Case study:
PR agency consultants gain headspace
to strategically grow their business
Bloom PR & Communications is a small freelance agency run by consultants, Jennie Spears and Clare Johnson. Bloom specialises in consumer-facing PR and marketing campaigns for charities, not-for-profits and other small businesses.
The challenge
Bloom were managing some amazing projects for their clients but were working at capacity and simply didn’t have enough hours in their day to consider new business as well as keep the wheels turning with their day-to-day activities.
When Jennie received a phone call out of the blue from a former colleague and potential client, this prompted Bloom to think more carefully about how they could take on this new piece of work, as well as additional clients further down the line.
Bloom weren’t ready to take on an employee but realised that outsourcing some of their work could be a better route to success. They needed to find a reliable professional with PR and communications experience who could hit the ground running.
We had become so busy that we were often referring potential clients to other agencies – and these were clients that we wanted to help ourselves. We had previously considered outsourcing but we weren’t sure who we could trust to pass the work on to. When you reached out to me to tell us about your services, I realised that outsourcing could be the viable option we had been looking for – not only would you be taking a load off but you would also be helping us to significantly grow our business.
– Jennie Spears
The solution
I started working with Bloom in July 2017 as a PR and communications freelancer. Having worked with not-for-profits for more than a decade, I was able to provide the flexible outsourced support that Bloom had been looking for. Initial work involved social media support for their new client – a UK charity that helps families with disabled children. Due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter being posted on social media, Bloom required an experienced freelancer to write and schedule content with the utmost care and sensitivity. They also needed someone who they could 100% trust to liaise directly with their clients on their behalf. Since this time, I have provided regular monthly support for another two of Bloom’s not-for-profit clients, as well as helping out with Bloom’s business. Work has included:
- Social media account management – an ongoing monthly package that includes content creation, scheduling using Hootsuite, maintaining an editorial calendar, direct client liaison, troubleshooting, training, and monthly reports (pulling statistics and writing up to give context and aid understanding).
- Project managing the creation of designed marketing materials (digital and print).
- Sourcing several branded products within a short timeframe for a client who had a garden at the 2018 Chelsea Flower Show.
- Editing and formatting a CSR report.
- Writing and building email campaigns.
- Compiling a tailored “awareness days” list that included pitch angles for how the client might piggyback.
- Desk research and recommendations – for example, researching call answering services and alternative solutions, assisting with evaluating potential service providers, selecting the preferred supplier and then working with the chosen provider to set up the required services.
The results
Bloom has:
- Peace of mind that outsourced project work will be delivered to a project brief, on time and within budget.
- A collaborative approach to working, having another team member on board to provide support and discuss ideas with.
- Gained headspace and additional time to focus on other important things – Jennie says: “I’ve been able to park something to one side because I know that it is being looked after by you. I now have more time to think strategically and be more available to our clients.”
- Knowledge that this works and that they can continue to outsource as they continue to grow. (Bloom has since started outsourcing to another freelancer with a different skill-set to work on another area of the business.)
- Seen an increase in annual turnover as a direct result of outsourcing work.
Having you on board allows us to focus on the strategic thinking and significant client management involved across our portfolio. You’re really organised and great at methodically working through one thing after another. I can completely trust you to get on with it and you have helped to bring a calmness to my day.
Another thing that you do really well is that you don’t just churn work. You always carefully consider whether there is an alternative message or about how we might do things better. This is a real skill of yours and I think we would struggle to find this in another person at your level.
All of these things makes working with you so easy and manageable. We are now able to proactively grow our business.
– Jennie Spears
Photo: Jennie Spears © Britt Willoughby Dyer
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