Two Royal Wootton Bassett entrepreneurs are teaming up to create a new online expo, with the aim of attracting business people from across the UK and beyond.

Social media consultancy Visually Explained's managing director and maintenance management software provider Redro's boss David Lattimer came up with the idea of a free-to-attend event aimed at smaller businesses.

The pair work in adjoining suites at the Bowman House Business Centre and named the 5554 Virtual Expo after their office numbers

The event will take place on February 25 and David and Yola are now inviting exhibitors to sign up.

Yola said: “Holding expos online is an interesting, location-independent concept, so we decided to run one. Our plan is for the expo to be simple, cost-effective and based on a very user-friendly platform.

“We decided to strip out many of the features that sometimes over complicate face-to-face expos – like back-to-back speakers, speed networking – and focus on the central point: exhibitors meeting visitors, doing business with one another and making connections.”

David said: “We’ve attended some larger online expos for our own business, which have worked well, but we wanted to create a simpler, more cost-effective event which is better suited to small and medium-sized enterprises.”

Each exhibitor has a virtual stand where visitors can stop for a chat. Meetings can be booked in advance so there's no need to wait until someone is available.

Exhibitors can see who is at the event and send messages and arrange meet-ups, and make it clear when they are available.

Yola added: “At physical expos, we might pass by a stand that interests us, but the business representatives are tied up. You stand there, feel awkward, maybe come back again or, probably, give up.

"At this expo, it is easy to book time with an exhibitor. You really can get to see all the people you want to see.

“We’re likely to bring in businesses from far flung places in the UK and possibly from other countries too, so there will be a lot of scope for meeting new people, whether you are an exhibitor or a visitor.”

Once the event finishes on February 25 it will stay online for 30 days. Although interaction will no longer be possible, it will give people the chance to go back and view stands and capture contact details.

To register, visit www.accelevents.com/e/5554Expo and for more information, email david.lattimer@redro.uk.com or yoh@visuallyexplained.co.uk.