Family marketing consultancy reveals future growth plans

Simple Marketing Consultancy is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a plan for the younger member of the family business to take on more responsibility in the business.

CIM qualified chartered marketer Bev Cook founded the company in 2010 to provide outsourced marketing services to family and owner managed businesses based across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire who either can’t afford or don’t need a full time in-house marketer.

In 2016, the business became a family enterprise when Bev’s son, Elliot Cook joined as an account director after finishing a four-year business administration and marketing degree at university in the United States.

Bev Cook said: “Having spent over 25 years marketing professional services firms, taking the step into self employment 10 years ago, ironically in the midst of the recession, was one of the best decisions I ever made.

“I’m very proud that SMC has developed such strong relationships with some incredible businesses who have really valued us as their trusted marketing adviser. Most of our work is won through word of mouth recommendation which is also testament to our highly regarded reputation with key referrers from banks and accounting firms.”

Recent new client wins include Derby-based IT specialists Link ICT and Nottingham based Croft Printing which wanted help and advice to address the opportunities and threats presented by the Covie-19 pandemic.

Elliot Cook added: “Clients say they like working with us because they have access to our many years of experience and because our pragmatic advice helps save them money as well as win new business. Our retainers help to ensure their marketing strategy stays focused and is delivered by professional advisers who they can trust to take control and also implement the activity. This ensures clients have a strategic and ongoing programme of marketing activity.”

The company, which is based in Radcliffe on Trent, Nottinghamshire, says it plans to continue its gradual expansion with Elliot taking on more responsibility for delivering both strategic advice and support to implement promotional tactics such as email marketing, event management, website SEO and copywriting, PR, and social media.