Luton Council’s Business Support Programme Has Arrived

The first two highly anticipated business support programmes focused on ‘Online Presence and Social Media Marketing’ and ‘Sustainability and Achieving Net Zero’ have now launched with two more on the way!

Luton Council is introducing four new business support programmes that are mainly funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) designed to support businesses from Luton, to drive local economic recovery and growth.

Each support programme will focus on specific topics that are crucial for our local businesses to thrive and addresses needs highlighted by recent local surveys.

Further details about the programmes can be found below.

Our businesses should continually engage with their customers to drive footfall and spending in store as well as support online sales. Marketing experts Let’s Do Business Group are delivering the Luton Online: Digital Marketing Launchpad which will:

  • Provide free face to face workshops, webinars, on-demand learning that businesses can choose from to best suit their needs and skills gaps for digital marketing.
  • Deliver 1:1 mentoring on how to best grow your business with digital marketing.
  • Offer a chance to apply for 1 of 20 £500 grants to be used for developing your business.

To register your interest simply click here.

Sustainability has become an important worldwide issue in the past decade with many countries, business leaders and residents taking up different forms of action. Luton Council has the goal of becoming a net zero town by 2040 to support sustainable growth and a healthier environment. The award winning University of Bedfordshire will be providing business support such as:

  • 1:1 support to help implement net zero actions.
  • Development of effective travel plans to reduce your impact on the environment.
  • Access to expert-led workshops to develop your green marketing strategies & implement lean thinking methodologies.

For further detail please click here.

Colin Spiller, a business development and venture capitalist master, is working in collaboration with Luton Council to deliver two fundraising masterclasses for local businesses.

With areas such as the Enterprise Investment Scheme, Crowd Funding, and Valuating your business being explored, make sure to sign up to session one in October or session two in January here.

For further details email economicgrowth@luton.gov.uk

Luton Council are going to be running a series of events and workshops to support local businesses to access local contract opportunities. The programme will:

  • Highlight and promote the opportunities available to businesses
  • Give an understanding of local opportunities and their scale and scope
  • Support businesses in understanding the procurement process and develop bid writing skills

For further details email economicgrowth@luton.gov.uk

Businesses of all sizes in Luton have a great opportunity to expand through exporting to different geographical markets thanks to being located in an area that allows direct transportation of goods through Luton Airport and strong major road links to other major shipping and air travel operations.

Working with partners, this programme will support businesses from differing sectors to explore global opportunities and how to access them.

For further details email economicgrowth@luton.gov.uk

Grow your business with the Step Forward Luton App

Step Forward Luton has unveiled a new mobile app designed to showcase the town’s best offerings, including the brilliant businesses in the town.

The app encourages residents and visitors to discover nearby businesses and attractions whilst allowing users to browse and buy local goods and services, make reservations at restaurants, and order collections and deliveries from their favourite local shops.

The app also provides Luton businesses with a free and effective marketing platform, helping them grow their presence in the community at no cost. Local entrepreneurs can easily create and manage their own profiles, accessing simple tools to boost sales, offer promotions, and increase local awareness.

Abu Nasir, local entrepreneur and chair of the ambassador board of Step Forward Luton, praised the new app saying “This is a fantastic opportunity for Luton businesses, connecting them with new customers. Not every town has an app like this, and we should be proud that Luton is leading the way. I encourage all local businesses to join this free resource.”

Want to know more? Visit place.stepforwardluton.co.uk/app

Business interested in joining the platform can register by completing this form.

The app is available to download now on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.