Communications That Delivered the North Essex Economic Board’s Ambitions
Working as the communications agency on behalf of the North Essex Economic Board since 2024, we helped NEEB to amplify it’s message and reach new businesses and residents across the North Essex using a variety of marketing strategies and channels.
The North Essex Economic Board (NEEB) is a strategic partnership of local authorities working together to drive sustainable economic growth across North Essex. By bringing member councils together — including Braintree, Maldon, Tendring and Uttlesford district councils, Colchester and Chelmsford city councils, and Essex County Council, NEEB operates on a simple but powerful idea: that when public sector partners pool their resources, expertise, and influence, the whole region benefits far more than it would if each council acted alone.
NEEB's mission is about creating the right conditions for businesses to thrive, attracting investment into the region, improving skills and employment opportunities for local people, and building an economy that's resilient, ambitious, and ready for the future.
Without a dedicated communications team, the North Essex Economic Board needed a communications partner to help them tell their story and raise awareness of the initiatives they were delivering across the region.
Starting in 2024, the Let’s Do Marketing team got stuck in straight away – building a new communications strategy from the ground up, finding the right voice for the Board, and making sure the important work happening across North Essex was reaching the businesses, stakeholders, and communities it needed to.
By the time our contract concluded in March 2026, we had significantly grown their social media channels, increased traffic to the NEEB website, launched and managed a regular newsletter, produced case studies, press releases, and a steady stream of web content, and delivered the marketing NEEB’s exciting programmes.
Where Let’s Do Marketing came in
For all the important work NEEB was doing in the region, awareness among businesses and the wider public was limited. There was a real opportunity — and a real need — to build a communications presence that matched the ambition and potential of the partnership behind it.
“Working with a public sector client like NEEB requires more than marketing expertise — it requires a genuine understanding of the accountability, stakeholder sensitivities, and communication standards that come with representing a public body. Let’s Do Marketing brought all of that to the table from day one. ”
That's where we came in. Let's Do Marketing was brought on board to build and manage NEEB's communications from the ground up — working as a fully embedded delivery partner rather than a hands-off agency. We took the time to understand the goals, its stakeholders, and the specific sensitivities that come with communicating on behalf of a public sector partnership. From day one, our role was to:
Grow awareness of NEEB and its mission across the North Essex business community and beyond
Create a consistent stream of engaging content that showcased the Board's real-world impact, including NEEB’s part in driving inward investment into the region
Position NEEB as a credible, authoritative, and approachable voice in regional economic development
Market key programmes effectively, ensuring they reached the businesses and individuals who needed them most
Build a joined-up communications infrastructure that the NEEB could rely on — and grow from
What we did
Building good communications for a public sector organisation like NEEB wasn’t about being loud - it was about being consistent, credible, and clear. Across every channel, that's exactly what we delivered.
Social Media Management
The North Essex Economic Board is an organisation with a lot to say – and needed the right partner to help it say it. We developed a tailored content strategy and created a regular programme of posts across LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram, that aimed to engage with the community of business owners, local authority partners, investors, and residents interested in the future of North Essex. We created branded templates and a cohesive style for NEEB’s marketing materials – giving NEEB credibility and ability to stand out on the timeline, the desk and beyond, with a new branding pack including full and half page ads, social media posts, leaflets and posters.
Every piece of content was created to reflect the authority and impact of the North Essex Economic Board while remaining genuinely accessible and engaging — striking the balance that public sector communications can sometimes struggle to find.
Each channel we managed saw large growth – with great engagement and exposure that elevated the impact of NEEB’s programmes, leading to increased web traffic, event bookings and enquiries.
LinkedIn – an increase of 410% in follower growth
Facebook – an increased of 1321% of page followers/likes
Instagram – an increase of 1893% in followers
Newsletter Production & Distribution
Taking management of the North Essex Economic Board’s email marketing platform, we designed and delivered a new monthly newsletter that would keep NEEB’s growing audience informed and engaged. From sourcing stories and writing copy to designing the layout and managing distribution, Let's Do Marketing handled the whole process end-to-end. That meant NEEB board and team could focus on their work, confident that someone was communicating it well.
The newsletter quickly became one of NEEB's most valued communications tools, building a engaged audience and consistently performing above sector benchmarks.
24 newsletters produced and distributed
Subscriber base grew with an increase of 379%)
Average open rate of 33.65% (20% higher than industry average)
Average click-through rate of 6.3% (industry average is 1.3-2.65%)
Case Studies & Website Content
One of the most effective things any organisation can do is show - not just tell - what it's achieving. We researched, wrote, and published a series of case studies for the NEEB website that brought the NEEB’s impact to life, spotlighting the businesses, projects, and communities benefiting from NEEB's work across North Essex.
Alongside case studies, we produced a steady flow of news articles, programme updates, and web copy - keeping the NEEB website active, relevant, and useful. This content served a dual purpose: keeping existing stakeholders in the loop while making a compelling case to potential new partners and investors about why NEEB is worth engaging with.
2 case studies produced and published
21 website articles and news updates written
Website traffic increased by 668% over the contract period, from 2486 annual visitors on the 2024 baseline to 19093 by March 2026.
Campaign support
Young Entrepreneurs Programme
The Young Entrepreneurs Programme was one of NEEB’s most exciting initiatives – and Let’s Do Marketing are proud to have played a key role in bringing it to life. A programme aimed at showcasing the career opportunities for young people beyond mainstream education routes, Young Entrepreneurs covered several aspects; from entrepreneurial skills to turn a hobby into an income and a small business, trading at local markets, and accessing free training available
We supported both the organisation and marketing of the programme – marketing key aspects of the programme through social media, press releases and articles, as well as facilitating engagement with local schools alongside the NEEB Steering Board to ensure the programme reached its target audiences.
Through the promotional activity, a total of 146 young people from across North Essex engaged in the programme – 146 young people that have now had a glimpse into the possibilities of entrepreneurship, and have learnt new skills that will take them far.
The North Essex Expo
We supported NEEB’s sponsorship of the North Essex Business Expo in 2024/2025, and created and advertised the competition opportunity for 20 local businesses to claim free stands at the expo and showcase their products and services in each year.
A great opportunity for small businesses in North Essex, we created the framework for small businesses to apply and to win a stand for their business, including new website content, press releases, social media and newsletter collateral.
Numbers matter, and we're proud of the ones we helped NEEB achieve. Across every channel and programme, our work drove real, measurable growth — building an audience, generating reach, and connecting the Board's work with the people who needed to see it.
A Communications Legacy
One of the things we're proudest of is that the work Let's Do Marketing delivered for NEEB didn't just produce results during the contract — it left something lasting behind. The infrastructure, audiences, and assets we built together give the Board a strong foundation to keep communicating effectively long into the future. NEEB now has:
An active and growing social media presence with an established, engaged following
A library of case studies and content that tells a compelling story of impact to future partners and investors
A newsletter audience who are genuinely opted in and interested in the Board's work
Established media relationships and a track record of coverage that lends real authority to the Board's voice
A suite of programme marketing templates and brand assets ready to support whatever comes next
Wider impact on North Essex
The most meaningful impact of this work goes well beyond click rates and follower counts. By growing genuine awareness of the North Essex Economic Board — what it is, what it stands for, and what it's actually delivering — Let's Do Marketing has played a real part in shaping how the region understands and engages with its own economic future.
When businesses understand what NEEB is working towards, they engage with its programmes. When residents see the Board's work communicated clearly, they understand why regional partnerships matter. When investors and potential partners encounter a professional, well-communicated organisation with an active presence and a track record, they take it seriously. Awareness isn't a soft outcome — it's the foundation for everything else.
As NEEB continues to grow its ambitions, it does so with a stronger voice, a wider audience, and a communications strategy that demonstrates real credibility that Let’s Do Marketing are proud to have played a key part in building. It’s a great example of what's possible when public sector organisations choose the right communications partner.
