PRESS RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 2008

COUTTS BANKS ON PLATINUM CLUB LAUNCH

THE UK's premier business networking forum, Business Consort, is launching a VIP membership as the club rolls out its prestigious events nationwide.

The Platinum Club is aimed at the corporate elite, and to gain admission to the exclusive forum, individuals need to be at the helm of companies with a turnover in excess of £1m.
Business Consort, which boasts more than 15,000 decision makers from some of the world's biggest companies as members, is launching the new membership in response to demand from high-net worth individuals and entrepreneurs.

The Platinum Club will plug the gap in the market for a networking forum for the upper echelons of the corporate community.

More than 500 of the top UK and international businesses with offices in the North West have been invited to the launch event, which is being sponsored by private bank Coutts and will take place on September 25 at the new showroom of Bentley Manchester in Mobberley.

The Platinum Club will hold a networking event every two months which will include a champagne reception followed by gourmet food and wine tasting, as well as the opportunity for attendees to meet like-minded business individuals.

Business Consort founder, Dawn McGruer, says there is huge demand for a high-net worth business club.

She says: "The Platinum Club will stage some highly prestigious events and also guarantees a very select guest list. While there are a number of excellent networking clubs, there was a real gap in the market for a forum where high-net worth individuals and entrepreneurs can meet to share ideas and make valuable business contacts."

Wilmslow-based Business Consort was launched by Dawn in 2005. It followed the success of her previous venture, Aurora Marketing, a digital marketing company which she founded in 2001 and was last month incorporated into Business Consort.

The Business Consort networking forums offer monthly events, seminars, workshops and training courses, and there are several levels of membership, from the 'virtual networker' which starts at £29 per annum, through to silver, gold and the newly launched Platinum Club. Membership includes a range of benefits from loyalty card offers, inclusion in the monthly newsletter, internet profiles and access to experts for free advice on topical business issues. In addition, there is an opportunity to join the Panel of Experts for face-to-face business clinics.

Business Consort is also expanding out of its North West heartland and is now rolling out events across the UK in Scotland, the North East, Midlands and London, including networking forums for the newly-launched Platinum Club.

The events continue to grow in prestige, and the latest one took place at the Aston Martin Stratstone showroom with more than 175 delegates attending.

Media Contact

Sheryl Moore
Tel: 07990 805311
Sherylmoore07@aol.com

Ends

Notes to editors

Platinum membership fee will increase from £349 to £500 for 12 months after our official launch event on 25th September 2008.

All benefits of Gold membership PLUS:

• Business Consort has launched a brand new membership level for businesses with turnovers in excess of £1million pounds and high net worth individuals and entrepreneurs.
• Due to our members demand we feel there is a real market for a high net worth club.
• First event, which is being sponsored by private bank Coutts, will be on 25th September at Bentley Manchester in Mobberley (4-6pm) and is invitation and members only.
• There will be no additional charge for this launch event.
• This will be an extremely prestigious event - Champagne reception, canapes and wine tasting area. We can also guarantee a very select guest list.
• In addition we are working with corporate sponsors for each event -
• We will be running regular platinum club networking events every two months.
• 12 month advertisement listed in the Loyalty Card Offers online directory
• Your own Loyalty Card to use to obtain discounts as listed in our online Loyalty Card Offers Directory.

Please Note: Places are limited - join now to avoid disappointment.

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B2B SOCIAL NETWORKING NOW ONLY A CLICK AWAY

SOCIAL networking sites have united people across the globe – now companies will be able to tap into this phenomenon with their own business networking forums.

Manchester-based digital marketing agency, Aurora Marketing, is launching Aurora B2B Social Networking at the forthcoming Business North West Exhibition, and as the official social networking partner, it is offering delegates at the event use of the forum free of charge!

Networking and building up contacts is the key to success in business and with thousands of entrepreneurs attending the conference, business on the forum is expected to be brisk.

All delegates who register for tickets to the exhibition automatically get an email with a password and then can simply log on to the B2B social networking forum.

Aurora B2B Social Networking will fast become the UK’s premier free B2B networking forum and, for a highly competitive fee,  members of Aurora B2B Social Networking can also have their own hosted and managed social networking hub on their website for customers and potential prospects.

Aurora Marketing director, Dawn McGruer, says the networking hubs will improve customer service, increase sales, earn extra revenue as well as drive more traffic to a company’s website.

She says: “If a business increases its customer base by 10 per cent, its average order value by 10 per cent and purchase frequency of clients by 10 per cent, that is a 30 per cent increase in revenue over 12 months - imagine the difference to the bottom line!

“Businesses can also charge for membership and advertising on the forum, providing a further stream of revenue. In addition to reaching thousands of contacts and having an array of marketing resources at their finger tips, Aurora B2B Social Networking is an excellent opportunity for members to start instantly earning revenue.”

Aurora B2B Social Networking will handle all website transactions and, as well as having their own networking hub, the group’s sophisticated email software will enable members to email every other network member – a system which Dawn says no other form of email marketing software can compete with.

The social networking forum is part of a complete overhaul and relaunch of Aurora Marketing’s website to include a range of new functions and resources for businesses including; free expert advice and marketing tools as well as access to suppliers, special offers and discounts.