We’re proud to see our founder, Clare Taylor, featured in the latest issue of Big Furniture Group.
In challenging times, one of the first divisions that falls under the axe is budget for marketing. This is often due to businesses seeing it as a discretionary expense and not a necessity. However, marketing remains crucial for business success as it connects businesses with customers, builds brand awareness and can drive sales.
“The furniture industry is highly competitive and therefore it is easy for businesses to wade into the tactical element of marketing in their quest to compete,” says Clare. “Furniture based marketing often falls into the trap of being feature led, rather than being benefit driven. Taking the time to work up a well-defined marketing strategy, highlighting core target customer segments, their key pain points, and how your business can address them, is key to getting ahead.
“A well thought out marketing strategy is the anchor for your overall business plan and is essential for long term business growth, rather than simply short-term sales. It will help to build trust and credibility in your brand. Without a clear marketing strategy, it is harder to measure the overall impact of your marketing activity.”
Clare, and the team at Apricus, know exactly what they’re talking about when it comes to marketing. Launched back in 2020, the business has continued to grow as a specialist in marketing, both in the furnishing trade, as well as across other industries. What gives Apricus a key advantage over other services is Clare’s well-established experience in the industry.
“I joined the furniture industry nearly 10 years ago as, Marketing Manager at Hypnos Contract Beds, before moving to Breasley as Head of Marketing,” Clare said. “Since launching the business, I have collaborated with several clients including Peak Converters, Nectar Sleep UK, Pike Textiles and Staingard. However, we work with businesses across multiple industries and see that as a core strength.
“We specialise in marketing strategy and outsourced marketing management services. Our work includes everything from top-level market research and analysis to the formulation of strategic marketing plans, tactical plans, and tailored marketing budgets, to hands on delivery and mentoring.
“The business has continued to grow, both in terms of turnover and our client base over the years. We are now based in an office in Derby city centre and have expanded our network of partners which allows us to offer a full range of marketing support services.”
Alongside Apricus’ growth, Clare has been laser-focussed on keeping ahead of the latest marketing changes. “The last few years have been interesting from a marketing perspective. Social media has made marketing a lot more accessible and achievable for businesses of all sizes.
“We’ve also seen a take-off in what I like to call ‘DIY’ tools such as Canva for branding and design, which are being used to help businesses create marketing materials in a cost-effective and accessible way.
“Obviously, AI has been a huge change more recently, with tools like Chat GPT being used to create everything from blogs to websites, and artwork. However, the knock-on effect of this is that there is potential for brands to become monotonous, lacking in standout appeal, with little differentiation.
“Encouragingly though, in and around the use of all these shiny new tools, there has been a pull back towards the strategic element of marketing as businesses realise that the tools being used to drive their marketing are only as good as the driver sitting behind them! The strategic focus and understanding of how to optimise the use of these tools is key to maximising their effectiveness.”
As the business continues to evolve and grow, Clare and the team are looking forward to a major milestone in Apricus’ history. “We’re really looking forward to the Autumn, which will mark the five-year anniversary of when I started the business. We are planning a modest celebration at our office in Derby with clients and key contacts who have supported us along the way.”