30/01/2013

Business Programme In Strabane Launches

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster today launched a new business programme in Strabane, which aims to help local businesses grow through tailored sales and marketing support.

The Inspire Business Programme is a new joint initiative between Strabane and Omagh District Councils and is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund.

It will provide 80 businesses, 40 from each council area, with one-to-one mentoring and the chance to attend marketing skills development workshops and conferences.

Launching the programme Arlene Foster said: "This programme will deliver real benefits to local businesses by helping them to more effectively target prospective customers and adopt a structured approach to selling.

"Inspire has been developed after taking account of the specific needs of businesses in the Omagh and Strabane areas, and will help to strengthen and grow the private sector, which is a priority for government and specifically for my department.

"This kind of programme encourages businesses to become more market aware, research aware, outward looking, export oriented and committed to ongoing business development. These are the essential components of business and economic success."

The Inspire Business Programme is one of a number of initiatives that have been funded by Invest NI under the Local Economic Development Measure of the EU Sustainable Competitiveness Programme, which is available to councils to help them address the particular needs of businesses in their area.

(CD)

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