Give your business a boost at Meet the Buyer

For small businesses getting a foot in the door with larger companies to sell your goods and services can be tough, even when those larger companies are right on your doorstep.

So, Stockport’s Council’s ‘Meet the Buyer’ event is a great opportunity to give your business a boost and meet the local firms who could be your future customers.

This successful event, which is now in its fifth year, invites local businesses to make a 10-minute ‘pitch’ for work with buyers acting on behalf of Stockport’s leading businesses and largest public sector organisations.

Meetings will be available with a range of buyers including Adidas, Authentic Foods, Life Leisure, MAN Diesel, NPS, Solutions SK, Stockport College, Stockport Council, Stockport Homes and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust. New companies participating this year also include Jacobs and Benchmark Building Supplies.

Over the years a wide range of products and services have been in demand from indoor plants and stationery to window cleaners, passenger transport, cleaning supplies and many more.

Meet the Buyer has gained quite a following over the last five years. Last year over 220 companies attended the event and around 600 appointments were made with prospective buyers. This really is an invaluable event for local businesses, as Councillor Dave Goddard, Leader of Stockport Council said: “Supporting small businesses is key to our support for the local economy.  The Meet the Buyer events are an excellent opportunity for smaller businesses to get past the gatekeeper and talk to those in a position to buy their products or services.”

The event, which takes place on Tuesday 13^th March 2012 at Stockport Town Hall, is run on an appointment-only basis with priority being given to companies which supply products or services that buyers are actively seeking.

The deadline for returning booking forms is 7th February 2012 (5 pm) so if you are interested in meeting with some of Stockport’s leading businesses visit www.stockport.gov.uk/meetthebuyer to find out what products and services are in demand and how to make an appointment. Alternatively, phone 0161 474 3797/3737 or email econdev@stockport.gov.uk