“I have always strongly felt that Buckinghamshire needed a great business directory to pull all local businesses together,” says Jacqui Hogan, Owner of Cocreative Ltd, a business mentoring and training company based in Beaconsfield. “This helps you build relationships and do business with people you know.”

Jacqui wasn’t the only member of the Buckinghamshire business community who spotted this need and it was Buckinghamshire Business First (BBF) that fulfilled it with the creation of the online Buckinghamshire business directory on the BBF website. This directory lists more than 9,000 local businesses, each with their own editable and interactive profile.

"My co-investment in BBF has certainly raised my profile"

Many businesses have found that the way to truly get the most out of this feature-rich attraction is to co-invest in Buckinghamshire Business First, thus giving themselves greater prominence and exposure on the BBF website. This is exactly what Jacqui did, becoming a Partner of BBF.

“The business directory is just one example of BBF being so supportive of businesses and being a truly local organisation. My co-investment in BBF has certainly raised my profile,” Jacqui confirms. “With my status as a Partner I am able to do so much, such as create events like my ‘Business Conversations’ networking series. Not only are these prominently featured on the BBF events page because I am a Partner, they are also advertised on my online profile that is itself prominently featured on the business directory because of that same investment! And as everyone knows, you can never have too much promotion."

Every business owner will want to know whether there are practical returns on this kind of investment. After all, prominence doesn’t always lead to success. Jacqui is happy to confirm that her co-investment in BBF has paid off. “I have had quite a few BBF members sign up to our events since we’ve had our profile up and running, and people have told me that they have looked me up on the directory to get an idea of what I can do for their business.

“Though Cocreative is already established with a strong client base, it’s obvious that for a new business trying to gain a foothold the BBF business directory and the functionality of the online profiles adds a great deal of legitimacy to any fledgling enterprise and helps get a brand name out there quicker.”

"A no-brainer" to invest in BBF

All members of BBF get a spot on the business directory, but it is what each business does with their profile that will determine whether they get any benefit from it. Businesses that co-invest in BBF can book meeting room space across the county, attend networking events for free, and post job vacancies, contracts for tender and discounted offers to fellow members, all through their own profile with their own unique URL. They can also add videos, photos, testimonials, award wins and a detailed description to their profile.

“The whole package is great, and for me it is worth it just for the opportunity to promote my events,” says Jacqui. “But add to that everything else that comes with it… well, it’s no surprise that I’ve recommended to other local businesses that they spend a few minutes creating the best profile they can. My message to other businesses is simple: your profile on the BBF business directory gives more potential customers and clients the chance to find you, learn about what you do, and ultimately pay you for your products or services. A no-brainer!”

Learn more about the co-investment opportunities with BBF

For more information on the co-investment packages available with Buckinghamshire Business First, visit www.bbf.uk.com/packages or call 01494 927130.