Clients

From start-ups that want to give their business the best possible chance to established players that understand the importance of consistent, relevant communication, a holistic approach to PR and Marketing is key.

Here are just a few examples of how Squash PR & Marketing’s flexible approach is helping clients take their businesses forward...

Cuttlestones Auctioneers & Valuers

Penkridge, Nr Stafford, Staffordshire

Squash PR & Marketing has worked with this progressive Staffordshire Auction House to develop, implement and manage a comprehensive marketing strategy that encompasses advertising, PR and online activity. Services include:

• Marketing strategy development & consultancy

Creating a holistic marketing strategy and working closely with the Cuttlestones team, leading regular meetings, to ensure it is smoothly rolled out and remains on target.

• PR Management

Including generating ideas for, researching, writing and distributing press releases; liaising with journalists and monitoring media for coverage.

• Copywriting

Both for Cuttlestone’s dynamic, ever-evolving website and the company’s new glossy corporate brochure.

• Feature Writing

The writing of journalistic features for glossy lifestyle magazines in support of advertising – including research of topic and copywriting.

• Online PR & Social Networking

In addition to being broadly distributed to the print media, press releases are also distributed via a number of web channels; helping to boost the company’s online presence and natural SEO (search engine optimisation). Online coverage has included the BBC News website in addition to a number of specialist antique sites and blogs, whilst ensuring that items of special interest that Cuttlestones’ have up for auction can be found via search engines.

Meanwhile, I have also developed Twitter and Facebook pages for the company to engage with customers and a linkedin company profile to help extend the company’s networks within the broader business community.

Results

Squash PR & Marketing has helped Cuttlestones to streamline its marketing activities, saving money on advertising while maximising PR efforts to generate an impressive raft of coverage across the local, regional, lifestyle and trade press. The company’s profile has also been boosted through attendance at events such as the Staffordshire County Show, hosting a range of fundraising talks and working closely with local charities and organisations to raise funds for worthwhile causes, as well as regular TV appearances in BBC’s Cash in the Attic.

“Charlotte has really helped us re-focus and streamline our marketing activity. Whereas before we were quite reactive, generally due to the fact that we’re all so busy, we’ve now got a structured plan that we work to, adjusting along the way to help us meet specific objectives while working toward the overall goal of making Cuttlestones the Midlands’ leading auction house. Since working with Squash PR & Marketing we’ve really noticed the difference of having someone dedicated to overseeing the marketing side of things – our profile is on the up and we’re continuing to grow rapidly – so watch this space!”
Ben Gamble, MD, Cuttlestones Auctioneers & Valuers

The Fresh Air Gym

Cannock, Nr Stafford, Staffordshire

When fitness instructors Sally and Jamie set up an exciting new venture that takes traditional gym workouts into the great outdoors they needed support in attracting new members and developing and communicating their brand identity. Squash PR and Marketing has been able to assist, offering PR services and marketing consultancy on an ad-hoc basis within the new business’s tight marketing budget.

• Marketing advice & consultancy

Working with Sally and Jamie to establish their key goals, I helped them to devise low-cost ideas for promoting the business and helping to attract new members, from events and charity fundraisers through to competitions. Also attending regular meetings to discuss strategy, the editing and development of website content, advising on social networking and acting as a general sounding board for ideas.

• Ad-hoc PR services

Developing ideas for, researching and writing newsworthy stories before distributing them to the local press; also writing features and content for advertorials, prioritising PR tasks, supporting the planning and executing of PR stunts and providing support in planning and directing promotional videos.

Results

The Fresh Air Gym is now a thriving business with a rapidly growing, loyal membership base. Squash PR and Marketing helped the gym raise its profile during the critical first few months of business, generating a number of stories in the local press - including a full page competition feature in Staffordshire Life, and will continue to offer PR and marketing support to Sally and Jamie as the business grows.

“Charlotte from Squash PR was a brilliant guiding hand for us as novices to the world of marketing. She arranged regular meetings with us to ensure we had on-going guidance to keep us on track. While we had some ideas ourselves for our marketing it was the excellent ‘tailoring of approach’ Charlotte offered that demonstrated her obvious experience and knowledge. In the early days of the business I don’t know how we’d have managed without her ideas and ability to get things done. Now nearly a year since the launch of Fresh Air Gym we maintain Squash PR services because they’re critical to our on-going success.”
Sally, The Fresh Air Gym

Equus Health West Midlands

Swadlincote, Derbyshire

Dawn Bullock was juggling a full-time job, a young family and ownership of several horses when she took on the full franchise to supply Equus Health products across Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire. Existing pressures made it difficult for Dawn to devote time to bringing new outlets on board, so she approached Squash PR & Marketing for assistance. Drawing on my lifetime's experience of owning and riding horses, and applying techniques I have used in servicing clients throughout my marketing career, I was able to provide a tailored solution that would help Dawn to grow her business organically, including:

• Marketing advice & consultancy

Having taken time to sit down with Dawn to learn about the products her franchise offers, what sets it apart from the competition and how she wanted the business to develop, I was able to help Dawn set measurable objectives before putting together a strategy for taking the business forward.

• Mail shot and telemarketing campaign

As finding time to establish contact with prospective stockists was Dawn's main issue, I recommended that Squash PR and Marketing undertake a targeted direct mail campaign on her behalf, following up each letter with a phone call with the aim of securing appointments on days that her schedule allowed.

From researching potential stockists through to writing and distributing letters and carrying out the follow-up calls (having researched thoroughly the range of products supplied by Equus Health) I was able to manage the entire campaign, leaving Dawn to concentrate on her existing clients and selling to new contacts during pre-set, face-to-face appointments.

Results

Roughly halfway through the campaign to date I have secured appointments for Dawn at numerous saddleries and feed merchants, resulting in several new suppliers and a number of hot prospects for stocking the Equus Health range in the future; whilst generally helping to raise awareness of the brand and its products.

"It has been good to work with Charlotte and she has given me the push that I needed to be able to get out there and grow Equus Health West Midlands - I especially like the way that Charlotte has fitted her work for me with the ethos of the business, I didn't want the hard sales approach but a more friendly personal contact and this seems to be working well. I now have a lot of leads to follow up and I'm looking forward to the future!”
Dawn, Equus Health West Midlands

Stafford Website Company

Brewood, Nr Stafford, Staffordshire

Squash PR & Marketing works closely with this Staffordshire-based website design company providing a broad range of services on a freelance basis; including marketing consultancy and strategic development, client account handling, project management, sales support, web copywriting and PR services:

• Marketing Consultancy

Working closely with the SWC team, Squash PR & Marketing has helped the company to develop a marketing strategy that would do its bespoke, natural SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) focused approach to website development justice. The company’s own website was redeveloped to reflect the re-packaged offerings, with Squash PR & Marketing undertaking copywriting duties and helping develop a series of campaigns to sell services to both existing and new clients.

• Sales Support, Project Management and Account Handling

With MD Penny due to have her first baby she needed the support of an experienced project manager to front the sales side of the business while she took a more back-seat role to look after baby Olivia.
Drawing on my account management experience I have taken the lead on all new business enquiries, including client meetings and liaising with the development team to come up with proposals for online solutions that meet clients’ individual requirements. I also act in a project management capacity, liaising with both the client and development team on projects from inception through to completion.

• PR

On an ad-hoc basis Squash PR & Marketing researches, writes and distributes press releases on behalf of Stafford Website Company and its clients, with an emphasis on online PR and its relation to SEO.

• Web copywriting

Squash PR & Marketing creates content for Stafford Website Company websites that is both easy to read and yet meets the demands of the end user and search engines alike, to help support natural SEO (search engine optimisation).

• Social Networking.

Squash PR and Marketing has helped Stafford Website Company and several of its clients to establish which social networking media is best for reaching their audience, setting up the relevant accounts and helping strategise how best to build their online followings. Regular updates, including news story links, are loaded onto these sites in addition to a broader range of online platforms, relevant to the target market.

“Charlotte's creativity, professionalism and tenacity shines through with all that she does. As you can read above, Charlotte is very much a part of our team and involved in many aspects of our client work; she is a great asset to our business and helps to keep us a head - and shoulder - above our competition!”
Penny Gamble, MD, Stafford Website Company

LDF Entertainment Hub

Lower Drayton Farm, Penkridge, Nr Stafford, Staffordshire

The LDF Entertainment Hub is a farm diversification project run by farmer Ray Bower and his partner Val James from their traditional beef and arable farm near Penkridge, Stafford. The hub offers a host of activities suitable for corporate entertainment, stag and hen parties such as paintballing, off road rally buggy driving, hovercraft rides, the opportunity to be a fireman for the day and traditional outdoor pursuits. Meanwhile, for families, there are activities such as a summer maize maze, working farm tours, woodland walks, pond dipping and the opportunity to meet the animals. The farm also offers educational visits for schools and venue hire for a range of occasions.

Squash PR and Marketing works with the LDF Entertainment Hub on an ad-hoc basis, offering on and offline PR services to help promote a variety of seasonal events.

• Ad-hoc PR services

Identifying opportunities for, researching and writing newsworthy stories about LDF events before distributing them to the local press. Squash PR also arranges and art directs photos shoots and ensures that events are well publicised online through a variety of channels, including the farm’s own website, local tourism websites and family focussed events listing sites.

Results

Squash PR has so far worked with Lower Drayton Farm to publicise two major events in its annual calendar; the summer Maize Maze and the October half term ‘Halloween Spooktacular’. Through the writing and distribution of relevant press released and subsequent media liaison, Squash PR has helped secure extensive coverage in local and regional press for both events, with highlights including features on the BBC Stoke & Staffordshire website and the Guardian’s national ‘Halloween events this weekend’ article.

“We are very pleased with the work done for us by Squash PR. Everything we ask for is done on time and in time with measurable results – so thanks you to Charlotte and her team!.”
Val, LDF Entertainment Hub