A record number of advanced bookings have been received for the events in the new Free Business Briefings programme from Business Link East. Mandy Candish, Events Manager for the region, said: “We have received more than 1,600 bookings for the Briefings already, showing that business owners and managers really appreciate the opportunity to develop their own and their employees’ skills without taking too much time out of the workplace. The fact that all the briefings are now free makes them even more attractive than before.”

Businesses and entrepreneurs in Hertfordshire are facing challenging conditions, but there has never been a better time to tackle issues and take advantage of opportunities to survive the economic downturn and emerge stronger.

The Business Briefings help business people gain a competitive edge and keep their knowledge fresh and up-to-date. Most last for just 2 hours, giving delegates all the essential information they need in one fact-packed session. Deborah Skeldon, co-owner of Stevenage-based business ART+TEK, which specialises in software and models for museums and media based installations for exhibitions, said: “The Business Link course on tendering taught me how to write documents and complete tenders. Having combined what I learnt on this course with my discussion with my Business Link Adviser, the way I now talk to people at the museums is very different, and they’re much more approachable and receptive to what we are offering.”

Briefings in Hertfordshire are being run in Welwyn Garden City and Hemel Hempstead from May through to September. They cover: sales and marketing; developing people; IT and e-commerce; developing your business assets; public sector tendering; finance; environmental awareness; and legislation. The presenters are experts in their field and, because they have run their own businesses, they understand the issues that businesses face on a day-to-day level.

Eight new recession-busting briefings have been introduced, giving business people practical advice on making changes that will have the maximum impact with the minimum financial investment. These include:

• How to Attract More Customers Using Free or Low Cost Internet Marketing

• Money Management in a Recession

• Saving Energy – Protecting and Increasing Your Bottom Line.

The briefings are aimed at business owners, directors, sales and marketing staff, HR managers, line managers and team leaders from all types of small and medium sized businesses.

For the first time, the Business Briefing Programme is available as an e-book at www.mybusinesslink.co.uk or phone Business Link on 08457 17 16 15 for a printed copy. To book events visit www.bookevents.org or telephone the events booking line on 0845 601 1000.