London Open for Business

Open for Business can improve firms’ digital marketing footprint

In these testing times, businesses need all the help they can get. In Wandsworth, a new initiative has been launched to help firms boost their profile and expand their digital marketing capability.

London Open for Business is designed to give businesses the tools and techniques to promote their products and services via a multitude of digital channels. Based on an affordable subscription-based model, it also provides an e-portal where firms can manage their inventory levels, take orders from customers, and sell and ship goods online.

Led by Steve Pinto, CEO of Wandsworth Chamber of Commerce, and supported by the London Local Chambers of Commerce network., the initiative is ideal for businesses looking to develop an online presence or expand their digital marketing footprint to become more visible to prospective customers. It’s ideal even for those who are not too au fait with technology and are perhaps a little uncomfortable about using it. Each subscriber is assigned an assistant who can help iron out any issues at source and provide ongoing support when needed. Steve Pinto says: “As we move to reopen the doors of our community, we need to realise we are not returning to the “normal” we had before COVID-19 hit our shores. Far more people are looking to do business virtually and online to stay safe. This is why we have created the London Open for Business programme – to give businesses an opportunity to promote themselves with an essential range of digital tools at a very affordable cost. We can also track return on investment (ROI) to show companies how much they’re getting for their money. “In the short-term, as people and businesses get back to work again, our programme gives companies the chance to show the world that they’re very much open for business. In the longer term, it’s a great way to find different ways of selling products and services to customers. “Not only that, but our programme fits in with the government’s aim of ramping up Britain’s digital capability and increasing digital inclusion in local communities around the country. We’re helping to do that and, crucially, we’re making digital inclusion affordable for small to mediumsized enterprises (SMEs).” The programme is delivered in partnership with business growth specialist Chamber Nation, which provides advanced digital infrastructure to Chambers of Commerce Women Business Centres throughout the USA and now in Europe.

The beauty of this infrastructure is its flexibility; businesses can choose from a menu of different services to construct their own personalised digital marketing suite. Options include an electronic business card which includes a custom texting keyword and number and a list of the company’s products and services. A marketing landing page is a useful tool for sharing information about the business from the main community search engine and directory, and is designed to direct customers to the company’s website or the internet. The landing page makes it easy for customers and other businesses to refer the company and its products and services to others via email, the business network and social tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. With more people consuming news on the move via their smartphones, the digital marketing suite also includes a mobile publishing and display system. In addition, a pocket marketing assistant enables users to add content about their products and services to the local Chamber community marketing programme. London Open for Business is supported by the London Chambers of Commerce network. Helen McIntosh, president of the South East London Chamber of Commerce, says: “The need for this type of programme has always been there; COVID-19 has just accelerated it. A lot of businesses have been caught napping because they either don’t have an online presence or they don’t know how to utilise it correctly. The ones that have been able to adapt are the ones that have survived. “Restaurants have adjusted their strategy to offer takeaways or deliveries to customers. Small retailers have been able to use their database of customers to sell to them online. These businesses wouldn’t have been able to do this if they didn’t have a good digital footprint. “The problem is that most businesses don’t have the time to devote to digital marketing. This programme enables them to get the right support so they can use digital marketing to promote their brand to potential customers and increase sales.” Cllr Aled Richards-Jones, cabinet member for economic growth, skills and employment at Wandsworth Council, says: “We recognise how important it is for residents and businesses to be digitally aware and enabled. We congratulate the Chamber for leading the way with this initiative as the experience of the last few months demonstrates just how crucial it is for businesses to have the right online tools to maximise trading opportunities.” Steve Pinto adds: “Early feedback on this programme from the business community has been really encouraging. I believe that it really does have the potential to be rolled out in other areas of the UK.”

For more information about the London Open for Business programme, visit https://www.openforbusiness.london/

“The need for this type of programme has always been there; COVID-19 has just accelerated it. A lot of businesses have been caught napping because they either don’t have an online presence or they don’t know how to utilise it correctly. The ones that have been able to adapt are the ones that have survived.”