Small businesses are encouraged to compete for free exhibition spots.
#SBS Small Business Sunday, the online business community founded by entrepreneur Theo Paphitis, has announced that it will team up with Autumn Fair once again this year, following successful partnerships with the show in 2018 and 2019.
#SBS began in 2010 and has seen hundreds of small businesses tweet Theo Paphitis every week to gain access to the supportive small business network. Every Monday, six businesses are invited to become part of the #SBS community, benefiting from boosted publicity and attendance at a yearly #SBS conference with access to motivational speakers and workshops.
As part of the partnership with Autumn Fair, 12 members of the #SBS community will be offered free stands at the show. Between now and Friday 1st May, #SBS’s 3,000 members will all be offered a chance to put themselves forward for the competition. Entrants are judged on their uniqueness of product, innovative contributions to retail and viability of business plan.
This year’s winners will be selected in June by a panel of retail experts from Autumn Fair organisers, Hyve Group. At the show, the lucky #SBS exhibitors will take centre stage, gaining access to tens of thousands of visitors and buyers.
Theo Paphitis said: “#SBS is delighted to partner with Autumn Fair once again and offer another 12 #SBS winners a free stand at the event in September. The previous winners have all reaped huge rewards from the experience, whether through new contacts, suppliers, orders, new directions or collaborations and I’m sure this year will be no different. I encourage my #SBS winners to grab this opportunity with both hands and go for it.”
Jessica Dawnay, event director, Autumn Fair, said: “Offering something different and innovative is what Autumn Fair is all about and the #SBS community is, without fail, always a rich source of interesting and unique design-led products. Previous #SBS winners who have been given the chance to exhibit at Autumn Fair 2018 and 2019 have been many buyers’ highlight of the show.”
Visitors and exhibitors can now register and book for Autumn Fair 2020, which will take place at the NEC between 6th – 9th September this year.
