Bespoke is a Lancashire-based digital marketing agency, named by the Sunday Times as one of the Best Places to Work in the UK for 2024.
The agency moved into Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, Chorley, in September 2021. The move from previous offices in Bamber Bridge was postponed in February 2020, when it coincided with the first wave of the pandemic.
The agency has been following a hybrid model since taking the decision to move into the new offices, following the final lockdown.
Since Steve Brennan co-founded the agency way back in 2001, we find out what happens behind the scenes.
Phil Turner, head of digital at Bespoke, introduces us to the agency’s offices…
“At Bespoke we are firm believers that a stable, cohesive team delivers the best, most consistent results for clients. After investing time into the recruitment process to ensure new starters are the right fit, providing the best working environment is then key to maintaining a happy, productive and stable team.”
Where is it?
Bespoke, Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, Chorley, PR7 1PS
How big is it?
The Bespoke office is approximately 1,400 sq ft in size. However, the team also has access to the communal breakout spaces and meeting areas across the wider Strawberry Fields Digital Hub.
Bespoke was one of the first tenants of Strawberry Fields Digital Hub, a brand new, state of the art, hi-tech business centre for digital and creative businesses.
Strawberry Fields provides a range of working spaces including offices, hot-desking and micro pods, as well as a range of meeting spaces for up to 30 people, and an event space for up to 60 people. All meeting rooms come with super-fast wi-fi and smart screen presentation facilities.
The Bespoke offices themselves include an open-plan main office, with twelve work stations, two meeting areas, and a boardroom presentation area. Natural light is provided by windows along the full length of the main office space, while air is kept fresh and healthy with a living wall dominating the top-end of the office. As well as the open-plan area, a separate meeting space also doubles-up as a sound-proofed video production suite.
What happens there?
Bespoke specialises in website design, brand development, digital strategy and ongoing marketing, working primarily with B2B companies to grow brand exposure and online enquiries.
Bespoke’s head of digital, Phil Turner, says: “As a lead generation specialist, client strategy is a huge part of our processes. We aim to take a partnership approach with clients, working with them at a deep level to achieve the very best results. So, as well as providing a great working environment for the team, having the space to conduct our client strategy workshops is a massive advantage for us.
“As well as working collaboratively with clients, its also essential for our team to be able to work together cooperatively. The office environment provides that time and space for us to get together, face-to-face and work as a team towards the best possible outcomes.”
What sort of work goes on?
With a focus on lead generation for manufacturing and service businesses, Bespoke has generated in excess of a billion pounds in terms of total business generated through its clients’ websites.
Typical clients are B2B companies with a turnover in the £1m-£100m range, with a dedicated in-house marketing manager requiring a high-performance website. Bespoke’s web design team works hand-in-hand with the client to develop websites that meet precise strategic digital needs and outcomes.
The specialist B2B digital marketing team runs digital marketing campaigns that include SEO, PPC, email marketing, LinkedIn ads, Facebook ads and Google ads. Website performance is tested prior to launch, then tracked and monitored and improved to deliver optimal performance, once the site has gone live.
Why is the workplace appropriate?
The team currently work at the office twice a week as standard, Tuesdays and Thursdays. But Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays are optional, providing flexibility for the team to either meet on site as necessary or work away from home whenever that might be a preference.
Phil Turner says: “After deciding to move back to the office on a hybrid model, we’ve ensured the new office is built to function in the new normal environment, with desk and working spaces compartmentalised and everyone having the right level of individual space.
“When we moved in, we took a real blank canvas approach to looking at how the office is set up, with wellbeing at the heart of our thinking. The aim is to ensure that the office is, in fact, an attractive place to come – somewhere that our team will want to work, because of the working advantages it provides, and by simply being a nice place to be, which is vibrant and rich with productivity benefits.
“We’ve recently had some incredible affirmation of this approach, having been named by the Sunday Times as one of the Best Places to Work in the UK for 2024 and also having just had our Investors in People status renewed.”
Who works there?
Our full-time team of twelve and currently one freelance working a hybrid week – with a budget provided to kit out home offices – while the whole team has lunch together twice a week.
Job roles include CEO, head of digital (senior), digital project coordinator (senior), finance & admin (senior), senior back end web developer, senior front end web developer, front end web developer, back end developer, two senior digital marketing strategists and three digital marketing strategists.
