< Previous10 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk FINANCE NEWS Aryza makes second major acquisition of 2021 The Aryza Group, which has offices in Nottingham, has acquired HubSolv in a move that will significantly strengthen the former’s position within the financial services and insolvency market. Aryza incorporates technology such as Open Banking and AI-informed decision making to automate the financial restructuring and recovery journey. HubSolv has developed a suite of fully automated tools designed to improve case management, customer onboarding and creditor engagement, currently servicing 90 per cent of companies working within the personal insolvency industry. In 2019, HubSolv was approved by the Financial Conduct Authority as Registered Account Information Service Providers (RAISP), allowing them to integrate Open Banking functionality within their systems. Colin Brown, CEO of the Aryza Group, said: “We are really pleased to welcome HubSolv to the Aryza Group. Like Aryza, the team at HubSolv have been focused on product innovation, listening to customer feedback and relentlessly evolving their offering to alleviate common pains in the industry, bringing updates that aim to further streamline and digitise the insolvency process. “This is our second acquisition of 2021, accelerating our strategy of becoming the leading global provider of financial services software.” Fraser Hamilton, CEO of HubSolv, said: “The acquisition provides a great opportunity for HubSolv to accelerate product innovation and growth. It made perfect sense to combine forces with so many product overlaps between HubSolv and Aryza. “In 2019, we ranked in Deloitte’s UK Technology Fast 50, which recognises the 50 fastest-growing technology companies in the country. We are looking forward to building on past successes, and combining forces with Aryza is the next step in our vision to provide the most advanced insolvency and debt management platform in the world.” Mattioli Woods invests in firm behind SaaS wealth management platform Mattioli Woods, the wealth management and employee benefits business, has invested in Tiller Group Limited as part of a new strategic relationship to develop a digital, self-investment application. Tiller provides a Software as a Service (SaaS) wealth management platform designed for wealth managers and other regulated financial services businesses. Mattioli Woods will work with Tiller to develop its automated investment management platform that will extend Mattioli Woods’ discretionary investment management services to a new range of clients. The platform is planned for launch later this year. The investment sees the company take an initial shareholding of 4%, through a subscription of new shares in Tiller, with the potential to increase this holding in the future. Michael Wright, Group Managing Director, Mattioli Woods, said: “We are very excited about our new relationship with Tiller and the opportunity this will provide for both new and existing clients. “Technological innovation is key to our ambitious growth strategy and through working with Tiller, we demonstrate our commitment to enhancing our digital offering to clients. “This platform will enable us to provide great outcomes to a new client demographic and also allows us to further simplify and enhance the process of bringing on board new clients both efficiently and highly securely – appropriate for a COVID and post-COVID environment.” Ian Cadby, Chief Executive Officer, Tiller Group Limited, said: “Mattioli Woods’ requirements fit perfectly with our expertise and experience in designing and building leading-edge customer-facing digital solutions. We have a proven capability in this arena and are proud to have Mattioli Woods as both a client and a shareholder.” © Shutterstock /totojang1977 Colin Brown Leicestershire ecological management contractor lands £1.5m funding Three Shires Ltd, specialist contractors to the construction industry, has been supported with £1.5m in refinance and working capital funding by alternative finance provider for mid-sized SMEs, ThinCats. Previously the firm had a revolving ID facility with another funder which was subsequently lost due to the funder going into liquidation. Founded over 25 years ago, Three Shires Ltd provides specialist contracting services to the Rail, Utilities, Highways, Construction and Civil Infrastructure sectors. Three Shires also has its own in-house Ecological and Environmental Consultancy division. With a HQ in Leicestershire as well as offices on the Wirral, South Wales and in Dorset, the business has a nationwide capability, and is one of the UK’s largest enablement and ecological contracting organisations. Three Shires was introduced to ThinCats by Alasdair McPherson of Rangewell, London-based business finance specialists. James Lloyd, MD, Three Shires: “We are best known as a specialist ecological contractor and we are very proud of the service that we offer. “The demands and requirements of the sector have evolved hugely over the years, and we have always strived to be ahead of the needs of our clients, providing eco-friendly services to enable them to be as environmentally conscious as possible. This funding will help us to continue with our targeted development.” Alasdair McPherson, Rangewell, said: “Three Shires first approached Rangewell looking to refinance away from a lender that didn’t really understand their business model and was constraining their ability to grow. “Rangewell’s RAMP (Rapid Algorithmic Matching Platform) Technology very quickly identified 11 lenders that could provide more appropriate and affordable finance versus the current lender’s offering and having worked with ThinCats on complex transactions a number of times during the last 12 months, we knew their knowledge of the sector and speed of Due Diligence would provide the results that Three Shires required.” 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/02/2021 11:17 Page 5Woodward Group seals new merger deal to enhance service offering Midlands-based mechanical and electrical contractors Woodward Group has acquired Lowthers Electrical Engineers Ltd in a strategic move that bolsters the company’s growing customer base and enhances its service offering. The acquisition means Woodward Group, which provides electrical, fire, security, building and compliance services for commercial and industrial businesses nationwide, gains Lowthers’ knowledge, expertise and clientele. Also based in the Midlands, Lowthers is recognised as a specialist in hazardous or potentially explosive area installations (ATEX) and electrical, control and instrumentation (E, C&I) for the food and beverage and petrochemical industries. The company has built up an extensive blue chip client base since it was founded in 2007 by the company’s Managing Director, Matt Lowther. Commenting on the acquisition, Aden Woodward, Managing Director of Woodward Group, says: “Our mission at Woodward Group is to offer all of our clients an extensive range of bespoke, high quality services to meet their needs. With the demand for ATEX solutions on the rise, we’re thrilled to be able to add this unique and complementary expertise to our service offering.” Lowthers’ Managing Director, Matt Lowther, has partnered with Woodward Group on a number of projects this year, and as part of the acquisition, he joins the company as Group Project Director. “Joining Woodward Group signifies an exciting new chapter,” Matt says. “We have enjoyed a fantastic relationship with the Woodward Group team over the last year through partnering with them on a number of specialist ATEX projects, and we are really pleased to be adding our unique expertise to the company’s high quality service offering, and contributing to its growth.” Aden adds: “Despite some of the challenges we faced in navigating the complex and ever-changing lockdown restrictions, the projects we have worked on over the last year with the Lowthers team have all been highly successful, with customers confirming they’d like to take up future ATEX work with us. We are pleased to be welcoming Matt onto the Woodward board of directors as Group Project Director, and look forward to working together on these upcoming projects.” FINANCE NEWS www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 11 Asset Intelligence Portfolio Management (AIPM), the Leicester-based discretionary fund manager, has launched two new funds. The VT Asset Intelligence Growth Fund and the VT Asset Intelligence Defensive Fund have been created in partnership with T. Rowe Price, the global asset manager with assets under management totalling $1.3trn. AIPM launched in 2019 and has amassed over £150m in funds under management within its first 12 months of operation. Stefan Fura, Co-Founder at Asset Intelligence, said: “We are fiercely proud of our Leicestershire roots and are delighted to be able to announce a deal of this magnitude with such a huge global partner. “The balance in UK financial services has traditionally been tipped towards London. Being based in Leicester, we are independent of that geographical bias and we intend to remain that way. “There are world-class business and investment brains in all four corners of the UK and this partnership further underlines that we have our fair share in Leicestershire. It’s good news for us and the area that we are able to broker these types of relationships with global brands.” Fura continues: “Our relationship with T. Rowe Price is an exciting one. In searching for a suitable partner for this project, we looked for three things: We wanted to work with an organisation that shared our values, who always put the customer first. “We wanted a partner with a truly global research capability that shared our investment philosophy with a track record of excellence; and we wanted an organisation able to systematically integrate appropriate, sustainable environmental, social and corporate governance into our offering. “We got exactly what we wanted. The investment insight delivered by T. Rowe Price will enable our investment team to create innovative portfolio solutions that will meet client needs and, we believe, exceed expectations.” John Yule, Head of UK and Ireland, T. Rowe Price, said: “The collaboration allows access to T. Rowe Price’s rigorous proprietary global research and over eighty years of investment heritage. With a shared focus of putting our customers first and a belief in active management, we’re delighted to be working with Asset Intelligence.” L-R: Matt Lowther (Managing Director of Lowthers), Alan Woodward (CEO of Woodward Group) and Aden Woodward (Managing Director of Woodward Group). © Shutterstock /totojang1977 Leicester investment firm launches funds in partnership with US giant Leicester investment firm launches funds in partnership with US giant 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/02/2021 11:18 Page 6COVID-19 prompts radical rethink of manufacturing supply chains Two thirds of UK manufacturing businesses are planning to introduce dual or multi- sourcing for key components in an effort to avoid the supply disruptions caused by COVID-19, according to a new survey from accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP. In a survey of 206 manufacturing businesses conducted by Make UK and BDO, almost 9 in 10 manufacturers said they had reviewed their supply chains in response to the pandemic. In total, 59% of respondents said that they planned to diversify their supply chains, with just under half (46%) saying they planned to create a UK focused supply chain. One third (33%) said they would focus on reshoring the manufacturing of goods to the UK. However, just over a quarter (27%) said they were looking to diversify their supply chains across different countries in the EU, while the same proportion said they were likely to diversify in countries outside the EU. New rules which came into force following the UK’s withdrawal from the Single Market and Customs Union on 1 January 2021 have introduced new trade frictions which could also lead to further supply chain disruption and reorganisation. Commenting on the findings, Richard Austin, BDO’s Head of Manufacturing said: “The supply delays experienced by UK manufacturers at the start of the pandemic were a wake-up call, prompting many operators to confront the risks involved in over-relying on single suppliers for key components. This was particularly true in cases where suppliers were geographically very distant.” 12 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk MANUFACTURING NEWS Norton moves HQ to West Midlands Castle Donington-based Norton Motorcycles is moving to a new headquarters. The “state-of-the-art” production site in Solihull, West Midlands, will open following a multi-million pound investment by Norton’s Indian parent company, TVS Motor Company. The premises will be the central hub for all of Norton operations, providing a permanent base for all staff. The new headquarters will be home to design, engineering, purchasing, sales, marketing, and support teams as well as the skilled production team that is resuming manufacture of motorcycles. Some of the specialist tooling and equipment previously used by Norton has been carried over to the new site in Solihull, but the site is benefiting from substantial new investment. Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director of TVS Motors, said: “The opening of the new headquarters represents a significant step forward for Norton Motorcycles. The opening of this state-of-the-art facility will create the foundations for a sustainable long-term future of Norton. “2020 has been a tough year for the world but we are excited to be moving into our new home and we are delighted this has been created by the Norton and TVS teams in just 9 months. This new facility underpinned by strong quality processes will produce bikes truly worthy of the illustrious Norton brand and take it into the future. We are setting out to create a future for the company, our employees, our customers and our partners that lives up to the highest expectations and enable Norton to once again become the real force its history deserves.” Rolls-Royce runs first engine on world’s largest aerospace testbed Rolls-Royce has completed the first engine run on its state-of-the-art Testbed 80, which will be the largest and smartest indoor aerospace testbed in the world when it is officially opened in the coming months. With an internal area of 7,500 m2, making it larger than a Premiership football pitch, the testbed conducted its first run on a Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engine at the test facility in Derby. This is a major milestone in the project which has been under construction for almost three years and represents a £90m investment. Chris Cholerton, President Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace, said: “Today is an important landmark in our journey towards a more sustainable future for aerospace and aviation. “Testbed 80 will not only test engines such as the Trent XWB – the world’s most efficient aero-engine in service – but also the engines and propulsion systems of the future, which will see us take another step towards decarbonisation. “It’s great that the first engine test has been a success and we are looking forward to the official opening of the facility in the coming months.” © Shutterstock /Travel mania 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/02/2021 11:19 Page 7www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 13 MANUFACTURING NEWS Manufacturing output stabilised in the quarter to January, following fifteen consecutive months of decline, according to the latest CBI quarterly Industrial Trends Survey. The survey of 291 manufacturers also found that total new orders fell moderately in the three months to January, after stabilising in the quarter to October, and prior to that, falling for five quarters in a row. A sharp decline was seen in domestic orders, while export orders fell at a similar pace to October. Manufacturing employment fell again in the three months to January, but at the slowest pace since October 2019. But business sentiment declined significantly after staying flat over the second half of 2020. Optimism around export prospects also continued to fall notably. Output is expected to fall in the quarter ahead. Firms also anticipate total new orders to fall at a slightly quicker pace, reflecting faster declines in domestic and export orders. Headcount is expected to be broadly flat. Meanwhile, almost half of manufacturers – the highest share since January 1975 – are concerned that access to materials or components may limit their output over the quarter ahead. Rain Newton-Smith, CBI Chief Economist, said: “Output was broadly flat in this month’s quarterly survey, with the picture varying in different sectors. Manufacturers across the board are continuing to battle major headwinds, with domestic and export orders notably falling. “With growing costs and materials shortages mounting further pressure on firms at a time when they’re experiencing much less demand, the Government must avoid tapering off existing business support with a cliff edge in March. “Acting swiftly ahead of the Budget to boost cash flow and shore up resilience will be essential. Crucially, extending the Job Retention Scheme and repayment periods for VAT deferrals until the end of Q2 will go a long way. And for the duration of the crisis, business support must remain in lockstep with restrictions.” Bombardier to expand manufacturing capacity in Derby following Egyptian deal Bombardier Transportation is investing in its manufacturing capacity in Derby to build two new monorails, as part of a deal with the Egyptian Government, thanks to £1.7 billion backing from UK Export Finance (UKEF), the largest amount of financing it has ever provided for an overseas infrastructure project. International Trade Secretary Liz Truss announced the government guarantee, which will support highly skilled jobs in Derbyshire as the UK builds back better in the aftermath of coronavirus. Bombardier’s consortium was named preferred bidder for the project at the 2020 UK-Africa Investment Summit and, with UKEF’s guarantee, has secured the financing needed to fulfil the contract and start production. Bombardier can now invest in its manufacturing centre in Derby where the trains for the Egyptian monorails will be designed and built. This will be the UK’s only monorail car production line and will directly support 100 UK jobs at the company and many more in its UK supply chain. International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said: “Trade is an incredibly powerful way to propel growth and create jobs as we recover from the pandemic. This deal shows why we are so determined to get businesses to grasp these opportunities and take advantage of the support available from Government. “One third of our economy is exports. That’s why support from our export credit agency is vital. It can help the UK get a bigger slice of the global economic pie, secure jobs across the country and make the most of our newfound independence as a trading nation.” Matt Byrne, president of Bombardier Transportation (UK and Ireland), said: “The Cairo Monorail export win, against international competition, shows that that the UK rail sector can fight and win in key growth markets such as sustainable transport. “This is the first UK export since our Derby-built trains were exported to South Africa for the Gautrain project in 2008. Thanks to UKEF’s support and those working in Embassies across North Africa, this new deal will bring sustainable benefits to Egypt and create job opportunities in the UK.” John Meakin, Global Head of Export & Agency Finance at J.P. Morgan, said: “The financing came together at the height of the pandemic, which would not have been possible without the commitment of all parties involved, including strong support from the lawyers. The project is of significant national importance to Egypt, and we are honoured to have been selected by NAT and the Government of Egypt to deliver this UKEF-backed financing, which will enable this major project to become a reality.” © Shutterstock /frank_peters Manufacturing outlook remains dim © Shutterstock /Jenson 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/02/2021 11:21 Page 8PROPERTY NEWS Green light for plant machinery firm’s new Saxilby HQ Stirlin Group’s plant machinery division, Stirlin Plant, has been given the green light for its new headquarters in Saxilby. West Lindsey District Council have approved plans for a brand-new 5,000 sq ft workshop and office facility. The new facility is to be located on Riverside Enterprise Park in Saxilby, a commercial development by Stirlin and Castle Group, situated three miles from the Lincoln Bypass and five miles from Lincoln City Centre. Designed by Johnathon Roberts Architects and built by Stirlin, the new building will provide a 63% increase in accommodation for Stirlin Plant. The new HQ will include a large workshop space for plant machinery repairs and servicing, display areas for machinery sales and an external forecourt with machinery testing facilities. Lee Hodgkins, Manager of Stirlin Plant, says: “We’re thrilled that plans have been approved for our new HQ in Saxilby. The generous yard, workshop and display area will allow us to increase our service offering and showcase the innovative machinery that we have at our disposal. “The relocation to Stirlin’s Riverside Enterprise Park in Saxilby will be ideal, with the prominent position running parallel to the A57 and convenient access to the Lincoln Bypass and other road networks. “We are grateful to have such strong partnerships with some of the world’s leading manufacturers, as this has allowed us to expand our product portfolio and continue to grow. We are currently looking to partner with another well-recognised manufacturer, which will provide the next exciting growth opportunity for Stirlin Plant.” Planning application submitted for 190,000 sq ft Derbyshire warehouse A full planning application for a 190,000 sq ft industrial/distribution warehouse with ancillary office at Plot 4, Dove Valley Park (DVP) has been submitted by Clowes development’s Director Paul Shanley. The application seeks a two-phase planning consent for an initial speculatively built unit of up to 150,000 sq ft with a future expansion option for an additional 40,000 sq ft. The developer is offering an occupier the option to extend the premises as and when their business requires. The application marks the ongoing development of the Business Park located near Foston, Derbyshire, on the A50, toll free, dual carriageway M1-M6 link road. Occupiers include JCB Power Systems, Futaba International, Tophat, Truma and Kuehne and Nagel. Paul Shanley, Director at Clowes Developments, said: “With over 1,200 people employed on DVP and demand for ‘big sheds’ breaking new records, we are pleased to be going forward with the next development providing flexibility for occupiers in both size and tenure. “DVP is now a well-established Business Park attracting household names. We are currently negotiating another large deal on the site which will further enhance DVP’s reputation as South Derbyshire’s premier employment site – watch this space!” Stephen Salloway, Director at Salloway Property Consultants, and Nick Waddington, Director at MWRE, added: “Clowes Developments proposal to develop a new 190,000 sqft unit at DVP addresses the current burgeoning demand for warehouse accommodation. “DVP’s location is ideal for distribution logistics, with the A50 being known as the ‘toll-free’ M1-M6 link road and being a short distance from the Toyota junction of the A38. Furthermore, from a workforce perspective, the site draws from the easily commutable urban areas of Derby, Stoke on Trent, Burton on Trent, Uttoxeter, Stafford and Lichfield.” 14 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk Peak Shopping Village bought following months of negotiations Situated in the village of Rowsley, on the edge of the Peak District National Park, the Peak Shopping Village has been bought by the Devonshire Property Group Ltd (DPG) which says the outlet centre has “exciting potential.” The company has acquired the site for an undisclosed sum with the intention of growing customers and jobs through a fresh approach based on its local expertise. The Devonshire Property Group is a part of the Devonshire Group of companies that represent the interests of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and includes nearby Chatsworth, as well as Bolton Abbey in Yorkshire and Lismore Castle in Ireland. Located in the Derbyshire Dales, just three miles from Chatsworth, DPG approached the previous site owner, a significant property investor in multiple countries, and completed the sale in January following several months of negotiations. DPG will work with the existing management team to improve the site, with immediate actions to include some essential repairs and redecoration. By revitalising the customer experience at Peak Shopping Village, with more units occupied and stronger marketing, DPG aims to boost footfall for the benefit of all occupants. There are no current plans to expand the site or create a discount Chatsworth Gift Shop or Farm Shop. More than 30 shops currently operate at Peak Shopping Village, which employs between 80 and 100 people. National names such as Pavers Shoes, Leading Labels, The Gift Company and Regatta operate alongside independents such as The Woolroom. The site hosts events year round, including regular Makers Markets showcasing the talent of local artisans, and its biggest event, the ‘Peak Festive Spectacular’ at Christmas. © Chatsworth House Trust 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/02/2021 11:24 Page 9PROPERTY NEWS Next phase gets underway at Worksop’s Vesuvius site Property development and investment company, CEG, has appointed Harris CM to deliver the next phase of the multi-million pound redevelopment of the Vesuvius site in Worksop. The Yorkshire-based construction company will move onto site this week to deliver the first phase of 46,000 sq ft of industrial and retail space adjacent to the recently opened Asda superstore. Providing three flexible food and beverage units and 16 light industrial units ranging from 1,200 to 5,000 sq ft, subsequent phases will offer larger employment units including speculative as well as pre-let, design and build development. The first pre-let has already been secured to Burger King with a number of other deals well progressed with a variety of occupiers. This first phase will be ready for occupation in summer 2021. Antonia Martin Wright, head of investment at CEG, said: “This first phase of employment units will establish Vesuvius as the prime industrial and business location in Worksop. It will be the largest speculative scheme of this scale and quality in Worksop for many years and demonstrates CEG’s commitment to the town. “We are encouraged by the interest in the site and with such a shortage of supply of well located, flexible accommodation we expect it to swiftly let, particularly as improved road networks and new homes are bringing more inward investing businesses into the area.” In 2018, supported by D2N2, CEG delivered a £5.5million package of works to create a new roundabout and access road opening up the site and remediating it for redevelopment. Asda completed its 70,000 sq ft foodstore and petrol filling station last year creating 200 new retail jobs. CEG has planning permission for more than 200,000 sq ft of employment space on the 47.5 acre site. Plans in for new building at South Lincs Food Enterprise Zone A planning application for a ‘cluster hub’ building at the South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone, has been submitted to South Holland District Council. The multi-use space will provide small and medium-sized business tenants with support services, networking, meeting and events space and catering, within the new Food Enterprise Zone near Holbeach. There will also be workshops and offices, specifically designed for small or start-up businesses within agri- tech to establish themselves with access to the best support and expertise. Cllr Colin Davie, executive councillor for economy and place at the county council, said: “The principal behind this building is to nurture collaboration between businesses and partners in the agri-tech industries, so they can share ideas and be at the heart of innovation. “It reinforces the commitment we have in Greater Lincolnshire to become a world class destination in this industry. It’s important that we attract the big players in the food industry to our county, but equally important that we support smaller businesses to start out, grow, and thrive here.” Lincolnshire based Core Architects are leading the design team for the Cluster Hub, funded by Lincolnshire County Council and the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership through the Government’s ‘Getting Building Fund’ (GBF). Pat Doody, Chair of the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership added: “The Hub building is such an exciting development for our global cluster of agri-tech businesses here in Greater Lincolnshire. The South Lincolnshire Food Enterprise Zone is rapidly becoming the location of choice for UK food sector investments.” A deal has been completed for housebuilder Bellway to purchase the next parcel of land at an East Kettering consortium site, paving the way for construction work to begin. The agreed deal comes after Kettering Borough Council approved plans for Bellway to build 167 new homes at its Hanwood Park development, off Barton Road, last October – which lies on the western edge of the new neighbourhood. Bellway at Hanwood Park will include a mix of one and two-bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses, with 34 of the properties allocated as affordable homes for local people through rent or shared ownership. To the north of the new homes will be a new linear park. Luke Southgate, Sales Director for Bellway Northern Home Counties, said: “With the acquisition of this piece of land now complete and approval of our plans to build new homes given, we can look forward to starting work to provide much-needed new housing for people in Kettering and the surrounding area. “We have worked closely with the local planning authority to ensure our plans complement the surrounding area and we will be delivering a wide range of homes to offer something for everyone and ensure this development will really benefit the local community.” www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 15 Land deal paves way for 167 new homes 06-15.qxp_Layout 1 08/02/2021 11:26 Page 1016 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk PURPOSE MEDIA Q&A How should a business define which digital tactics to use? The very first step is to set the foundations of your marketing strategy and make sure you know what you want to achieve. You can do this by trying to map your target audiences and the problems you are solving for them. Then, you can start to look at marketing channels. Not every channel, especially when it comes to B2B businesses will be appropriate. You can determine the best channels to market on based on where your audience hang out. If they are likely to search for solutions, then include website search engine optimisation (SEO) and paid advertising as a channel. We use a huge variety of analysis tools including SEMrush, AHrefs and google trends to find out this data. If you are a more B2C focused business, then engaging with your audience on social media may be a better option for you. The list goes on – but you need to know the right channels for your business before you make a jump into investing in the wrong digital marketing channels. What approach should be taken to define target audiences? Defining an audience can come in a few different formats. The main three are: demographic, which include things like age, gender, economic status and job role; geographic, which signals where your audience are in both a local, national and international market; and psychographic, which looks into the way people act, interact online and what they like and dislike. Demographic and geographic audiences are much easier to define. You probably have a good idea of these people based on your current customers. Writing these down to create audience profiles based on sectors or job title works pretty well. But how do you do this if your market is emerging or unknown to you? By understanding the problems that your product or services solve, you can usually start to build a comprehensive profile. If you aren’t sure, we can use tools like Facebook advertising to help you gain the deeper understanding your sales and marketing team will need to create relationships with audiences. Building these audiences in this way brings a greater understanding of what you need to say in your content at various stages of the buying process. Buyers will progress through levels of awareness, interest, and desire before taking action and it’s important to know what to say and which channel(s) to use at each stage. Marketers call this the ‘AIDA’ model and it helps to convert interest into sales. How you decide which digital channels are best? Very rarely do potential customers engage with your brand for the first time and make an immediate enquiry or purchase. They will usually reference at least ten other sources or have just as many interactions with you before finally making a purchase. The AIDA model (a conversion or marketing funnel) is often used as a process to track prospective leads through to conversion. This often involves nurturing customers through their journey in order to eventually convince a customer or prospect to take action. This action can vary from making an initial enquiry lead right through to making a purchase. Awareness At the awareness stage, buyers may not be too familiar with your brand and so tactics that raise your profile are often the best solution. These can include writing articles for use in online PR, to using pay per click advertising and paid social advertising. If you have an up to date mailing list, email marketing is also a good way to get your brand noticed and start dialogue. On your website this could be free downloads to encourage the sign ups to your email newsletters. If you know that what you sell is searched for online, it is also important to Q&A Ellie Buckle, Head of Digital & Strategy, Purpose Media In part two of our interview with Ellie Buckle, Head of Digital & Strategy at Purpose Media, we asked her to describe the most common digital marketing techniques and how to ensure using these tactics deliver a return on investment. Ellie Buckle 16-17.qxp_Layout 1 08/02/2021 11:41 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 17 PURPOSE MEDIA Q&A ensure your website is designed to maximise the chances of your content being found and ranked on page one organically as this could save you the expense of pay per click (PPC) advertising. In fact, many businesses perfect their organic approach to SEO first, as having relevant content can help to reduce PPC fees. This is called search engine optimisation (SEO). Interest Once you have buyers interested it is important to try to get them more engaged by encouraging them to follow you on social media, sending carefully worded follow up emails with offers and other useful information such as articles linked to your website that might encourage them to browse and learn more. Video’s that explain your product or services and testimonials and reviews shared online on your website and social media are also good at this stage as it reinforces that you have loyal existing customers that have been happy to buy from you. Desire A returning website visitor, someone who is regularly liking and sharing your content or someone who always clicks your emails can probably be classed as an advocate and so it’s simply a case of waiting for them to have a need for your product or service. This is when ‘remarketing’ tactics can help to nudge them into taking action. These adverts can be tailored to appear and pop up as a reminder when these would be buyers are browsing the internet and social media. Action By this point, your customers know who you are, know what product they want, and they want to know what you can offer them. They are interested in your brand, product and its benefits, so you need to convince them to take action. This is when tailored offers can help using email marketing, social media messaging and paid advertising. How do I step up my marketing? A marketing agency with expertise in digital marketing is usually the perfect partner to help you bring some of your personas to life. With this help you can make sure you are really hitting the nail on the head when it comes to solving your customers problems. Here at Purpose Media, we specialise in providing the very best advice and can support your digital marketing strategy by developing websites, evolving your brand identity with memorable creative design, and helping you create engaging written, animated and video content. We can help you define the strategy and help you agree the best combination of digital marketing tactics that are right for your business and will deliver a return on your investment. If you would like a free consultation with Ellie, please get in touch. Visit www.purposemedia.co.uk, or call 01773 864500. L-R Matt Wheatcroft with Josh Donnell, Lewis Angell and Ollie Henderson 16-17.qxp_Layout 1 08/02/2021 11:41 Page 218 East Midlands Business Link www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Regeneration progresses © Jestico+Whiles 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 08/02/2021 11:46 Page 1www.eastmidlandsbusinesslink.co.uk East Midlands Business Link 19 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY Derby is currently home to a number of significant projects that will transform the city. The Becketwell redevelopment has hit key milestones over the past year, and most recently, in January, a contract was signed to demolish the Pennine Hotel and former Brannigans pub. A R Demolition will begin work in the spring, continuing until autumn, to make way for the Becketwell scheme – an investment of more than £200 million to create apartments, offices, a new hotel, multi- storey car park, public square and performance venue on the Colyear Street site and adjacent land previously occupied by Debenhams and the Duckworth Square shopping centre. The scheme is being delivered by St James Securities and will create over 2,000 jobs. The demolition of the hotel follows the completion of a project carried out by Cawarden to knock down the former Debenhams building in Victoria Street in August last year. Outline planning consent has been granted for the entire Becketwell scheme, with detailed permission for phase one, including 259 build-to-rent (BTR) apartments on the former Debenhams site, achieved in January, with work due to start in late spring. A public square on the site of the former Central United Reformed Church is the centrepiece of the development and will also be delivered as part of the first phase. Furthermore, work is well underway to bring forward a second phase to comprise a new 3,500-capacity performance and conference venue on the site of Laurie House offices and the former Pink Coconut nightclub. Commitments have also been made to rejuvenate Derby’s historic market hall, to turn the 19th century building into a flexible retail and leisure destination, and professional services firm WYG has been appointed to design a new housing development at the former Aida Bliss factory on City Road. In addition, plans have been revealed for the city’s former Assembly Rooms site, after critical structural issues were found, which would see it demolished, re-landscaped and used for pop-up markets and outdoor events, while long-term re- development opportunities are progressed. Moreover, changing the city’s skyline, proposals to construct Derby’s first BTR scheme and one of the city’s tallest buildings was granted permission in 2020. Godwin Developments’ plans will transform a site in Phoenix Street into 201 apartments. 900 temporary construction jobs are to be created over a two-year period and around ten to fifteen permanent roles once complete. In neighbouring Nottingham, the city’s biggest regeneration scheme has begun following the granting of planning approval for the first phase of The Island Quarter. The approved phase will include a three-storey 2,000 sq m pavilion on the waterfront, featuring two restaurants, 500 sq m of events space and a large rooftop terrace, forming the opening phase of development on the forty-acre site. The plans also include provision for a bandstand and a substantial area of public realm. Having been granted outline planning consent for the former Boots Island site in April 2019, the team behind the development worked with the city’s planning and regeneration team on the Section 106 agreement, which was signed off earlier in 2020. The overall plans for the site, which has been derelict for many years, will bring new homes, grade A office space, creative spaces, a lifestyle hotel, PRS apartments and co-working space, a ‘linear’ park and vibrant community and event space as well as student accommodation to the city. Plans for the 223-room hotel, food Regeneration schemes are continuing apace in the East Midlands. While some faced hurdles in 2020, others are thriving. 20 Á The Island Quarter 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 08/02/2021 11:46 Page 2Next >