After 15 years working as an chartered surveyor, Daniel Bourmad co-founded Blaze Marketing in Manchester, now headquartered in the city centre’s The Ironworks development. The director of the agency takes us through a week in his working life.
Monday
The day always starts with me spending ten minutes flicking through the news and social media to keep up to date on general and industry events, then it’s time to hop out of bed to drive into town.
Monday morning religiously starts with our team meeting in the office to review workload and to schedule in everything between the team to ensure we hit our deadlines – one of the most important things to our business!
We’ve recently pushed our own promotion of our work via various social media platforms so we also schedule in the week’s updates and completed jobs to promote.
Then it’s time to make some calls to clients to arrange meetings for the next couple of weeks to catch up on live projects.
A scheduled afternoon conference call with a client based in the Midlands, Trebor Developments, follows lunch. They are speculatively building two industrial schemes in Bristol. The call was with the developer and their agents to discuss the draft marketing brochure, and various ideas and amendments required to move it on. The CGI architects also joined the call to review the angles and types of views required.
Before I call it a day for Monday, I briefed the amends into our studio whilst still fresh, to get an amended version back as soon as possible. Turning work around quickly is also one of the most important services we pride ourselves on.
Tuesday
Early morning seminars are a regular feature of my week and today I’m off to a Breakfast seminar to hear from industry peers on the forecast for 2019. I aim to get around a number of networking events where existing and potential clients will be. Being a niche property marketing agency, I believe clients are impressed with our in-depth knowledge of the market and understanding of developments.
Lunch today is with a client. Luckily, many of my clients have become friends I have met throughout my career as a property agent in Manchester, so a catch up lunch to get the latest gossip about who is moving where, and what new instructions are coming up is always useful!
Some office time is also key today, I need to pull together a couple of quotes for potential new work we’ve been asked to review.
I make an early dart to pick up my eldest son to take him to a boxing class we do together. He retired from football at the grand age of 12, but boxing seems to interest him (likely because I made him sit through the Rocky box set again with me!)
Wednesday
A morning train to London to visit a retained client we have which provides Bridging Finance, to discuss new ideas for 2019 and review how to target new business. We undertake all the marketing for them which includes website updates, e-shots, exhibition stands, adverts and digital marketing.
Then it’s off for lunch with an ex-Manchester contact of mine who works for a fund and is looking to now discuss a profile raising campaign for their NW office. I take a brief, offer my thoughts, and start to plan the quote on the train home. Turning around quotes quickly is important to keep the traction and shows interest in the opportunity.
Thursday
I’m off to meet a potential new client in Liverpool regarding a prime office building they are looking to refurbish and re-brand, they are looking for some help with the marketing. I do enjoy visiting Liverpool – it has so many fabulous buildings all around. In my meeting I was shown the room where Winston Churchill delivered a speech from the balcony! – This I thought will be called the “Churchill room”!
Back to the office, stopping at an office building in Warrington we recently created the marketing collateral for and launched. It’s good to visit previous jobs to see if there are any changes in the area or new marketing opportunities for signage etc.
Back at HQ finishing off the details for a pitch tomorrow we have for a new industrial scheme to be speculatively built. It’s a chance to show off some creative designs for the marketing brochures / web, along with some strong messaging to promote this scheme.
Thursday night – there’s always various property-related events on, whether it be building launches, client socials or corporate entertainment. On this occasion I have my annual get together with a few Nottingham Trent University pals who work in Manchester. One of them is a property developer so it’s always a good chance to hear about his business plans.
Friday
Pitch day! Early start in the office to run through the pitch presentation one last time. All seemed to go well – and now the wait to hear the news.
Today is a good opportunity to catch up on any emails to action and do the most important thing for the business – send out some invoices! I like to do this personally, in order to ensure it’s all correct, and I have continued client communication expressing my thanks for their work and support.
A quick after-work drink with the team is always called for – luckily we have WOOD BAR located in the basement of our building – so it’s not too far to go!
Ready for the weekend – usually consisting of a Saturday lie in, making pancakes for my two boys, kicking a ball around a park, and being a taxi for their football games and busy social lives.
