KENT Online’s sister publication, Kent Business, and Barclays have once again teamed with marketing guru Robert Craven to give small business owners a brighter future by boosting sales and marketing power.

A not-to-be-missed free seminar called Bright Marketing For Smarter Business will be held on May 12 at the Bridgewood Manor Hotel in Chatham.

The event, developed by Barclays, aims to build on the success of the Kick Start event held in Maidstone a year ago. It is open to all small businesses, whether Barclays' customers or not.

According to Barclays' research, entrepreneurs want to increase the time they spend on business development and marketing activity by at least 50 per cent to around 12 hours a week.

Developing new business ideas and finding new customers are essential for any business and anyone attending the seminar will be given tips and advice on how to achieve these difficult goals.

Mr Craven is author of best selling business books Kick-start Your Business and Customer is King. He is also managing director of The Directors' Centre, has run his own restaurant, sound recording studio and training company and was formerly head of small business programmes at Warwick Business School.

He will urge businesses to assess their strengths and weaknesses and make key decisions about the future. He is passionate about helping businesses and shares his passion and excitement with his audiences.

Mark Ferrett, Barclays Kent area manager for small business, said: "Good marketing can be the key to success. It is vital to be able to identify and meet the real needs of customers, whilst at the same time remaining profitable. The Bright Marketing seminar will provide valuable advice to help small businesses in Kent continue to succeed and grow".

To book your place or to find out more, contact Lee Horton on 01795 566820 or book online by visiting www.business.barclays.co.uk/bb/seminars.

Barclays will also be undertaking a programme of 350 Start Right seminars across the country during 2004. Run in association with the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies, they will give people thinking of starting their own business an insight into what it involves. They focus on planning, marketing and the financial, legal and tax implications of running your own business