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Find new markets

If you can't grow within your original market, expanding into new markets could boost your revenue and increase the profitability of your business.

Making business connections

You will need to consider those risks carefully when determining market profitability, but there are several ways to access new markets. The first task is to make meaningful connections with influencers or decision makers, as they can help you open doors into new markets or expand existing opportunities.

Upcoming in person business events 

You can also search for local business events on these websites:

Business networking

Nottinghamshire County Council

There are a host of local business clubs operating across Nottinghamshire. If you would like to know more about those active in your area, please contact Nottinghamshire County Council's economic development team.

University of Nottingham Business Network

Connect with more than 1500 businesses from a variety of sectors across Nottinghamshire and beyond. This networking group is managed by the University of Nottingham that provides a range of free events, including talks, workshops, and regular business breakfasts to create opportunities for local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to connect and collaborate. You will also gain insight into the latest cutting-edge research taking place at the university.

NatWest business builder

This is a free online portal that gives access to important business workshops, and also connects you to a Facebook community of over 6000 businesses across the UK.

Mansfield and Ashfield 2020 (MA2020)

Mansfield and Ashfield 2020 is a local not-for-profit organisation that helps connect people, build partnerships, and help grow organisations across Mansfield, Ashfield, and the surrounding areas. The organisation runs regular networking breakfasts, women in business luncheons, and has an annual business awards dinner. If you are a local business, then you can also list your company in the Mansfield and Ashfield 2020 directory and attend your first event for free.

B-Global – The BAME Business Network

B-Global is a black-led business network that supports start-ups, established, and scale-up businesses of African heritage and the wider BAME business community in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. It provides free services from how to start your business through to help with marketing, finding finance, networking events, and more.

Explore free PR opportunities

Love Business News

Raise your company profile with Love Business News. This is the only digital media platform in the East Midlands to offer a free point of entry to all businesses to share their positive news stories to more than 21,000 monthly readers. It also offers a wide range of advertising solutions, campaigns, and digital marketing solutions to help you increase sales, build brand awareness, engage new audiences, showcase your products and services, make vital new connections, and accelerate your growth.

Explore trade associations

BE - Built Environment Networking

If you operate in the property or construction sectors, then you need to know about this networking organisation. BE Networking can help you find property investors and infrastructure organisations, as well as provide networking opportunities both in person and online. The firm's annual meeting is called UKREiiF and is attended by major property companies and most local authorities across the UK. You can also showcase your property for free on their database called REID. This database gives you access to investors looking for opportunities.

Build UK

The leading representative organisation for the UK construction industry, delivering change and improving efficiency with members across the UK.

The Food and Drink Forum

An industry-led, not-for-profit trade body, driving positive change within the food and drink industry. Whether you're a food and drink business or providing services to those within the food and drink sector, there are a range of membership solutions to support business growth and grants.

Midlands Aerospace Alliance

A membership organisation that offers advice and guidance around developing aerospace market opportunities, identifying technology development partners, and improving operational performances. There is also access to some grant funding.

Make UK

Make UK is a national body and networking organisation for UK manufacturers. It operates a paid membership service, providing members with access to hundreds of industry events, and offers a voice to government. It can help connect manufacturers to the latest innovative ideas, enabling businesses to achieve their manufacturing objectives and goals.

EMC North Nottingham Manufacturing Network

The East Midlands Chamber (EMC) Manufacturing Network builds on the success of the respected Nottingham Manufacturing Network (NMN). It is a peer-to-peer membership organisation consisting of a diverse range of manufacturing businesses. The network is keen to promote growth in manufacturing and help members to address commercial problems. It’s completely free to join, but you must be a manufacturer.

The East Midlands Chamber of Commerce

The East Midlands Chamber of Commerce is a membership organisation offering businesses the opportunities to establish connections locally, regionally, and nationally. With networking events, specialist industry forums, and staff training workshops, there's also advice on how to develop overseas trade and apprenticeships. There is also assistance on how to market your services between members and have access to several marketing databases, which you pay to use. This can help you source businesses and email contacts to grow your customer base.

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is a membership organisation that supports small businesses. It offers a powerful voice heard in local and devolved governments across the UK. FSB runs virtual events, including networking and business surgeries, designed to help small business owners find advice, support, and guidance. Events are free and open to all small businesses and the self-employed.

Logistics UK

Logistics UK is one of the biggest business membership organisations in the UK, representing the entire industry, with members from the road, rail, sea, and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers. It helps to keep logistics operations safe, efficient, and compliant, focusing on critical services, support, and advice.

Medilink Midlands

Medilink Midlands is the Midlands Life Sciences industry association, with an aim to help companies establish, develop, and grow. It has a network of more than 8000 contacts in more than 1700 organisations representing all aspects of the sector; from multinationals to high potential start-up companies, as well as the NHS and universities.

National Farmers Union (NFU)

The NFU represents more than 45,000 farming and growing businesses and its website provides a lot of useful information including on grants. There is also a Farming Toolkit that has been commissioned by DEFRA as a free resource to support England’s farming community in understanding and navigating emerging nature market opportunities.

Explore global markets

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

The DBT can help you develop relationships with overseas trade partners, negotiate trade agreements, and provide businesses with information and guidance. They often work through local partner organisations, such as the Chamber of Commerce, and have funding to support commercialisation, helping small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to access new markets – please visit the Trading overseas and Trade visits overseas pages for more information.

Explore new markets in the USA

We are working closely with the city of Mentor, in Ohio, USA, to assist local businesses that want to explore and access markets in the US. If you want to find a US distributor or partner, source a manufacturer to produce your products there, or explore what the city of Mentor can offer as a potential foothold in the US to expand your operations - then contact us as our connections with the city of Mentor will be able to help you.

Enterprise Europe Network

The Enterprise Europe Network provides support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with international ambitions. Co-funded by the European Union's COSME and Horizon 2020 programmes, the network's aim is to help businesses innovate and grow internationally. The network is active in more than 60 countries worldwide, where you can search for business opportunities, find partners, and more.

Page last updated: 9 April 2024