ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING THE

COMMUNITY IN WHICH WE WORK

The Marketing Eye

TheMarket ingEye

Our success will be defi ned, not just by the profi ts we make, but by the mark we make on the community in which we work.“

”Neil Edwards, Managing Director, The Marke ng Eye

INTRODUCTION

Here at The Marke ng Eye, we work with na onal and interna onal clients, yet we are s ll incredibly proud of being based in Sussex and feel a strong sense of responsibility towards the community in which we work.

Our community involvement touches every aspect of our business and is hard-wired into our business objec ves. We want to be known as a company that is responsible and caring, so we commit approximately 10% of our chargeable me to voluntary ac vity.

We have taken a conscious decision to go deeper than straigh orward fundraising and dona ons. Instead, we have devised bespoke programmes to support the causes we have iden fi ed as important to us, namely:

• Crea ng opportuni es for young people• Hospice care• Cancer research• Uni ng the local business community

Stakeholders in the benefi ciary organisa ons are always closely involved in the design of ac vi es to ensure that they deliver wide ranging and long las ng benefi ts.

We have produced this publica on to explain the projects we are involved with and the values we hold dear to us. You will see that all of our community projects are treated in the same way as a client project – with our team members sharing the responsibility, depending on their par cular skills and exper se. This refl ects in the professional manner in which our programmes are delivered and the success they ul mately achieve.

We hope you fi nd it as inspiring to read about our ac vi es as we do designing and working on them.

YOUNG BUSINESS MINDS

Young Business Minds is an exci ng compe on, conceived and sponsored by The Marke ng Eye, to provide Year 12 students with an insight into the business world.

The compe on gives students prac cal experience of:

• Conceiving and developing a business proposi on• Considering and managing the range of requirements needed to start and run a successful business• Ac ng in an economically responsible manner• Learning to meet deadlines and the importance of a en on to detail• Presen ng to leading local business people in a ‘pitch’ scenario and improving confi dence and presenta on skills

With the Government’s commitment to enterprise under the ‘Start Up Britain’ banner, there can be no be er or more important me for The Marke ng Eye to be sponsoring this ini a ve.

Colleges that par cipated in 2014• Uckfi eld Community Technical College• Uplands Community College, Wadhurst• Beacon Community College, Crowborough• Heathfi eld Community College• Tonbridge School for Boys• South Down College, Eastbourne

The compe onThe students form themselves into teams of four and appoint roles and responsibili es. These are typically:

• Managing Director - The project manager/team leader• Marke ng Director - In charge of adver sing, marke ng and PR• Finance Director - Responsible for budge ng - predicted revenue/costs etc• Opera ons Director - Responsible for the organisa onal and logis cal aspects of the business

The teams agree on a product or service idea and develop their business plan inside 20 hours of lessons. The plan needs to be documented into a wri en report and then pitched to a panel made up of local business people.

Unlike Young Enterprise, the students don’t have to implement their ideas, leaving them free to stretch their imagina ons. Their business plans do, however, have to be credible, meaning that a plan for a High Street retail business can have as much chance of winning as a concept for the next Facebook.

The plan needs to include:• A descrip on of the idea and how it will work• Market research to prove demand for the idea• A breakdown of start-up costs• Profi t projec ons, including sales, gross profi t and opera ng costs• A cash-fl ow forecast for the fi rst 12 months• A marke ng plan for the fi rst 12 months

In their report and during the pitch presenta on, the teams have to substan ate why they have decided on their business idea and how they would make it successful. This is based on their market research, marke ng plan and profi t projec ons.

During the compe on, The Marke ng Eye is on hand to lend support via designated sessions with a team ‘mentor’ and with hints and ps on its Facebook page.

The fi nalThe schools select two teams each to send through to the fi nal.

The fi nalists are required to pitch to a panel of local business people in a ‘Dragons’ Den’ type format. Unlike Dragons’ Den, however, the panel is there to help the students deliver the best presenta on they can and provides construc ve feedback throughout the session.

The teams are marked across a range of criteria, covering the quality of the business plan and the quality of the presenta on. The highest overall mark is declared the winner.

Prize giving and prizesThe results are announced at a tension fi lled prize-giving ceremony, during which the eight fi nalists are reduced to a top four and then the runners-up and winners are revealed. All par cipants and their course leaders are invited.

The winning team is awarded a trophy for their school and a £150 cash prize. The runners-up receive a runners-up trophy and a £50 cash prize. All fi nalists receive structured feedback on their business plans and presenta ons in a wri en document.

At The Marke ng Eye we also support the compe on with PR and the winning team received coverage in local papers and magazines, as well as being interviewed on two radio sta ons, including BBC Radio Sussex.

Every pupil who successfully par cipates in the compe on receives a cer fi cate which provides evidence of their ac vi es and can be used for job and university applica on purposes.The biggest prize of all is, of course, the experience the students will have gained to enhance personal statements for CVs and university applica ons.

TESTIMONIALS

Young Business Minds has been a real eye-opener to what business is all about. Taking part in the compe on has given us so much experience and we will all carry it with us for a long me, way beyond ‘A’ levels.Michael Pooley, Student, Uplands Community College

Our students loved the experience of ge ng involved with Young Business Minds: it was really good experience for them to speak to real business people and to be challenged by them.Colle e Campbell-Gohil, Business Studies Teacher, Ringmer Community College

Thank you so much for providing my students with such an invaluable opportunity during the [Young Business Minds] compe on. This experience will be a las ng memory for these students and it was a great learning experience for them too.Andy Shepherd, Head of Business Educa on and Enterprise, Beacon Community College

[The winning students] came over extremely well and are brimming with confi dence, which is great to see.Charles Hendry MP, Wealden

I am a passionate believer in the talent and enterprise that exists in young people and feel, now more than ever, that those of us in business have a responsibility to encourage students to consider running a business as a viable career choice. Through Young Business Minds, we have highlighted the real talent and business acumen that exists in our local colleges. Neil Edwards, Managing Director, The Marke ng Eye

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CANCER RESEARCH UK, SUMMER LUNCH

PR Manager, Angela Ward, is the organising force behind the annual Cancer Research UK summer lunch. Angela has been a member of the Crowborough commi ee of Cancer Research UK for the past seven years and became involved a er her daughter, Naomi, died of Neuroblastoma (a childhood cancer) in 2004, aged just four years old.

Held at the East Sussex Na onal Golf Resort & Spa, near Uckfi eld, the event has become an established part of the business social calendar and a racts approximately 250 guests. Organised by the Crowborough commi ee of CRUK - and with marke ng support from The Marke ng Eye - the lunch raises more than £9,000 for the charity each year.

The Marke ng Eye provides exper se and resources to the commi ee during the build-up to the lunch - including allowing Angela me off for organising ac vi es.

This year, guests enjoyed a talk about developments in cancer research by Professor Peter Schmid, Founda on Chair of Cancer Medicine at Brighton and Sussex Medical School and the University of Sussex.

The event included a welcome drink of sparkling wine, sponsored by Armida Chartered Accountants, in the stunning foyer of the East Sussex Na onal. Then guests enjoyed a two-course meal with red wine sponsored by David Haskoll Ltd and white wine by Inspira ons Algarve Exclusive Travel Club. The wine itself came from the Quinta dos Vales vineyard in Portugal.

Other sponsors included Dawson Hart, which sponsored the coff ee, ASP, David Bartholomew Photographer, EM Communica ons, Oregen Computer Training, Simmons Gainsford, Swindells, Tester & Jones, Towry and TR Fastenings.

We are really grateful to The Marke ng Eye for giving up me to support us with the marke ng for our lunch. The help the fi rm provided with genera ng PR, producing and prin ng our menu, crea ng a PowerPoint, helping with the auc on and suppor ng us on the day, was invaluable.Elizabeth Bostock, Chair of the commi ee

Well done. The arrangements were superb, the speaker was very interes ng and it was nice to hear how the research is moving forward.Glenys Jones, Tester & Jones

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UCKFIELD BUSINESS AWARDS

The Marke ng Eye provides its resources and backing to the Uckfi eld Business Awards to help promote business in the town and to recognise and celebrate the diversity and achievements of the Uckfi eld business community.

Managing Director, Neil Edwards, Gary King of Uckfi eld FM and Uckfi eld Chamber of Commerce commi ee member, Adrian Corbin, worked out the basic structure of the Awards and sold the sponsorships.

The awards are open to all businesses in the Uckfi eld area covering the post code districts of TN22 and BN8. There are 15 awards and the categories are chosen to make sure there is something for every business. Awards range from Business of the Year to Customer Service and Contribu on to the Community.

The Marke ng Eye plays a signifi cant role in promo ng the awards: genera ng sponsorship, encouraging applica ons and engaging the general public. In addi on, we have built the website, which provides the essen al infrastructure to the awards process, and are heavily involved in organising the Gala Awards Night Dinner, which this year took place at East Sussex Na onal Hotel on 6 November.

The response to the awards has been overwhelming. Applica ons were recieved from more than 100 businesses and there were more than 450 votes from members of the public, all eager to recognise and endorse their favourite local companies. Every one of the 15 categories in the Awards was supported.

TESTIMONIALS

I couldn’t be happier with the response. The Marke ng Eye has done an excellent job in promo ng the awards. There has been a steady fl ow of applica ons throughout the process, the wider public has been engaged to back Uckfi eld businesses and we have had a very successful awards night dinner.Adrian Corbin, Uckfi eld Chamber of Commerce

I am delighted that Uckfi eld businesses are being recognised with these awards. Our local businesses are the lifeblood of our communi es and those in Uckfi eld have constantly worked to stay ahead of the game during these diffi cult economic mes. Their dedica on has resulted in Wealden having very high levels of employment.Charles Hendry MP, Wealden

We are ac ve members of the Uckfi eld Chamber of Commerce and the Awards are a natural extension of our ongoing commitment to give something back to the community in which we work. We are bringing all of our experience and resources to bear to make sure the Awards are an outstanding success and create a pla orm for the Awards to con nue for many years to come.Neil Edwards, Managing Director, The Marke ng Eye

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HOSPICE IN THE WEALD – TORCHLIGHT DINNER

The Torchlight Dinner - which featured Dame Kelly Holmes as its special guest - raised in excess of £25,000 for Hospice in the Weald. The black- e corporate dinner was a ended by 200 people and sponsored by Creaseys and Handelsbanken.

The Marke ng Eye provided its services free of charge to help with the organisa on of this pres gious corporate fundraiser and led on the marke ng ac vity associated with it. This included:

• Design of the event logo• An extensive campaign on Twi er and Facebook• Development of an event website - incorpora ng online booking• Press releases and media management, to achieve coverage in a variety of local publica ons• Direct marke ng to help raise awareness and sell tables and adver sing• Event management support• Design of the event programme

The evening began with a magnifi cent champagne recep on held in the sumptuous surroundings of Hever Castle. Harpist Natasha Gale entertained, while magician Lee Burridge amazed guests with his spell-binding close-up magic.

Guests then took a short stroll through the castle grounds to the Guthrie Pavilion. They were entertained on the way by a spectacular display of fi re-ea ng. MC for the night was comedian Sco Charlton.

The event was a great success. A high level of awareness was achieved in the West Kent business community (the principle target audience) and a good level of ‘buzz’ in the online and offl ine media created. More than 200 ckets were sold at £65 each and all the programme adver sing was sold too. The Hospice also received generous off ers of support with sponsorship and auc on prizes.

The event raised in excess of £25,000 for the Hopsice.

We are delighted that such a fantas c amount of money was raised and very grateful to everyone who came, our sponsors and of course Dame Kelly Holmes. There was a great buzz during the evening and the generosity of many resulted in a hugely successful corporate dinner.Rob Woolley, Chief Execu ve of Hospice in the Weald

It was a privilege to be involved as co-sponsors of Hospice in the Weald’s fl agship fundraising event. The evening had all the hallmarks of good planning and excellent organisa on and it did not disappoint. Hever Castle was a brilliant se ng for what was a most enjoyable occasion - it was fi rst class in every respect. Roger Ward, Partner and head of Chari es Unit, Creaseys

The Torchlight Dinner was an absolutely magical evening with champagne, fi re entertainers and fi re poi, all set within the majes c grounds of Hever Castle. With an inspira onal speech from Dame Kelly Holmes and the knowledge that the evening raised funds for an extremely worthy local charity - it was truly an event to remember.Nick Green, Branch Manager, Handelsbanken, Tunbridge Wells

We were thrilled to be involved with The Torchlight Dinner and delighted by the amount of money raised. The event promised a lot and delivered even more.Neil Edwards, Managing Director, The Marke ng Eye

TESTIMONIALS

A massive thank you for everything you have done to make last night such a success. As a local charity rooted in this community, reliant on fundraising, we are already looking forward to next year.Rachel Holweger, Fundraising Director, Hospice in the Weald

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WORK EXPERIENCE, MENTORING AND INTERNSHIPS

We regularly open our doors to young people, giving them the opportunity to work with us for a week at age 15, or for a longer period as part of a degree course.

This summer, we have welcomed no less than four students on work experience to our offi ces in Uckfi eld and expect more to join us later in the year.

First to join was Luke Johnson, a year 10 student from Uckfi eld Community Technology College.

Luke was followed by Patrick Smith a year 11 student from Eastbourne College and then by Natalie Smith who is studying for an Adver sing and PR degree at Bournemouth University.

Our longest placement was Samantha Cuff , who joined us for 8 weeks as part of her degree course, having recently completed a year working in the US.

Later in the year, we will welcome Seb Cole from Ringmer Community College. Seb took part in the Young Business Minds compe on and has been so inspired by the experience that he has volunteered to give up part of his holidays to learn more.

The team at The Marke ng Eye made me feel extremely welcome and involved me in a variety of interes ng tasks. I would highly recommend The Marke ng Eye for valuable experience in a friendly and professional local business.Samantha Cuff , Placement Student

We are very grateful for the opportunity and support Neil and his team have given to our students. Students learn a great deal from being in a work environment and The Marke ng Eye’s contribu on has been a valuable part of their experience and their educa on.Karen O’Riley, Voca onal Mentor, Uckfi eld Community Technology College

In a me when work and university opportuni es for school leavers are at a premium, we believe we have a responsibility to give what opportuni es we can to young people to gain experience and enhance their CVs.Neil Edwards, Managing Director, The Marke ng Eye

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Samantha

Natalie

Luke

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

As a small business, our carbon footprint is naturally low. Nevertheless, we retain an awareness of the impact that our opera ons may poten ally have on the environment and do what we can to reduce it. The clear objec ve of The Marke ng Eye is to minimise any impact on the environment by:

• Taking ac on to eliminate or reduce, as far as prac cable, any poten ally adverse environmental impacts• Promo ng environmental awareness among our team, suppliers, and partners by implementa on of opera onal procedures• Considering the eff ects that our opera ons may have on the local community• Seeking to work in partnership with the community by behaving in a considerate and socially responsible manner

Prac cal steps include:

• Ensuring our printers only use environmentally safe chemicals and processes• Encouraging our clients to choose environmentally friendly materials and paper stock for printed items• Recycling all we can: paper and cardboard, plas c bo les, cans, Tetra packs etc.• Using recycled products where possible, e.g. toilet roll, paper for the printer• Buying Fairtrade products or products from the Rainforest Alliance• Being good neighbours• Buying our products and services locally whenever possible

All of our team has responsibility for the implementa on of the policy and ensuring that environmental issues are given adequate considera on in the planning and day-to-day management of our work.

ABOUT THE MARKETING EYE

The Marke ng Eye is a full service marke ng company and PR agency, with par cular exper se in business-to-business marke ng and a focus on the Alterna ve Finance and Technology sectors.

Our mission is to help our clients increase the value of their businesses by the applica on of consistent and eff ec ve marke ng. We do this by combining online and offl ine PR with events and direct marke ng to help our clients engage with an increasing number of prospects over me.

Our services range from strategy and planning, through to the detailed implementa on of specifi c ini a ves. As one of the leading marke ng companies and PR agencies in our sector in the UK, we have experts in most areas of marke ng, and when we don’t, the chances are we know somebody who is.

We are based in Uckfi eld, East Sussex and within easy reach of Kent, West Sussex, Surrey and London. We have an offi ce in London as well as a representa ve offi ce in Pennsylvania for clients needing to do business in the US.

Do you think we can help? We have an excellent range of support packages available. Please contact us for details.

E: tellmemore@themarke ngeye.comT: +44 (0) 1825 765617

The team

Th e Team

The Marketing EyeHave a chat with us: 01825 765617Visit us online: www.themarke ngeye.com

Main Offi ce address: 101 High Street, Uckfi eld, East Sussex TN22 1RN

The Marke ng Eye Limited. Registered in England and Wales. Company No: 5350145.Registered Offi ce: Yew Tree House, Lewes Road, Forest Row, East Sussex RH18 5AA.VAT Registra on No. 850 7131 45

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