A communications firm is donating its time and expertise to Darlington businesses in a bid to boost the local economy.
MG Communications, a newly-launched company that provides cost-effective PR and marketing solutions to businesses operating across the Tees Valley, is offering any Darlington-based SME a free half hour consultation designed to equip them with tools to better engage with their customers.
The campaign has been launched by MG Communications’ Managing Director Mike Renton, a PR professional with more than 10 years experience working with businesses in the public and private sector.
Mike Renton said: “In the wake of recent bad new for the high street, a nominal effort was made to call on the council to boost activity in the town centre. Some changes have been made, but the council can only do so much. This campaign is about making changes at street level, giving individual businesses across the whole of Darlington the ability to widen their engagement networks in order to reach new audiences.
“These might be one or two person operations without the financial resources to pay for PR or marketing support. If we look after those businesses, allowing them to increase footfall, the whole of Darlington’s economy will eventually benefit.”
MG Communications recently held a workshop with Roarsome softplay, on Morton Park. Owner Jamie Gardener said it was a valuable opportunity to learn something new that will help him place upcoming news in the local press.
Jamie said: “We handle our own marketing, but we’re not experts. Meeting up with Mike has been incredibly helpful, as it has shone light on techniques that we didn’t know about. Anything to help SMEs is valuable, especially in the current climate.”
The campaign will run until the end of February, with workshops on subjects from social media advertising to email marketing.
Mike said: “A lot of businesses know about things like Facebook advertising, for example, but don’t know how to get the best out of it. A simple tutorial can bring significant results. If the result is drawing more people into Darlington, other businesses will also profit.”
SMEs with more than 50 per cent of their operation in Darlington can book a half hour consultation on the firm’s website at www.mg-communications.co.uk, or by calling 01325 486342 to request a booking form.
Workshop Ts&Cs
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Business needs to have more than 50% of its operation based in Darlington
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Business needs to employ no more than 50 people
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Business can’t have an active contract with another PR or marketing firm