Leading the BID industry
Leading the BID industry
Elevate your marketing expertise with the British BIDs Certificate in BID Marketing course.
This comprehensive online programme is designed specifically for BID professionals, offering in-depth training on essential marketing strategies and tools. Gain practical knowledge to attract visitors, engage local businesses and enhance community vibrancy. With expert-led sessions, interactive workshops, and real-world case studies, you'll develop the skills to drive impactful marketing campaigns. Join a network of like-minded professionals and take your BID's marketing initiatives to the next level.
Each session runs between 2-3 hours, starting at 10am. All sessions will run online.
If you are interested in completing our Certificate in BID Marketing course, please get in touch.
Unlock the secrets of successful marketing with our specialised "Marketing 101" short course! Perfect for beginners and those looking to refresh their knowledge, this course offers a solid foundation in marketing principles tailored specifically for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs). Whether you're part of a small or large team, and regardless of your budget, there are always effective strategies to implement.
This practical, and down-to-earth session will equip you with essential marketing skills to attract visitors, engage local businesses, and enhance community vibrancy. Learn to build strategies for understanding your target audience, create compelling messages, and leverage various channels to reach them effectively.
Tutor - Simon Edward
Topics will include:
The session will include examples, with brief writing tasks to help exercise the creative muscles!
Tutor - Toby Chapman-Dawe
Following on from session 1 where we covered marketing basics, we will take a look at the specifics of B2B Marketing for BIDs and also take a look at the impact and opportunities to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Marketing execution. We will follow this with an exclusive marketing round table, designed specifically for BID marketing professionals. As part of our comprehensive "British BIDs Certificate in Marketing" course, this interactive session offers a unique platform to exchange ideas, share experiences, and collaborate on effective strategies with fellow BID marketers and industry experts.
Deliberately scheduled for the middle of the course, this round table is your opportunity to bring your questions, challenges, and opportunities to the table. Hear and learn from others, build clarity, and set your plans in motion.
Dive into discussions that tackle real-world challenges, discover innovative solutions, and gain valuable insights to elevate your district's marketing initiatives.
Tutor - Simon Edward
This interactive session focuses on how Business Improvement Districts can make the most of digital marketing with the resources they already have. Drawing on proven approaches from working with small and medium-sized businesses, we will explore how to choose the right channels, reuse content effectively, and measure success.
You will learn:
This session will give you practical tools and confidence to plan smarter, stretch your content further, and clearly measure your results.
Tutor - Andrew Laws
During this final session we will pull together all of our learnings over the past weeks, with a practical approach to developing a Marketing Strategy for your BID. We will also use this closing session to hold a final round table to reflect on the learnings, hoover up the side discussions which have arisen and take questions.
Tutor - Simon Edward
Simon is the Former Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at IBM, and a BID Board Director. Simon is an Advisor to several marketing professional bodies, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and a Chartered Marketer.
Toby is Managing Director of Strand, a specialist copywriting agency. As a journalist for both trade magazines and national press, followed by a switch to the agency side as an advertising copywriter, Toby has been both gamekeeper and poacher. Toby also hosts The Strand Review of Books podcast, and wrote The Beekeeper’s Dictionary – available from Amazon and all good bookshops!
Andrew has been using technology to grow companies for nearly 30 years. He is the founder of The Business Amplifier Skool community and Yeseo.io SEO agency. When he's not in the office helping clients grow, he can be found in the studio or on stage, making very loud noises. Andrew loves to talk about mindset, personal growth, business development, neurodiversity and odd music.
Session 1: Marketing 101
Wednesday 3rd June 2026, 10am - 1pm
Session 2: Good writing and communications
Wednesday 10th June 2026, 10am - 12:30pm
Session 3: B2B vs B2C, Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Round Table BID Marketing Discussion
Thursday 18th June 2026, 10am - 1pm
Session 4: Practical Digital Marketing for BIDs
Thursday 25th June 2026, 10am - 12pm
Session 5: Developing a BID Marketing Strategy - plus Reflections, Questions & Closing Round Table
Wednesday 1st July 2026, 10am - 12pm
The cost of the course is £1,500 for Bb members, including their 25% discount. For non-members, please get in touch.
Catherine Cooper, St Ives BID
Catherine joined the St Ives BID team as Business Liaison in April 2024, bringing over 25 years of senior sales and marketing experience.
Previously, she held senior marketing roles at Bosch UK and Dyson, working with major retailers such as Currys, John Lewis, and Argos on campaigns ranging from national TV to in‑store displays. Catherine now applies her strategic insight and creativity to supporting the local business community.
Claire Knight, Gloucester BID
A passionate marketer with over 26 years’ experience across both B2C and B2B, Claire is currently the Marketing & Business Engagement Lead at Gloucester BID, alongside running her own freelance social media marketing business. As a Chartered Marketer and member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, she is committed to continuous learning and helping brands and places connect with their audiences in meaningful ways. Claire is especially passionate about Gloucester and championing initiatives like #LoveLocal and #ShopLocal to support their vibrant business community. She is excited to take part in the Certificate in BID Marketing and continue growing her knowledge within the BID community.
Niki Swali, BID Leicester
Niki joined BID Leicester just over a year ago as their Marketing Assistant and supports on delivery of the BID's projects and events across the city centre. Her role includes assisting with campaign planning, content creation and promotion to help drive footfall and showcase Leicester as a vibrant place to live, work and visit.
She is particularly passionate about Leicester's thriving community of independent businesses and loves having the opportunity to champion them through the BID's ongoing 'Independent Leicester' campaign, seeing first-hand the impact this support can have on smaller businesses.
Hannah Saroli, Your Bromley BID
Hannah joined Your Bromley in April 2025 as Marketing Manager, bringing experience in place marketing and a degree in Marketing with Digital BSc (Hons) from London South Bank University. She previously worked at Waterloo BID, where she delivered successful campaigns to boost local business and community engagement.
At Your Bromley, Hannah leads on marketing, promotions, and social media, with a focus on showcasing the town as a vibrant destination. She’s passionate about celebrating Bromley’s character and supporting its business community.
Tyler Smith
Tyler was appointed BID Manager for Orpington 1st BID in February 2025. He brought extensive experience in Small Business Support and Town Centre Management from his time at the London Borough of Bexley, as well as consultancy roles with several public‑sector organisations. During his time at the BID, he focused on delivering the Orpington 1st BID Business Plan and improving outcomes for local businesses and residents.
Catherine Cooper, St Ives BID
“The Certificate in BID Marketing was incredibly informative and relevant; with practical insights I could apply straight away. I’ve already seen a noticeable improvement in engagement across our social channels. The inclusion of AI tools was particularly useful and really brought the content up to date. I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking to strengthen their marketing skills.”
Lauren Furey, Wandsworth Town BID
"Taking part in the British BIDs marketing course enabled me to gain valuable insights, not only from the experts who delivered the course but also from other marketing professionals based at BIDs up and down the country. Even if you think you know everything there is to know about marketing, there's a good chance you'll be surprised by what can be further understood, specifically, about BID marketing."
Rifat Iqbal-Khan, Slough Town Centre BID
"I feel truly honoured to have completed this course. I really appreciate the guidance provided by our wonderful tutors, whose expertise and encouragement played a vital role in my success. Graduating from the BID Marketing course has empowered me with knowledge and skills to take on new challenges in my career. Thank you British BIDs."
Suzy Dierckx, Winchester BID
"The Certificate in BID marketing provided great insights, but what really stood out for me was the collaboration and networking it encouraged. It created a fantastic space for BIDs to share ideas, learn from each other, and build connections across different districts."
Melissa Hanley, One Maidstone BID
"I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Certificate in BID Marketing course in 2024. Each week was something I looked forward to, and I stayed engaged throughout the sessions. Although the course was entirely online, the flexibility it offered was perfect, especially considering the demanding workloads at BIDs! It was fantastic to connect with marketing and events colleagues from across the BID sector, exchanging best practices and staying connected even after the course. I've gained valuable insights that I've already implemented into our BID marketing strategy. I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to deepen their understanding of BID marketing and expand their network with other BIDs."
Hannah Saroli, Your Bromley BID
Claire Knight, Gloucester BID
Catherine Cooper, St Ives BID
Niki Swali, BID Leicester
Tyler Smith
Sally Boyd, Bury BID
Beth Bennett, Globe Business Park & Cressex Business Park BIDs (Groundwork)
Nicola Wooldridge, Hemel Hempstead BID
Courtney Harrison, Lincoln BIG
Ben Beardmore-Gray, Newbury BID
Marcia Greenwood, Northfield BID
Wendy King, Poole BID
Charlotte Perry, Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID
Georgia O'Connell, Stratford upon Avon BID
Jade Sandground, Wakefield BID
Lauren Furey, Wandsworth Town BID
Sam Murray
Lois Churcher, BID Leicester
Rachael Aldridge, Central District Alliance
Ryan Mitchell, Chelmsford For You
Kate Keene, Coventry BID
Joanna Breuer, Fulham Broadway BID
Stephanie Vlamis, Huddersfield BID
Cyril Bekoe, Ilford BID
Melissa Hanley, One Maidstone BID
Rifat Khan, Slough Town Centre BID
Elaine Weir, Westside BID
Luisa Huggins, Westside BID
Suzy Dierckx, Winchester BID
