From Workshops to Wins: Let’s Do Marketing’s Year in Review
As the financial year comes to an end, we’re taking a moment to reflect on the incredible year we’ve had at Let’s Do Marketing. From delivering high-impact workshops to forming meaningful partnerships and delivering some amazing programmes, we’ve been dedicated to empowering small businesses across the Southeast and East of England with the marketing skills they need to thrive.
Workshops That Made an Impact
Since we launched Let’s Do Marketing back in 2023, one of our core missions has always been to provide accessible, practical marketing training to small businesses to not just tell them how to market their business, but to show them how to do it too. Over the past year, we’ve hosted numerous workshops and webinars covering everything from social media strategies and SEO fundamentals to branding and email marketing. These sessions have helped over 405 people (an attendance rate of 64%) with building confidence in their marketing approach and taking their businesses to new heights.
“This workshop provided an excellent breakdown of SEO, covering everything from basic principles to more advanced techniques. I found it particularly helpful that we were given free online tools to support our SEO efforts. The session covered a lot of ground without feeling overwhelming, and the presenter did a great job of keeping it engaging. I now have actionable steps to optimise my websites and boost visibility.”
Exciting Collaborations & Projects
This year saw us form strong partnerships that amplified our impact:
Boathouse Theatre Arts – We had the pleasure of helping an incredible, local performing arts charity in Hastings to revamp its digital presence with a brand-new website, allowing them to connect with a wider audience and showcase what they do. Once the website was completed, we also supported them with the setup of an email marketing platform - collecting signups, creating an email newsletter template and authenticating the domain to ensure smooth delivery.
“Absolutely brilliant service! The team are knowledgeable, kind, they took the time to listen and understand our needs. They were very patient and helped me understand how the website works. Would thoroughly recommend Let’s Do Marketing to anyone needing a website. Thank you!”
– Millie Rowland, CEO of Boathouse Theatre Arts
1066 Business Awards – To celebrate Let's Do Business Group’s milestone of supporting businesses for 30 years, we revived the 1066 Business Awards which recognised outstanding small businesses in Hastings and Rother. Held at Bannatynes Hotel, Hastings, on Thursday 6th June, we spent the months running up to the day organising the behind the scenes – creating the marketing materials, gathering interest with both the sponsors and entrants, and planning the event. Following the success of the business awards, we have made the decision to host it again for a second year!
Luton Online: Digital Marketing Launchpad – Let’s Do Marketing won a contract with Luton Borough Council to provide online presence and social media marketing support to businesses in Luton. The support was provided through face-to-face workshops, online training sessions, 1:1 mentoring support, and on-demand training available in English, Urdu, and Polish. We supported 112 individuals to improve their marketing knowledge through the programme.
North Essex Economic Board Communication Strategy – We have been working with the North Essex Economic Board (NEEB) to develop and deliver its communication strategy. Through Let’s Do Business Group, we have been working closely with the councils in Essex to deliver business support, establishing a presence and understanding of the support in the area. To work towards the overall goals of the North Essex Economic Board of raising awareness of available support in the region and also working towards the goal of a green economy and a dynamic region and driving inward investment, we utilised the existing NEEB social media accounts to help drive traffic through to the website to spread awareness of the overall strategic plan of the partnership, while also using the channels as the heart of support in the area, allowing businesses across the member districts to turn to the channels for guidance and news about what is available, and where to go to access it. This has enabled NEEB to grow a wider audience in North Essex and gain traction for their overall strategy to take forward – setting the stage for more programmes and initiatives in the future to have an even larger uptake.
“I am pleased to recommend to you the amazing service from Stacey and her team at Let’s Do Marketing. They have managed the NEEB comms and marketing needs for the last year, I have seen a massive improvement in the engagement from businesses. And NEEB looks much more professional with a consistent message and marketing. The team’s knowledge and attention to detail has helped NEEB increase its presence online. Stacey and the team are very accommodating and quick to adapt to the changing needs of the partnership. Let’s Do Marketing are hardworking and great at building relationships.”
BEST ‘AdVantage’ Competition – Launched back in September 2024, AdVantage was a competition designed to help new, and scale-up businesses from across Essex to gain a digital advantage over their competition. The shortlisted businesses were invited to a pitch skills workshop, before attending the ‘Big Pitch’ event where they presented their business plans and goals for if they won. On the judging panel was our very own Marketing Director, Stacey Pretty, alongside Eve Calderbank, Business Growth Development Manager at Essex County Council, and Tom Stacey, Deputy Head of School at Anglia Ruskin University. Following the event, two businesses were awarded with a comprehensive package of marketing consultancy and hands-on support valued at £2,500, and the seven finalists received a support package valued at £1,500, designed to provide them with the tools and resources they need to further their ventures.
“The help I received from Kerry and Stacey has been fantastic. My website has improved massively, and this is all down to Stacey, both with her direct input and her helpful suggestions that I was able to implement. Kerry helped me to create an ad campaign on Facebook, and I have been able to put into practise her suggestions on posting to local groups. I thank you both from the bottom of my heart.”
Herefordshire VCSE’s – Through Let’s Do Business Group, we had the opportunity to work with Volunteers, Charities, and Social Enterprises in Herefordshire, delivering support to improve their Marketing, Business and Finance knowledge. The project was undertaken in conjunction with Herefordshire Council and Talk Community, where, across a total of 13 workshops delivered by Let’s Do Marketing and Supersonic Startup, 89 individuals attended.
Social Media & Community Engagement
Our online presence has flourished this year, thanks to our growing communities on Instagram and LinkedIn. We've shared insights, marketing tips, success stories, and behind-the-scenes moments, furthering our mission to make marketing accessible for all. Over the 2 years, we have also been providing monthly tips to the Maidstone Business Terrace to share with the followers, spreading awareness of our agency into Kent.
We have also spent some time working with schools:
Chiltern Academy, Luton – Stacey and Kerry attended a careers fair under the Luton Online: Digital Marketing Launchpad Programme to talk to students about a career in Marketing.
Hastings Academy, Hastings – Stacey was approached by BBC Bitesize to talk at an assembly for students at Hastings Academy about her journey into Marketing.
Looking Forward to the Future
With a new year ahead, we’re excited to continue offering training, expanding our partnerships, and finding new ways to support SMEs across the Southeast and East of England. Whether you’ve attended a workshop, worked with us, or simply followed along on social media, we’re grateful for your support and can’t wait to see what’s in store for the year ahead!
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