Why this is the time to boost your Suffolk business
If you’re a Suffolk business, now is the time to make the most of the county’s booming media profile.
Suffolk was the location of two major film productions last year and this summer the county will be given another boost with Sheeran’s homecoming gigs in Ipswich.
Yesterday, released in June, captures our beautiful county in all its glory with many local businesses and locations included in the film. The main character, Jack Malik (played by Himesh Patel) is a struggling musician from Suffolk who realises that he is the only person to remember the Beatles after a bike accident. You’ll notice many of the places in the movie, from the scenes at Latitude Festival to shots of Shingle Street, Halesworth High Street and Gorleston beach.
The Personal History of David Copperfield, due to be released in October, was filmed in Bury St Edmunds last summer. The retelling of the Charles Dicken’s novel has a star-studded cast including Dev Patel, Hugh Laurie, Peter Capaldi and Tilda Swinton. Its release will continue to keep Suffolk in the forefront through to the end of the year.
Ed Sheeran’s gigs this month will bring national attention to Ipswich and be an economic boost. The following exhibition, Ed Sheeran: Made in Suffolk, at Christchurch Mansion, will feature portraits, photos and items. The display will run for nine months, making it a tourist attraction until May 2020.
Make the most of those visiting the county to see the gigs, exhibition, or after seeing Suffolk on the big screen, by promoting your business to them. In the UK we’re not great at plugging ourselves and our businesses, but we really should be taking this opportunity to shout loud and proud!
Here are some ideas to make the most of Suffolk’s media presence:
- Run an Instagram and/or Facebook advert on the lead up to the Sheeran gigs
If you’re an Ipswich based business in particular, you’ll want to appeal to those coming into town for the gigs. You could set your advert locations to the wider location area, to target those that will be travelling in and might not know where to eat, shop or visit during their stay. This way people will have already heard of your business before they arrive and factor you into their trip.
- Create Ed Sheeran/Yesterday/David Copperfield related products
If you’re a maker then perhaps you could produce your own themed products – a unique print of Fram castle maybe? I’ll leave the ideas up to the experts!
- Run a promotion or offer to get new customers
- Create a themed window display
- Staff dress up day
There are so many ways you could link your business to what’s going on in the county and promote your business too.
If you’d like help with your marketing, feel free to drop me a message!
