As 2023 is now in full swing, we’ve reflected on last year to highlight some of the major milestones SMC and our clients have enjoyed during 2022.
We hope you’ll enjoy reading about how our advice and support has helped them to achieve their marketing objectives.
January
We started the year with a bang as we saw two of our clients celebrate significant milestones.
EMEC Ecology were embarking on their 30th anniversary, having gift-aided over £1m to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust’s (NWT). The donation will help fund habitat conservation work across nature reserves under the management of NWT and other wildlife conservation activities and campaigns.
Our long-standing client, Merritts were also celebrating their 100th anniversary. The company was founded in 1922 by Joseph Merritt as a coal delivery business. Since then, Merritts has evolved from these humble beginnings into a global enterprise providing innovative heavy machinery lifting, transport, installation and storage solutions to the world’s leading heavy machinery manufacturers, agents, distributors and manufacturing companies.
January also saw us take on a new client based in Leicestershire called Blythin & Brown Insurance Brokers. Following an MBO, the directors set themselves ambitious growth targets and we were appointed to provide advice on strategy and to ensure they implemented a regular programme of marketing activity.
Tax and SSAS pension specialists, WestBridge Group also announced plans that they were relocating their offices from Leicester city centre to the Meridian Business Park. We were on hand to help with the external comms to notify clients and the wider business community of their move which took place in May.
Executive search firm Nicholas Associates Group (NAG), which is headquartered in Rotherham but has offices in the East Midlands and Yorkshire including Nottingham, Lincoln, Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Hull announced a merger with Main-Board, based in Wakefield.
February
Following months of planning and off the back of celebrating their 30th anniversary, EMEC launched their brand new website. As part of an overall strategic plan to improve the brand profile of EMEC wanted to invest in a new website to showcase the ecological, arboriculture and land management services they provide to clients.
February also saw us appointed to help with the launch of a new housing development in Southwell, by property development and strategic land specialists Stagfield Group.
As a result of our ongoing efforts, we were also delighted to learn that, our architectural metalwork and glass manufacturer client, Essential Projects was appointed to install bespoke structural steelwork as part of a £2.7m revamp of Loughborough Magistrates Court.
March
March was a particularly turbulent time in the world of British politics and with a Spring Statement due, WestBridge Group Director, Tom Moore was on hand to provide his commentary on the tax changes which were announced.
For over 20 years our clients FPA Consulting has worked with Investors in People and in March they we very proud to announce that as a result of a rigorous assessment they were joining a small elite number of organisations across the UK having achieved the Gold Standard.
There was more exciting news for Stagfield Group as they announced the purchase of a new site. Working alongside Peveril Homes, Stagfield will bring over 70 low-carbon new homes to Abbey Road in West Bridgford.
April
FPA Consulting celebrated their 25th anniversary in April 2022.
Following months of planning in which we helped produce a lot of the required marketing collateral, Stagfield also officially launched the opening of “The Rise”, their 38 plot housing development in Southwell.
May
May was a very busy month for us. Having announced the office move in January, WestBridge Group were finally able to host their office launch party. Over 60 guests from the East Midlands business community attended the event, with special VIP guests Mo Walker of the Leicester Ryders and England Cricket legend, Matthew Hoggard who did the catering in order to promote his new business venture “Hoggy’s Grill.”
Our longest standing client, Purpose Media took part in the first ever Cairns Cup, a
Ryder Cup style golf event for disabled people. Global brand Amazon was the main sponsor of the event and PM provided sponsorship, video and digital marketing support.
In May we also held our annual client golf day. Each year we invite clients and contacts to the Nottinghamshire Golf Club to take part in our informal golf day, where our goal is to try and introduce our business network to each other.
We also hold our Three Bunkers Challenge in May. Styled like the infamous three peaks mountain climbs, The ‘Three Bunkers Challenge’ involves 24 golfers playing three golf courses in each of the East Midland’s counties of Nottingham, Derby and Leicester in one day all in aid of local charity Big C little c who support Cancer Research and NSPCC. To date we have raised nearly £36k for the charity and we’ve committed to carry on doing the event until we reach our target goal of £100k. Thank you again to Anthony James Insurance Brokers, Breeze Corporate Finance, Fiscal Engineers, Mazars, and MKM Building supplies for taking part and helping us raise money.
June
There was another anniversary to plan for in June as Lesley Cree Opticians celebrated their 10th anniversary.
Our fire and security solutions client, Tecserv UK announced the long-term future of the brand and its employees by completing an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).
July
Essential Projects were again appointed on another exciting project, this time to install over 240 metres of bespoke balustrade at the brand new £60m Nottingham College City Hub.
Following their 10th anniversary and growing demand, Lesley Cree Opticians launched a full and comprehensive hearing health care service for all their valued patients and families.
Outsourced IT specialist Link ICT which provides IT support to businesses and schools pioneered the development of specialised software which ensures that data on pupils transitioning from infants, primary and secondary schools is transferred in a more seamless manner. They successfully carried out a pilot with 85 schools in Derby City and was subsequently successful in winning the mandate to help 60 schools in Lincolnshire.
August
We onboarded another new client in August in Chattertons Solicitors & Wealth Management. Acting specifically for their Corporate team, we were appointed to help promote on an ongoing basis a number of the deals they were in the process of completing.
We had another proud moment for team SMC as Director, Bev was honoured with an award from Dame Esther Rantzenin recognition of raising over £5,000 for the NSPCC and an ongoing commitment to raise £50,000 for NSPCC, and £100,000 overall through the Three Bunkers Challenge.
September
The start of September in our world always signifies the start of the Awards Season. Each year East Midlands Business Link host the Bricks Awards at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground. A number of our clients were either sponsoring or shortlisted for an award.
Stagfield Group were shortlisted for ‘Residential Development of the Year’ and Mather Jamie won the ‘Most Active Agent’ award.
Each year we also take part in the CAPs golf day which brings together the very best of the East Midlands Construction and Property Sector. We were invited to join the Blueprint Interiors team and the event was held at Springwater Golf Club. Throughout the day over £7000 was raised for The Dementia Choir and we even had our photo taken with Vicki McClure who is the charities main ambassador.
At a similar time of September, Blueprint Interiors were also successful in being appointed to carry out a full office refurbishment for the Melton Building Society.
October
We had more awards success for Purpose Media as Ruby Birks scooped the top prize at the Enterprising Women Awardsin the Apprentice of the Year category. Grace Golden was also a finalist in both awards in the Rising Star category.
Blythin & Brown also launched their brand new website to help them showcase their service offering and generate more digital enquiries.
November
In celebration of their 25th anniversary and after months of detailed preparation FPA Consulting also launched their brand new website to better illustrate the breadth of support services that they offer to both existing and new clients.
Having won a new project, on behalf of True Refrigeration, members of the Purpose Media video team were flown out to the UAE to document and film the Gulf Host Dubai, MENA’s largest Hospitality Equipment and Food service show and as ever we were able to gain them significant PR coverage.
December
On 7 December 2022 WestBridge Group announced its expansion plans having agreed the acquisition of the employees, clients, and assets of Rowanmoor Executive Pensions Limited’s (REPL) book of 3,500 small self-administered schemes (SSAS). Our role was to communicate the acquisition to the Midlands business press and share the news with WestBridge clients and contacts.
We ended the year on a high, having received the news that Tecserv UK had been appointed to install intruder alarm systems at a temporary training ground facility for Premier League side Brentford Football Club.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2023
To finish, we’d once again like to thank everyone who’s supported us to continue doing what we love year after year.
If reading this article has made you think that your business could benefit from strategic advice and practical help to implement a regular programme of marketing activity, please feel to get in touch with us. We’d be happy to help