Ever wondered how other companies are tackling challenges like yours?

Or if you’re missing a trick in your marketing?

Do you want to conduct a market research campaign, or overhaul an existing process, but just can’t get time away from the demands of the day job?

Our experience of working across publishing means we can answer these questions and make those projects happen. Slick presentations of impressive jargon aren’t our style. What you’ll get from us is sound advice grounded in reality, with plenty of neat ideas to put into practice quickly and easily. And because we’ll see your organisation objectively we’ll spot opportunities (or problems) that you’ll just be too close to see. We know you can’t do everything at once, too, so our recommendations range from ‘quick wins’ to adopt immediately, through to guidance on progressing strategic plans within available resources.

Examples:

Marketing audit

We spend one day with you, meeting key members of the team and seeing how you operate, hearing how you commission projects, work with authors, and then plan and market them. A detailed report of observations and recommendations is produced on a second day.

Market research campaigns

We can plan and manage all aspects of these, from writing questionnaires to moderating focus groups, to researching new markets. Alternatively, we can plan the campaign and support you in implementing it yourself.

Project management

Implementing any big project can take over your working life. Handing over the scheduling and management can ensure it keeps on track, that colleagues and suppliers meet deadlines, and that you make timely decisions as the project requires them. Our publishing experience equips us to understand your project in context and to give advice along the way too.

Marketing strategy, or planning for a major new product

High profile projects are time-consuming and can be stressful, but having an extra pair of experienced hands to help with planning or implementation can really help. And the extra research and detail that we bring to projects like these inform future projects too.

How does it work?

Most projects start with an email or web enquiry saying ‘I wonder if you could help with ...’ It’s that simple, and we’ll always give you a straight answer. Many of our clients get in touch whenever they need objective advice they can trust, or to hand over discrete projects when in-house resources are stretched. We love getting our hands dirty, too: we’re as happy to take on a catalogue campaign as a marketing audit (find out more under Marketing support).

‘Everyone in New Zealand was thrilled with your report. It is my map and I’m constantly referring to it.’

Sarah Silvester, UK Office Manager, Biozone Learning Media UK Ltd

Project: Marketing audit

‘What a terrific report! And well done you for getting so much written (and thought out) in so little time. Thank you so much. I couldn’t be more pleased!’

Hilary Bradt at Bradt Travel Guides

Project: Marketing audit

‘I wanted to let you know that I am really pleased with the work Ceri’s been doing on the research project. I have liked getting feedback and being involved as she goes along (without it being too demanding on my time). I can tell by the questions both you and she were asking me that the project is going well and I liked the way you went about setting it up. Thank you!’

Sadie McClelland at Pearson Education

Project: Telephone research and data-mining in the academic market