Case Study

Driving Double-Digit Growth through Strategic Marketing: The Brown Recycling Case Study


Discover how Brown Recycling achieved 10% revenue growth, won major sustainability awards, and secured high-value contracts through a strategic marketing transformation led by a fractional CMO

 

 

Brown Recycling is a family-owned total waste management and recycling businesses headquartered in Staffordshire. Established in 1926 by Samuel Brown, the fifth generation of Browns are now managing and leading the business.

The Challenge

After a period of steady expansion, growth had flatlined. With Mitch and his sister Dominique being appointed Co-Managing Directors in early 2023, they wanted to get revenues back on track as well as extend their reach outside of their core market of Staffordshire.

Although the business had been working with an agency for many years, they didn’t feel this was delivering what was needed. With no in house marketing resource there wasn’t the expertise to ensure the monthly retainer was being spent effectively or efficiently. Their website was also heavily focused on skip hire, a service which contributed less than 10% of total revenues, with little content on the wider total waste management service they provided to businesses across the county.

They recognised the value of having a clear marketing strategy and plan to support their ambitions and the benefit having the input of an experienced part-time marketing director could bring to the business.

 

The Solution

Jane Nugent joined in August 2023 and was struck by what a great business Brown Recycling was, providing an excellent service to a loyal customer base, with a strong commitment to sustainability and a company-wide tradition of supporting a wide range of charities and community initiatives. And how none of this was being promoted to the market.

Jane identified some specific areas of focus:

  • Creating a clear, defined commercially-lead value proposition that would help set Brown Recycling apart from their local and national competitors
  • Building a fit-for-purpose website with content aligned with the proposition and also showcased their heritage and community engagement
  • Working with sales to identify a list of high value contracts to target for new business and ensuring they had the assets needed to help convert these
  • Building the brand and business profile to support growth through social media, PR, industry events and community engagement
  • Managing the incumbent agency to ensure full value for money and a focus on effective marketing delivery
  • Developing an in-house marketing resource with the appointment of a Marketing Assistant.

 

The Results

Jane’s strategic guidance, brand focus and hands-on support led to several key outcomes for the business.

A new website launched in Spring 2024 providing an essential marketing asset for the business. The proposition led focus and enhanced content on commercial waste management has generated a steady stream of incoming enquiries. And despite the move away from the focus on domestic skip hire the value of booking has held steady.

Their now clear and easily communicated proposition and positioning as a sustainable, compliant total waste management service for multi waste stream commercial businesses runs through all their sales and marketing activity. The emphasis on sustainability and a zero waste to landfill commitment has helped set the business apart from its competitors. It has also resulted in additional business with existing customers supporting delivery of their sustainability agendas and targets.

Winning a several awards including a high-profile industry sustainability award and being declared Business of the Year in the Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards 2024, has raised the profile and standing of the business. Earning a ‘Very Good to Work For’ rating in Best Companies has also enhanced their employer standing.

The enhanced marketing has delivered real results with double digit growth in 2024 and new high value contracts. These include businesses Brown Recycling had been targeting for years without success, demonstrating how a well-defined marketing strategy and targeted activity helps enable and drive growth.

Plans are now in hand to mark the centenary of the business in 2026 and the opportunity this presents to further build the brand and continue the growth of the business across Staffordshire, Cheshire, the Midlands and beyond.

 

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Successful acquisition of high value commercial contracts

Of the target list of 75 prospects, new high value and long-term contracts have been secured with 10 businesses to date, with more in the pipeline.

 

 

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Year-on-Year double-digit growth:

Revenues have grown by 10%, incoming commercial website enquiries have doubled and targeted LinkedIn followers have increased by 86%, driving engagement and awareness.

 

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Enhanced marketing perception for sustainability and a business firmly embedded in the community

 Winning several Awards including a high-profile industry sustainability award, being declared Business of the Year in the Staffordshire Chambers Business Awards 2024, and securing an EcoVadis Bronze ranking for their sustainability performance, placing Brown Recycling in the top 35% of global businesses assessed by them in 2024, has raised their profile and standing regionally and across the waste management sector.

 

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Team growth and development

Reflecting the recognition of the value of great marketing, the team has expanded with the recent appointment of a Marketing Manager. The business has also attracted high calibre candidates from national competitors for new senior management roles.

 

 

From what I was expecting to now has exceeded all expectations.

 

Full credit to the expertise of Jane for pushing us forward and giving the business the credibility it deserves.


Mitch Brown, Co-Managing Director, Brown Recycling

 

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