Kirklees Business Conference 2019: The Handy Guide
Going to the Kirklees Business Conference?
Or want extra details?
This independent guide tells you more about the Conference. It’s an add on to the official website.
You’ll find out what’s on. How the Conference can help your business. And tips on how to plan your day.
Disclaimer: This Guide is written to help you have a great Conference. But it’s not written or endorsed by the event organisers. So any errors are mine. And if you see one please let me know. Thanks!
Please use these links to skip to what you need:
- What is the Kirklees Business Conference?
- How to Book Your Ticket
- Agenda for the 2019 Conference
- How to Get to the Kirklees Business Conference 2019
- Grow Your Business in Kirklees
- How to Make Your Conference Visit a Success
- About Kirklees Business Conference 2019: The Handy Guide
What is the Kirklees Business Conference?
The Conference is run by the Mid-Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce for businesses in Huddersfield, Kirklees and the surrounding areas.
It runs from 8.00am to 2.30pm on Wednesday 13th March 2019 at the John Smith’s Stadium in Huddersfield.
The venue is easy to reach from Leeds and Manchester with free car parking and excellent motorway links.
In 2018, there were over 550 visitors. Businesses who attend include accountants, marketing agencies, insurance brokers, IT companies, solicitors, social media trainers, financial advisors and many more.
As well as the exhibition area the Conference includes workshops, talks and networking events.
How to Book Your Ticket
The Conference is free to attend for visitors, just book your ticket through Eventbrite.
You can also choose which sessions and networking events you’d like to attend. There is a small fee for these.
Sponsor and Exhibitor packages are available through the Chamber of Commerce. Find out how your business can benefit in the Exhibitor and Sponsor Guide.
Agenda for the 2019 Conference
Exhibition – Revell Ward Suite
Opens at 9.00am and closes at 2.30pm.
Workshops – John Smith’s Suite, Level 2
09.30 – 10.00 The Psychology of Pricing – David Abbott
10.10 – 11.10 Kirklees: The place to make it – Discussion Panel. Hosted by Jason McCartney. With Jacqui Gedman (Kirklees Council Chief Executive), Steve Moore (CityFibre) and Peter Branson (Huddersfield Unlimited).
11.20 – 11.50 The Power of PR – Katrina Cliffe
13.15 – 14.00 Keynote Address – TBC
Business Clinics – Corporate Boxes, Level 3
Huddersfield Business School Box 13
Opens at 9.00am and closes at 2.30pm.
Networking – Fantastic Media Suite
08.00 – 09.00 Business Breakfast
12.00 – 13.00 Business Lunch
How to Get to the Kirklees Business Conference 2019
The Kirklees Business Conference is held at John Smith’s Stadium, Stadium Way, Huddersfield, HD1 6PG.
Driving
M62 Eastbound from Manchester – 4 miles to John Smith’s Stadium
Exit the M62 at Junction 24 onto the A629 and head towards Huddersfield Town Centre. After about two miles follow the signs for the Stadium, turn left on to Castlegate Ring Road, turn left onto Leeds Road (A62) then follow the Stadium car park signs.
M62 Westbound from Leeds – 4.5 miles to John Smith’s Stadium
Exit the M62 at Junction 25 onto the A644 (Wakefield Road). At the junction with the A62 take the second exit to Huddersfield (Leeds Road) A62. Continue along this road for about three miles, and then follow the Stadium car park signs.
Parking
John Smith’s Stadium has free parking.
Use “HD1 6PJ” in your Sat Nav for the Town Avenue Car Park at the North End of the Stadium.
Train
TransPennine Express run fast services to Huddersfield from both Leeds and Manchester.
Leeds to Huddersfield is about 20 min and Manchester to Huddersfield is about 30 min.
Northern Rail also connects Huddersfield with Halifax, Bradford and Wakefield.
View National Rail Journey Planner
A taxi from Huddersfield train station to John Smith’s Stadium takes about 8 minutes and cost approximately £4.
Bus
Routes 200, 202, 203, 220 and 229 run regular services from Huddersfield town centre to Bradley Mills on Leeds Road. And then it’s a 5-minute walk to the Stadium.
View West Yorkshire Metro Journey Planner
About John Smith’s Stadium
John Smith’s Stadium is Huddersfield’s premier conference and banqueting venue. It’s also home to Huddersfield Town Football Club and Huddersfield Giants Rugby League Club.
The Stadium features the Stadium Health & Fitness Club and Legends Cafe Bar which serves drinks and snacks.
Next door to the Stadium is the Odeon Huddersfield with a Costa Coffee, Pizza Hut, Ropewalk Pub and cinema.
View John Smith’s Stadium Directions Map
Where to Stay
If you need to stay overnight before or after the Conference there are many local hotels in Huddersfield to choose from.
Grow Your Business in Kirklees
Source: Kirklees Council
Kirklees is at the centre of the UK with 3 major cities within 30 minutes – Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield.
And the local economy is worth £7 billion with 16,000 businesses.
Did you know that Fox Biscuits are made here?
And the glass capsules on the London Eye are made in Kirklees too.
In fact, precision engineering and innovative manufacturing companies employ over 25,000 people.
But, textiles also have a strong local heritage. And local firm Bower Robuck have made suits for David Beckham and Barack Obama.
Other sectors in Kirklees include pharmaceuticals, food, digital and creative.
There are 300,000 graduates locally. And 11 universities close by, including Huddersfield’s own gold-rated university in the heart of the town.
How to Make Your Conference Visit a Success
Credit: Samuel Clara on Unsplash
Want to get more out of your Conference visit?
Need to make it work better for your business?
The Kirklees Business Conference has a lot to offer. So you can build your network, get new ideas and help your business grow.
But as your time is valuable you want to use it well.
So here are 5 practical tips to make your conference visit a success:
1) Plan Your Day
Credit: Lonely Planet on Unsplash
The secret to a successful conference is to plan ahead.
Because you won’t be able to see everyone or visit every stall.
So before you arrive, decide what you want to achieve from the day. That way you can be efficient with your time.
What do you want to walk away from the Conference with?
Your goals could be to:
- Meet new suppliers
- Catch-up with existing contacts
- Expand your network
- Hear from leading business figures
- Learn new skills
But just pick 1 or 2.
Why?
Because you also want to allow time for casual chats too. One of the great benefits of a conference is to see new people, learn new ideas and discover new businesses.
Once you have your goals, it’s time to research the Conference.
Check out the agenda to see which events you want to attend. Use social media to see who will be there.
And then plan your day to meet your goals.
2) Help Your Business with the Training and Advice
Credit: Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
When you’re busy running your business there’s often little time to get outside advice.
However, your Conference visit is a great time to do that.
Alongside the exhibition, you can tap into help and support from Workshops on specific subjects. These give you chance to hear about a business topic in more depth.
Or you can book a session at one of the Business Clinics.
Here you have a 1-2-1 with a business expert. So you can ask questions or seek their advice in a private meeting.
Also, the keynote speaker will share tips and wisdom from their career.
So use the skills and knowledge available at the Conference to help your business.
3) Boost Your Network and Make New Contacts
The Conference is an ideal time to do business in person.
You can catch-up with your contacts over coffee. Or meet new people to grow your network.
For a few hours, you’ve got time to talk face to face, rather than online or on the phone.
And you never know who you’ll meet.
Across the exhibition, breakout areas and Workshops, you can make meet people in a relaxed and informal way.
And there are also dedicated events which can help you. A business breakfast and a lunch networking session too.
So if you want to expand your network, book a ticket for one of these.
4) How to Use the Exhibition to Give You New Ideas
Credit: Chris Knight on Unsplash
The exhibition area is often the busiest place at the Conference.
But whatever your aim for the day, allow enough time to talk to the exhibitors.
You’ll discover potential suppliers, businesses to work with and new opportunities. So keep an open mind about who you meet and which businesses you talk to.
You never know where it may lead.
And exhibitors are there for similar reasons to you.
So they’ll want to listen to you about your business. Tell you more about what they do. And help make your day useful, informative and enjoyable.
Also, there are often freebies to collect too!
5) How to Get More from the Conference with Social Media
Credit: Sticker Mule on Unsplash
Conferences haven’t been replaced by social media.
In fact, social media helps the Conference to work harder for your business.
Before your visit use LinkedIn and Twitter to find out who will be there. So you can plan your day and arrange meetings. Also, try to like and share content about the event by your network.
While you’re at the Conference:
- Take photos or videos of yourself and other attendees
- Follow new contacts – especially if you don’t get a business card
- Post a couple of quotes or key points from the workshops
And don’t forget to use the hashtag #KirkleesConf.
Finally, after the Conference follow up with your new contacts. Post the content that you didn’t get to share on the day. And write a blog post about the event, what you learnt or who you met.
In Summary
You want your time at the Conference to be as productive as possible.
And your business will benefit most when you plan your day up front.
That way you’ll have time to learn from the experts. Meet up with people face to face. And use social media to get more out of your time.
So you’ll come away with new ideas, contacts and knowledge to help grow your business.
About Kirklees Business Conference: The Handy Guide
Kirklees Business Conference: The Handy Guide is written by me, Rob Beadle to support and promote the Conference.
It’s not written or endorsed by the event organisers. So it’s independent of the official website.
I run a copywriting business in Kirklees and I’m an exhibitor at the Conference. Come and say hello – I’m on Stand 17.
This guide is an example of the content I create for clients.
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