Join our campaign to help business fight back

COMPANIES in Coventry and Warwickshire are being given a chance to show the world they mean business.

Reach plc, parent company of the Coventry Telegraph and Coventrylive, has launched a new initiative designed to help businesses shout louder as our region emerges from lockdown.

The #Iamopen campaign follows the successful #Therewithyou push which commenced in March, at the beginning of lockdown, and has delivered close to £1 million worth of advertising savings to more than 1,100 UK businesses.

The new initiative provides businesses with a suite of free marketing solutions they can use to publicise that they’re open for business - and safe to visit.

The benefits include the creation of a free website landing page and promotional montage video, plus the provision of complementary creative design services.

This support package has been designed to meet the needs of all businesses that are re-opening, regardless of industry and location, and is supplemented by a range of heavily-discounted commercial products including digital advertising, social media advertising, and content marketing.

Jim Brinkley, director for Reach Regionals, said: “When the UK was placed into lockdown at the end of March we introduced our #ThereWithyou campaign. Our aim then was to provide timely marketing assistance as businesses struggled to adapt to the ever-changing situation.

“The response astonished us, with more than 1,100 businesses taking advantage of advertising savings worth close to £1m, and we expect #Iamopen to deliver even more savings to thousands of businesses across the country.

“Many businesses are now getting ready to re-open, yet trading restrictions are changing all the time and customers may be confused as to which businesses are allowed to open.

“This is where the free services and low-cost options provided as part of our #Iamopen initiative will prove invaluable. If businesses are open, we’re here to help get the word out.”

To support the initiative, Reach has created two special badges that businesses can use on their websites and social channels - one to let customers know that they’re open.

Another lets them know that they’re also ‘Covid secure’, in that all necessary precautions are being taken to protect staff and customers.

Mr Brinkley said it would provide a boost for businesses that are currently feeling the effects of reduced consumer spending.

Research shows that more than half of the UK’S businesses are reporting a significant decline in orders.

A similar number are saying that they haven’t benefited from any Government measures.

He added: “Our promise is to support the UK’S local businesses now, throughout and beyond the Covid crisis, and #Iamopen is another step on the road to achieving that.”

Visit the dedicated #Iamopen site for more information.