By Cathy Steel, Manchester Chamber of Commerce
HAVING pitched into the major multinational sports market, a Manchester events company is turning its attention closer to home.
During it's eight-year history Dedicated II Sport - an events management business specialising in major sporting tournaments - has built up an impressive client list, including Coca Cola, BP, Guinness and Sainsbury.
Now managing director Ian Crompton has launched a marketing drive to promote his company's services among small and medium sized firms across Manchester.
He said: ''Although we are a Manchester-based company, most of our business is with national operations. Now we have decided to try to tap into the local market and develop a rapport with local businesses.
''In the long term a good, wide range of small clients can be worth more than a few big ones - and the small businesses of today are the big ones of tomorrow.''
'One-stop shop'
Ian describes his business as a ''unique, one-stop shop'' offering a complete corporate hospitality, travel and events organisation service.
''At one end of the scale we offer clients just a few tickets for an event, or at the other we can organise top class corporate hospitality, functions, major conferences and incentives,'' he says.
In fact, Dedicated II Sport has arranged 'ringside' seats at everything from top golfing tournaments, Formula One Grand Prix to the MTV awards.
The world of golf has brought Ian's company its biggest coup to date. He explains: ''We are the only company in Europe which runs annual trips to the US Masters Golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia.
''For years, it has always been a closed shop as far as tickets are concerned, but we have a good contact is the US who can supply us with tickets.''
The horrific events of September 11 have also impacted on Ian and his six-strong team.
''We look after a New York based company. After the terrorist attack, they cancelled a major golf event in Florida. However, they are going ahead with two smaller versions next year.''
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