For digital marketing specialists Success Local, based in Lutterworth, being part of Harborough District Council’s Pioneer 10 programme is helping take them to the next level.
Established in 2016 by Paul Trilk and David Pearson, Success Local works with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve their online activity and build their businesses. They develop websites and digital marketing strategies for clients, focusing on search engine optimisation (SEO), pay-per-click advertising PPC), social media marketing and web hosting. It’s a successful model. Having started with 4 employees, the company now has 14 people on the team. “It’s a working formula and we’re bringing in new business,” says David. “There are thousands of customers out there that need our help. So now, we’re looking at new ways to promote our business and get our name out there.”
And Pioneer 10 has played a big role in that. Paul got involved after taking advantage of some of the business seminars at Harborough Innovation Centre, which is owned and supported by Harborough District Council. As the building owner, HDC also funds the centre’s business support provision, providing the basis for expert business advice, mentoring and workshops.
“We went to four or five presentations and got great value from them,” Paul says. “We met Kate Jackson and [previous business coach] Stuart while there. They later invited us to apply for Pioneer 10.” Since joining the scheme, Success Local has benefitted from many talks and sessions. “We’ve had several coaching sessions with Kate,” says Paul. “Most have been one-to-one sessions looking at our business goals and objectives, and making sure our practices align with them.”
This has helped Paul and David to take a step back, have a closer look at the business and see if there’s anywhere they can improve. What’s more, having someone impartial to look at the company and offer advice has been a real help. Paul has also attended a number of the Pioneer 10 Master Classes. “They’ve been really helpful,” he says. “We’ve had sessions with accountants, solicitors and HR, and we’ve got plenty out of them. It’s good to listen to experts talk about their subjects. You also meet other people there who are in similar situations, and can chat about how they deal with these things.”
So would Paul recommend that other companies get involved with Pioneer 10? “Most definitely,” he says. “Overall, it’s been fabulous. It helps you focus on what you need to do, and helps make sure you don’t waste time on things you don’t need to. It’s also been great from a networking point of view. It’s very helpful to bounce ideas off other people who are having similar experiences.”
After a year with the programme, the Success Local team are looking forward to continuing to apply what they’ve learnt to further grow their business. And Paul is also hoping to stay involved with the scheme. “We’d love to give something back to future Pioneers,” the says. “We’re hoping to give a talk on digital marketing soon and then we’ll look at giving other presentations after that. It’s all about passing on what you’ve learned and helping others build great businesses.”