Roots HR – our story so far

Growing the Social Enterprise sector in Sandwell

Jan Golding Chartered FCIPD

25th January 2012

Covering

• Introducing Roots HR• Our journey so far• Learning points• Marketing strategy

The journey of Roots HR

The journey of Roots HR

The journey of Roots HR

Key learning points

• Don’t expect to do it all on day 1• Engage with your target audience • Let your clients tell you what they want• Have very broad shoulders and thick skin• Know your finances inside out• Never spend more than you have to• Make it work for you personally

Our marketing strategy

• Create awareness• Customer self selection• Easy to contact us• Easy to convert to business

Create awareness• Networking

• Evidencing expertise eg

– Approved / preferred status

– Writing articles

– Speaking

• Exhibitions

• Using collateral

• Directories

• Building and using

database eg newsletters etc

Customer self selection

• Provide information

• Demystify the topic

• Develop great products

• Tailor to the sector

• No hard sale

• Deliver the difference

• Recommendations / testimonials

Easy to contact us

• Customer journey analysis

• Phone system• Website• Email monitoring• Quick response times• Clear opening times• Enabling approach

Easy to do business

• Full proposal only

if necessary• Standard email proposals• Make it easy to say yes!• Contract by email• Terms straightforward• Upfront about payment• Invoice / chase routine

Roots HR - Jan ‘12

• 90 clients, 6 staff• £200k turnover• Goldman Sachs 10,000 small businesses• Established, well-regarded• Bigger / more complex opportunities• 100 hours pro bono work /16.5 days free

education, awareness etc• 2 free COMPLY subscriptions now in year 2• New GROW service

Questions?