Fylde CRM and marketing business sets sights on growth

A Fylde-based business that helps other companies strengthen relationships with customers has revealed big plans for growth after receiving support from Boost Business Lancashire.

M4B Ltd provides customer relationship management (CRM) software and sales and marketing support to help firms across the UK get the most from their customer data.

The firm, founded in 2015 by local duo Alex Askew and Gerry Gregoire, looks set to create up to five new jobs and grow turnover by £300,000 over the next three years.

Boost helped the pair access the Growth Support Programme delivered by Winning Pitch. The support has helped Alex and Gerry bring their business plan to life and sets ambitious but achievable growth targets.

The company is already working high-profile organisations, including The Silver Line, the charity helpline for older people that was founded by Esther Rantzen, and Procurement Hub, part of Places for People, one of the UK’s largest property management and regeneration companies.

Alex said: “We want to focus on winning further high-profile clients. The support we’ve received from the Growth Support Programme has given us the confidence and mindset to engage with these bigger corporate companies.

“After attending the workshops, we had a clearer approach to the business plan and our priorities. We were able to create a long-term vision for M4B.”

Boost is the name for the Lancashire Business Growth Hub. It is led by the Lancashire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership) and Lancashire County Council and supported by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Alex found out about the support on offer from Boost at the Blackpool Expo event. He has since attended two days of Lean Launchpad events and both Alex and Gerry have received a further 16-hours of coaching under the Growth Support Programme.

The pair will also benefit from Winning Pitch’s Grow-How Masterclasses. Boost has put the business, based at Jubilee House in Lytham St Annes, in touch with Lancaster University as it is looking to create graduate work placements as the business grows.

Rona McFall, head of entrepreneurial solutions at Winning Pitch, said: “The support we’ve provided has helped Alex and Gerry hone their sales pitch and focus on selling the benefits of their products. It has also helped them focus on the financials and understanding pricing and margins. They are in much better shape to achieve the growth they desire.”

The fully-funded Growth Support Programme, delivered by Winning Pitch and Enterprise4all, provides help to develop a personal action plan, Lean Launchpad sessions outlining key principles for developing a new business and one-to-one coaching support for business owners.

Boost has received £3.8m of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. The Department for Communities and Local Government is the Managing Authority for ERDF.

Established by the European Union, ERDF funds help local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.  For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.