Several free workshops aimed at small businesses will be held throughout the UK beginning in April.

The 19 events, dubbed Let's Talk More Profit and Let's Talk More Marketing, are a partnership between business expert Robert Craven and Barclays Bank.

Mr Craven says that the workshops offer "a brilliant opportunity to step back, think about what you are trying to do and start to make decisions that will fundamentally improve the profitability of your business".

Research from Barclays indicates that a third of small business owners spend less than five per cent of their workday developing their marketing and profit-making strategies, despite wanting to devote more time to this effort.

John Davis, marketing director for local businesses at Barclays, hopes that the skills offered through the workshops give managers the opportunity to focus on company formation and development, to help their businesses "go from strength to strength".

Robert Craven is the author of Kick-start Your Business and Customer is King.