and Vanessa Skinner, Marketing Manager of Croydon Business were really pleased at the way it was received by the networkers who joined in. Croydon Business will be utilising the new format at forthcoming networking events to make sure that business leads are generated for attendees.

More than 100 business boost networkers came away with at least two good business contacts that they would do business with in the future and one serious business contact that would use their services that they are aware of in the near future. Most came away with knowledge about at least 10 local businesses and for those who had a new business said they valued the advice given to them from existing businesses.

ONE WARM LEAD GAINED EVERY MINUTE AT BUSINESS TIME 10 HOUR EVENT

In a survey conducted at Business Time, 63% of businesses stated that they got 25% or more of their business through networking, which just goes to prove that networking and word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool for your business.

After talking to exhibitors at length at the event, we estimate that, a total of 700 warm business leads were gained by the 28 exhibitors on the day. That works out to be one warm lead gained every minute at Business Time.

“I FOUND YOUR CARD ON THE WALL OF OPPORTUNITY!”

One of the most popular, competitive and amusing elements of Business Time event was watching local businesses fight over spaces for their business cards to be seen on the Wall of Opportunity. The “Wall of Opportunity”, created by HTi Imaging Limited for Croydon Business, was a great way for attendees to collect business cards from other attendees that they hadn’t met personally…a great lead in when prospecting for new business leads…”I found your card…”