Colchester Makerspace is seeking a local, skilled and experienced freelance marketing consultant or agency to conduct a marketing audit and develop an actionable marketing plan.

We are a community-driven, not-for-profit organisation that provides access to workshops, tools, equipment, and educational resources for makers, creators, and innovators in Colchester and the surrounding areas.

Project Overview:

We aim to enhance our marketing efforts to increase brand awareness, attract new members, boost class registrations, and foster a thriving maker community.

We require a consultant or agency to:

Conduct a marketing audit:

Analyse our current brand identity, messaging, and positioning.
Evaluate the effectiveness of our website, print materials, online advertising, SEO, and social media presence.
Assess our membership structure, class promotion strategies, and customer journey.

Develop a marketing plan:

Provide clear, actionable recommendations for improvement across all channels over time — for our in-house team (we can't afford to retain an external agency at this stage)
Create a roadmap with prioritised tasks, measurable goals, and a realistic timeline.
Offer guidance on content creation, social media engagement, and community building.
Include a content calendar and implementation guidelines for internal execution.

Key Requirements:

Demonstrated experience in conducting marketing audits and developing effective marketing plans.
Strong understanding of brand strategy, digital marketing, content marketing, and social media marketing.
Excellent communication and presentation skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with our team and understand our unique needs.
Experience working with makerspaces, community organisations, or similar entities is a plus.

Deliverables:

Comprehensive audit report with detailed findings and analysis.
Actionable marketing plan with specific recommendations and implementation guidelines.
Content calendar and supporting resources.

Proposal Submission:

Interested consultants/agencies should submit a proposal to hello@makercampus.co.uk by Midnight on 31st November including:

Professional background and relevant experience.
Proposed approach to the project.
Estimated timeline and budget.
Examples of previous work (case studies or portfolio).

Timeline:

From the point of being awarded the contract, what would your proposed timetable be

Budget:

What are your proposed costs for each step? Are there various packages to suit different budgets?

Selection Criteria:

Expertise and experience.
Clarity and comprehensiveness of the proposal.
Budget and timeline.

We are committed to building a vibrant and sustainable makerspace, and we believe that a strong marketing strategy is crucial to our success. We look forward to receiving your proposals and partnering with a talented consultant or agency to help us achieve our goals.