Four Square & Edinburgh Furniture Initiative - Fractional Marketing Manager & Partnerships
The Challenge
Four Square, an Edinburgh homeless charity and leader in Scotland’s furniture reuse sector, had a powerful mission however, their CEO was aware that their marketing lacked a clear path. Their digital presence, including their social media, lacked consistency, and, with increasing competition in the reuse market, they were struggling to define their position more broadly. They knew they needed to be more creative and communicate their value more clearly to attract quality donations and drive sales, but with a lean team, they weren't sure where to start.
The Solution
Starting in January 2024, I was contracted by the leadership team at Four Square to transform their approach from reactive to strategic. My process began with a deep dive into their existing marketing activities and income generation across all aspects of the organisation.
I conducted an extensive audit of all their channels, analysed existing analytics, and provided a comprehensive report detailing an overview of their market position and the competitive landscape.
This report wasn't just a document; it was a roadmap. Following a detailed presentation to the CEO, I transitioned into a Fractional Strategic Marketing Manager role to implement the recommendations. This involved:
Setting the Groundwork: Before the marketing plan could be engaged, there were preliminary tasks to complete such as ensuring that the right people were in place to support both internally and externally.
Building a Strategic Foundation: I created a year-long campaign map and established clear processes and guides to empower the Four Square team to manage aspects of their marketing internally.
Improving Visual Design: I refreshed their visual design , created templates and refreshed brand guidelines.
Formalising a Partnership Programme: Initiated and launched the group’s Corporate Donation Partners Programme, prospecting and nurturing value-aligned corporate relationships across Edinburgh to boost furniture donations, fundraising and brand reach. One such partnership was Neilsons, Edinburgh’s largest estate agents.
Leading Key Campaigns: I now lead the development and execution of their main campaigns, focusing on their social media, web content and email strategy.
Volunteer Innovation & Impact: Partnered with the Volunteer Manager to create innovative roles such as the Digital Champions programme. Embedded improved storytelling to generate new volunteer interest and engagement.
Executive Governance: Synthesised monthly marketing and engagement analytics, presenting performance update directly to the Board of Trustees and presenting at annual organisation away day.
Key Wins
Having my work cited in the annual report.
Increasing web visits traffic through higher-ranked pages for key search terms.
A significant increase in social media following and engagement through consistent content improvements and clearer processes.
Google Ads management via an agency resulting in significant lead generation.
Development of clearer processes leading to better employee engagement with marketing
Originated and confirmed a partnership with Scotland’s largest decluttering service.
Originated and confirmed a partnership with Edinburgh’s largest estate agent.
Creation of the Digital Champions Volunteer programme.
