Beginning today, retailers are invited to apply for a place on Brand Licensing Europe’s 2021 Retail Mentoring Program. Thanks to the organizers offering a fully virtual as well as hybrid option this year, invitations to take part in the free-to-attend, CPD-accredited course are being extended to retailers from Europe as well as the U.K. for the first time.

The BLE Retail Mentoring Program is now in its 11th year and retailers from Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Selfridges, Halfords, Asda George, Ann Summers, River Island, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Toymaster, The Entertainer and Morrisons are among hundreds of alumni. Delivered through a series of seminars, workshops and 1-2-1 consultancy sessions, the 2021 BLE Retail Mentoring Program schedule includes:

“We come across branded consumer products everyday – from V&A notebooks to Pokémon backpacks – but it’s not always obvious how brands can help to drive footfall and create additional revenue for retailers,” says Anna Knight, vice president, licensing, Informa Markets. “The Retail Mentoring Program offers European retailers the chance to better understand every aspect of brand licensing and provides them with all the tools needed to successfully get branded consumer products onto store shelves. With the growing importance for retailers to stand-out, the program covers everything from identifying new trends, finding and securing the right partners and suppliers and driving a great customer experience through branded products. It means so much to us that we’ve been able to support over 400 retailers on the program over the last 11 years, and we’re really excited we can now welcome European retailers to join us for 2021.”

Retail Mentoring Program delegate benefits include:

Retailers can apply for a free delegate place on the program here. Applications will remain open until Friday, May 28.