Surf Companies 40

SURF COAST COMPANIES GET GROW YOUR BUSINESS BOOST

Minister for Small Business, Marsha Thomson, with local member Michael Crutchfield, visited Torquay today to announce a $15,000 grant to help up to 10 Surf Coast Shire companies improve their business outcomes.

Ms Thomson said the Grow Your Business grant would enable the companies to take part in a Business Marketing Planning program.

“The Surf Coast Shire has identified a need for marketing skills development for local small businesses,” she said.

“As part of the Business Marketing Planning program, each participant will attend two days of training and then spend a day working directly with a consultant to develop a marketing strategy for their business.

“Each business will get a tailored plan that will offer the most effective and cost-conscious approach to communicating directly to its target customers.”

Representatives of two local companies – Baradis Architects and Surf City Motel – who achieved greater business outcomes after participating in government-sponsored programs last year welcomed this year’s program.

Director Richard Lowe said Baradis Architects was a small Highton firm that benefited from a Business Development Program and an eCommerce business planning workshop.

“The Business Development Program helped me understand all the key elements that make the business more profitable in the long term, while the eCommerce business planning workshop showed me how the internet could better serve my business,” he said.

With 16 rooms and up to 20 staff during peak season, Surf City Motel owner Lynn Touzel said the eCommerce business planning workshop she attended taught her the value of eCommerce in tourism.

“Establishing a front and back office, building an email data base, and developing a web page with an online booking and payment facility has helped bring a different demographic to our business,” she said.

Ms Thomson said Grow Your Business provided flexible funding, advice and support to encourage innovative firms to develop and be more competitive.

“Grow Your Business is an initiative that is giving Victoria’s leading businesses access to the knowledge, expertise and funding they need to be even more successful,” she said.

“We are helping businesses reach their full potential by exploring new markets here and overseas, adopting environmentally sustainable practices and finding better ways of being more efficient.

“This program cements Victoria’s business-friendly reputation and helps ensure that every Victorian firm, no matter where they are located has the opportunity to grow and thrive in a fair, competitive, innovative and connected economy.”