NBSL business funding
advisor John Atkinson with
Bitesize Business training
lead Mhari Breen.
NEW BRAND AND WEBSITE
HELPED BY NBSL FUNDING
Software firm Excelpoint has undertaken
a brand review and unveiled a new
corporate brand identity and website
thanks to funding from NBSL.
The new branding reflects Excelpoint’s
commitment to achieving its vision of
empowering organisations worldwide to
create efficient enterprise-wide business
systems and workflows.
With a global client base, Excelpoint is
further expanding its reach and entering
new sectors nationally – knowing that their
business model can compete on both cost and
service – two vital ingredients of the brand.
To reflect this, a new strapline has been
introduced, “smarter software solutions”, to
represent the commitment and experience
the team brings to the world of digital
transformation.
Excelpoint have accessed grant support
from business support agency NBSL via the
North East Business Support Fund – which
is part financed by the European Regional
Development Fund – and were able to call
upon Aycliffe agency LemonTop Creative,
to develop a website and brand identity that
reflects the core values, future strategy and
enhanced customer experience.
The rebrand follows Excelpoint’s relocation
of its head office to a new custom-designed
state-of-the-art office within The Work Place
on Aycliffe Business Park.
Managing director Ian Brown – the cover
star of this issue – said: “The new website
and brand identity come at a time when we
are evolving as a business and expanding our
global reach.
“Our new identity better reflects our market
position in the no-code software sector and
demonstrates the experience we bring to our
customers across the world.”
As an organisation that has been committed
to supporting North East businesses for over
18 years, NBSL has helped a wide range of
businesses through the North East Business
Support Fund (Durham) during the current
three-year support programme.
Applications are now closed for the current
fund although eligible SMEs can register their
interest via the NBSL website to be notified of
new streams of funding likely to start in 2021,
at nbsl.org.uk/durham-grants.
Meanwhile, following the successful
pilot of NBSL’s online masterclass
sessions in June, Bitesize Business
(Durham) is set to make a welcome return in
September.
Now based online, NBSL have continued
to schedule a series of sessions exclusively for
County Durham SME businesses to help them
adapt to a changing landscape.
The sessions, fully funded from the North
East Business Support Fund, can cater for
up to 10 people per workshop and include
topics such as ‘Understanding the Customer
Experience’, ‘Sales Techniques’ and ‘Pitch
Perfect – Understanding the Importance of
Sales Pitch Planning’.
With the North East Business Support
Fund masterclass programme in its final
months, NBSL have been able to look at how
they can make sure they support businesses
quickly and provide aspirational masterclasses
to help evaluate and adapt their sales and
marketing plans as their customer base and
communication techniques change.
John Atkinson, NSBL’s business funding
advisor for County Durham, said: “We know
that our rapidly changing landscape is a
major issue facing small and medium-sized
businesses.
“These short sessions are designed to
allow business owners and managers to
enhance their marketing, sales and customer
experience knowledge.
“Understanding the customer journey and
how to adapt their business to customers with
different needs will increase the potential for
long-term success and possibly identify new
markets to explore as the landscape continues
to change.
“Places are limited and uptake has been
excellent, so we would encourage anyone who
is interested to sign up now via our website.”
The inaugural round of funding – the North
East Business Support Fund – was launched
in 2012, and since then NBSL has provided
funding and support to businesses from an
array of sectors spanning all corners of the
region with a recent impact report finding
that the fund has yielded an impressive £4.40
economic boost for every £1 invested.
To find out more about the September programme, visit nbsl.org.uk/bitesize or
email: [email protected].
The magazine for Aycliffe Business Park | 27