2. 1.0 Introduction
The purpose of this strategy is to concentrate resources on optimal opportunities, with the aim of achieving local,
regional and national visibility, as well as sustainable competitive advantage. The strategy and accompanying Page
Plans set out our priorities for the coming three years; enabling everyone working in, or closely with, NEP Marketing
and Communications to understand our collective goals and take ownership of achieving excellence in our
communications.
1.1 Goal setting; what do we aim to achieve?
This marketing strategy is underpinned by an ambitious growth strategy. The Strategic Economic Plan (SEP) for
Northamptonshire outlines NEP and our partners’ growth strategy, which will deliver 32,500 new jobs and 37,000
new homes by 2021; increasing to 70,000 new jobs and 80,000 new homes by 2031.
We know that Northamptonshire is the place for growth, but it is important that our local and regional partners
understand this, as well as the rest of the UK and beyond. Our goal is to work in collaboration with Government,
business and our wider partners and stakeholders to deliver economic growth, increased prosperity, more jobs and a
well-qualified workforce. Our marketing strategy establishes NEP as:
 One of the UK’s preeminent LEPs,
 Recognised both for its delivery and strategic capability,
 A thought leader in local, regional, national and key sector trade networks,
 An organisation whose opinions matter, and
 Representing a county that delivers on its ambition and priorities.
See Appendix One – SEP Strategy on a Page for more information.
1.2 Background to Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire continues to enjoy one of the fastest growing populations and highest employment rates in the
country, reflecting the vibrancy of the economy and our overall lifestyle offer.
Northamptonshire is positioned in the SEP as The Place for Growth - perfectly situated at the heart of the country
and the crossroads of the rail and road network, providing a premier location for inward and local investors.
Importantly, Northamptonshire has a serious appetite for growth, welcoming employment and housing
development, with a portfolio of market ready sites and premises to deliver on our ambitions.
1.3 Outperforming our Competitors through differentiation and collaboration
One of 39 LEPs in the UK with responsibility for driving economic growth in partnership with the private and public
sector, NEP has an excellent track record to build upon, with 95% of our businesses commending us.
Different from many other LEPs, in that we deliver products and services to businesses and are effectively resourced
to do so, through effective collaboration we will accelerate the reputation of NEP as a high performing ‘top 3’ LEP –
an authority not only on the whole local economy locally, but also in the national LEP landscape – an asset to
Northamptonshire with a voice at the micro ‘super local’ level through to the national and international stage.
2.0 Context; High Profile Moments
2014-17 will be marked by a series of planned high profile events and milestones, where marketing and
communications will play a significant role (some 2014-15 examples are included in Figure 1.0 below). Whilst these
high profile moments will shape the months ahead and demand the very best of our team, of equal import is the
vital day-to-day function which underpins not only the delivery, but also the strategic reputation building and overall
effective operation of NEP.
Our challenge is to enable sufficient resource to be allocated to the day-to-day even during the busiest times. To this
end, effective planning and collaboration will be a prerequisite of achieving excellence in our communications. An
annual events programme (already in development) shaped in conjunction with business area leads will enable
equitable planning for all SEP related areas.

3. 2.0.1 FIGURE 1.0 – High Profile Moments
2.1 Collaboration
Building effective partnerships will play an increasingly important role in the coming months. At the time of writing
NEP is at a key point of transition as it gears up to deliver its SEP and European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF)
Strategy, moving from a strong delivery focus to an organisation that is equally known for its strategic capability,
economic intelligence, inclusivity, commissioning capability and whole system mobilisation. Through effective
collaboration NEP’s transition will be communicated to a local, national and international audience, with the
organisation positioned as a high performing ‘top 3’ authoritative LEP in the process. We will draw not only on the
voices of trusted intermediaries (partners) but also our recently refreshed and wholly representative governance
structure.
2.1.1 FIGURE 2.0 – Partnerships – see over.

5. 2.2 Our Environment
See Appendix Two - Northamptonshire SWOT.
3.0 Corporate and Marketing Objectives
Our strategy concentrates resources on the four key strands of the SEP, each having distinct marketing objectives
which are as follows:
Business and Innovation
 Attract new investment to the county
 Pursue opportunities to extend market reach
 Support retention and development of big employers
 Support key sector development
 Enable business start-up and growth
 Enable easy access to business support, funding and advice
 Help businesses to internationalise their products
Employment and Skills
 Help implement the Northamptonshire Skills strategy, prioritising future workforce supply-side issues
 Champion high quality education and training
 Attract young people into growth sectors
 Stimulate apprenticeship referrals
 Communicate progress in relation to critical infrastructure developments
Infrastructure and Connectivity
 Communicate the immediate impacts of transport / office space investment as an enabler of local growth:
removing barriers to sustainable growth, accelerating housing delivery and bringing employment sites to market
 Articulate the benefits of specific transport / office space investments, e.g. via Northamptonshire Revolving
Infrastructure Fund (NRIF), Local Growth Fund (LGF) and Growing Places Fund
 Champion Northamptonshire’s collaborative approach to infrastructure investment across all areas – physical,
environmental, digital and social – as well as the benefits of investment in specific projects (right product, right
place)
 Support the promotion of market ready major investment sites
Housing
 Build the narrative at local level; Northamptonshire’s fast growing population, accelerated housing development
that is imperative to meet anticipated 2021 demand
 Endorse the benefits to the local economy / communities of Northamptonshire’s sustainable approach;
Sustainable Urban Extensions (SUEs) and their important contribution to achieving housing targets
 Champion best practice examples e.g. Priors Hall (OU recognised catalytic investment)
 Help communicate the distinct and different housing markets that operate within Northamptonshire
4.0 The Plan for each business area
To follow are one page plans for each business area. These plans summarise:
 Key partners
 Target audience
 Messaging
 High profile moments
 Day to day
 Proposed marketing mix
 Assumptions and principles of our approach
 Budget
In delivering this work we advocate good planning (with flexibility where its needed); collaboration, where it makes
sense, from the micro ultra-local level through to regional and national partnerships; working with targets that are
measurable, expressed numerically where possible and focussed on outcomes not outputs; where possible relating
work to changing attitudes / behaviours; cost effective channels and routes to market.

10. 5.0 Expected Results
The marketing function will deliver measurable results for all four key SEP areas. In addition the University of
Northampton will support with an annual awareness benchmarking exercise for brand Northamptonshire.
Corporate metrics will vary according to objectives, will be agreed in advance with business area leads, and will
typically include:
PR/Press and Public Affairs Lobbying – both qualitative and quantitative performance measures, concentrating on
agreed targets / influence / tone and share of voice etc.
Web / digital – year on year increases in web engagement and E-Communications, as well as improved conversion
rates in relation to enquiries e.g. funding streams, Growth Hub leads.
Social Media – consistently top 3 in the LEP landscape on social media channels (based on an industry standard
KLOUT scoring).
Leverage - sponsorship and commercial contributions secured to part finance marketing activity.

11. Appendices
Appendix One – SEP Strategy on a Page:

12. Appendix Two – Northamptonshire SWOT:

13. Appendix Two Contd.