Derby chartered surveyor firm Invise has entered into partnership with fellow Marketing Derby Bondholder Poppy PR to carry out its public relations work.
Invise, which was launched during lockdown with just a few hundred pounds and a seven-year-old laptop, is formalising its PR activity to support big growth plans over the next few years.
The arrangement with Castle Donington-based Poppy PR has already reaped rewards for Invise, which has landed a major client directly as a result of the new-found PR and social media activity.
Poppy PR, founded 13 years ago by managing director Tina Clough, has vast experience with construction-related clients, though Invise represents its first firm of chartered surveyors.
Invise managing director James Baker, whose firm celebrated its third anniversary this year, said: “We were thinking of sourcing help from a professional PR firm, and Tina happened to be delivering a presentation about PR at Hive Thinking, a business networking group I attended.
“I was impressed, and it was that session that led me to Poppy PR. Since then, the team there has delivered in spades.
“As a young business, PR was pretty new to us, but we have absolutely made the right choice to move our business forward with the help of Tina and her talented group of ex-journalists.
“Very early on in our short partnership, the new PR and social media activity provided by Poppy PR created a very hot lead for us in an area of the business we were looking to expand. That lead has since come to fruition, which means the PR has been worth every penny.”
James added: “As someone who loves Derby and looks for every opportunity to support other businesses in the area, it’s also great to work alongside another Marketing Derby Bondholder.”
Invise is based at Sadler Bridge Studios, off Sadler Gate, Derby, having moved recently from smaller premises at nearby Riverside Chambers.
The company sets out to be different from other chartered surveyor firms, underpinned by its three core values of integrity, honesty and accountability.
James has also been a fervent champion of sustainability, ensuring all his firm’s buildings advice and project management activity are focused on the best results for the environment.
On the back of this passion, Invise has conducted pro bono work for Down To Earth (DTE) Derby, a non-profit organisation backed by the Eden Project, which has created Electric Daisy, a community greenspace on a former brownfield site in Bold Lane, Derby.
Tina, who runs Poppy PR alongside business partner Phil Stubbs, said: “Everyone at Invise has been a joy to work with – a genuine dream client!
“James has worked wonders with Invise in a relatively short space of time, and his vision, passion and massive positivity have enabled us to really make the most of this partnership and help drive his business towards the next level of growth.
“We tell all our clients that PR is a two-way street: we can advise on the right strategies to complement a client’s business objectives, and we have an incredible team of ex-journalists who can deliver great story ideas and written content.
“But this can only be truly maximised with the right level of input from the client. And James is one client who is fully aware of this, which is why Invise makes the perfect partner.”