Partner Events
Date & Time: Wednesday, 21st October 2026 - 09:00-12:30
Venue: Radisson Blu Hotel, Frankland Lane, Durham, County Durham, DH1 5TA
About the event
LinkedIn can be one of the most powerful tools in your business for building visibility, credibility, relationships and new opportunities - when you know where to focus.
This practical half-day workshop will help you cut through the noise and concentrate on the things that make the biggest difference. You’ll work on your own LinkedIn as you go, so this is not simply a session about what you could do. You will start making improvements there and then.
During the workshop, you’ll focus on the five things that make the biggest difference:
Strengthen your profile so the right people quickly understand who you are, what you do and why they should pay attention.
Get clearer about who you want to reach - and use the right words and activity to become more visible and credible to them.
Create content and comments that start conversations, rather than simply adding to the noise.
Connect with intention and build genuine relationships with the people who matter most to your business.
Use LinkedIn more effectively to create new business opportunities with a simple, sustainable approach that works for you.
We’ll also look at how AI can support your LinkedIn activity without taking away the most important ingredient: your own experience, personality and voice.
The workshop will be led by Norma Foster, who has been using LinkedIn since 2006 and has helped hundreds of businesses use the platform more effectively as part of their business development.
Suitable for beginner to intermediate LinkedIn users, the session will be hands-on, practical and focused on helping you make better use of the time you spend on LinkedIn.
Come with your LinkedIn profile. Leave with a stronger one, greater clarity about who you want to reach, and a practical plan for using LinkedIn to create new business opportunities.
Register your place here.
Date & Time: Tuesday, 27th October 2026 - 08:30-13:00
Venue: Ramside Hall Hotel, Ramside Hall Carrville, County Durham, DH1 1TD
About the event
Following feedback from Durham Business Growth businesses, many of you told us you wanted to learn more about raising your profile, generating new leads and winning more customers. In response, we're delighted to bring you this practical, interactive workshop with Paul Lancaster and Neil Stephenson and the Ramside hall hotel, in the Golf Cathedral Suite.
Based in County Durham and looking to raise your profile and generate more relevant leads to grow your business? This workshop is for you.
Many businesses face the same three challenges:
Raising awareness and increasing their profile.
Generating relevant, qualified leads.
Converting interest into paying customers.
During this interactive session, you'll discover practical strategies to tackle all three by:
Optimising your LinkedIn profile.
Creating content that builds trust and credibility.
Appearing on other people's platforms to expand your reach.
Networking with purpose and confidence.
Speaking at events to raise your profile.
Managing the sales process more effectively.
Hosted by Paul Lancaster and Neil Stephenson - two of the North of England's most active entrepreneurs, business growth advisers and early-stage investors - this workshop will demonstrate why the best business opportunities often come to those who are visible, well-connected and able to clearly communicate the value they offer.
You'll leave with practical tips and actions you can implement straight away to increase your visibility, build stronger relationships and win more business.
Places are limited and Durham Business Growth workshops fill up quickly. Book your place today to avoid missing out.
https://www.durhambusinessgrowth.co.uk/
PLEASE NOTE: businesses need to be registered with the Durham Growth Programme prior to attending. A link is below for registration, therefore ONLY businesses based in County Durham are able to attend this fully funded workshop.
Register with the Durham Growth Programme here.
Register for the event here.
Alongside the Durham Business Growth programme, eligible businesses in County Durham can access additional support through the North East Rural Growth Programme, funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority.
Eligible businesses can access specialist Growth & Resilience Support, Food & Drink Support and the North East Farm Business Support Service, depending on their individual needs and business goals.
The North East Rural Growth Programme is designed to help businesses across rural County Durham become more resilient, improve productivity and unlock opportunities for sustainable growth. Whether you're looking to strengthen your business, develop new products, diversify your income or explore new markets, we'll work with you to identify the support that's right for you.
During an initial conversation with a Business Engagement Officer, we'll get to know your business and your ambitions. We can then tailor the support we offer to match the current stage of growth and the business's needs, building to your ambitions.
Support available
Growth & Resilience Support
Growth & Resilience Support is available to eligible businesses across County Durham looking to strengthen their business, improve performance and take advantage of new opportunities.
Working with a dedicated Business Engagement Officer, you'll receive tailored one-to-one support based on your business goals. Through an initial business diagnostic, we'll help you identify priorities, overcome challenges and develop a practical plan for sustainable growth.
Alongside one-to-one support, you'll also have access to practical workshops and events, delivered both online and in person, covering topics including digital marketing, AI, business planning, social media and workplace organisation.
Businesses with ambitions to grow and create new employment opportunities may also be able to access support from Technical Specialists, providing expert advice in areas such as:
Financial planning and forecasting
Marketing and digital strategy
Sales and accessing new markets
Innovation and new product development
Funding and investment
Legal, tax and procurement guidance
Productivity and business resilience
Food & Drink Support
Delivered in partnership with Food and Drink North East, this specialist support is designed for eligible food and drink businesses across County Durham.
Whether you're a primary producer, manufacturer, hospitality business or food and drink entrepreneur, you'll receive tailored advice from sector specialists who understand the unique opportunities and challenges facing the industry.
Support is designed to help businesses grow, reach new markets and build long-term resilience, and includes:
Business growth and development planning
Routes to market and retail opportunities
Branding, marketing and product positioning
Supply chain and collaboration opportunities
Scaling production and improving efficiency
Advice and signposting on finance, investment and funding opportunities where appropriate
North East Farm Business Support Service
The North East Farm Business Support Service provides dedicated support for eligible farm businesses across County Durham.
Delivered by experienced advisers with specialist knowledge of the agricultural sector, the service helps farm businesses improve resilience, increase productivity and explore opportunities for diversification.
Support is tailored to the individual needs of each business and may include:
Business planning and growth strategies
Financial management and funding opportunities
Farm diversification and new enterprise development
Productivity improvements
Business resilience planning
One-to-one specialist advice to support long-term success
Getting started
If you're an eligible business based in County Durham, getting started is simple. Complete the Durham Business Growth enquiry form and a Business Engagement Officer will contact you to discuss your business, understand your ambitions and match you with the most appropriate support available through the Rural Growth Programme.
