Recognising a need for stronger professional connections amongst SMEs, Insight Consultancy and Landmark Property Solutions stepped up in 2023 to address the absence of business networking events in central Leicester's New Walk area.
Project Timeline
May 2023 - ongoing
Supported In
Having enjoyed success with their serviced offices in Milton Keynes, Landmark Property Solutions came to Insight for support in increasing interest and occupancy of their Leicester offices. They asked for our support across various marketing efforts related to building their brand.
Ultimately, the goal was to create enough awareness that if an SME needed a serviced office provider, the name Landmark would immediately come to mind. Getting people through the door to experience the facility firsthand would be an important step in that process.
Putting ourselves in the shoes of potential tenants, we looked for opportunities to provide value. After much deliberation, we landed on the creation of an accessible professional networking event in central Leicester. We saw this as an opportunity to put Landmark’s New Walk offices on the map, meeting a need by using it as the location for hosting this much-needed event.
In partnership with Landmark Property Solutions, we then launched the Social Circle Networking Event, an initiative aimed at developing connections within Leicester’s diverse business sector. This free, in-person networking event was established at New Walk and is designed to provide entrepreneurs, freelancers, contractors, and small businesses with the means to expand their professional and social networks.
The events have been incredibly successful on both a marketing and community level, as we share below.
The Challenges.
Launching the Social Circle Networking Event wasn’t without its challenges. Building awareness and establishing a loyal attendee base required strategic marketing across multiple channels and plenty of word-of-mouth promotion.
Securing a consistent lineup of speakers who match the event’s educational and professional standards has also come with its own set of challenges, although it has become easier to find willing speakers as the event gains a positive reputation and higher attendee numbers.
How We Helped.
We played a key role in promoting Social Circle events, ensuring maximum visibility and engagement.
To drive sign-ups, we strategically employed a mix of organic and paid social media marketing, which led to a significant increase in registrations leading up to each event. Additionally, we optimised the Eventbrite page, setting it to recur every last Wednesday of the month, creating a consistent and predictable schedule for attendees. To further drive engagement, we also designed and sent out email campaigns, ensuring the event was top-of-mind for potential attendees.
To ensure a seamless experience, we provided event hosting support, overseeing logistics and coordination to ensure everything ran smoothly.
In terms of offline marketing, we designed print materials, including flyers, posters, and roller banners, to raise awareness among local communities, particularly around New Walk.
Our involvement extended to capturing media and photography during the event, helping to increase awareness and provide content for future promotions. To ensure continuous improvement, we collected valuable feedback from attendees through surveys, allowing us to refine future events based on their insights.
The Results.
The Social Circle Networking Event has exceeded its initial goals and created a thriving professional network in central Leicester. The collaboration between Insight Consultancy and Landmark Property Solutions has demonstrated the power of partnership in achieving shared goals.
In 2024, in partnership with Landmark, we were announced as finalists at the East Midlands Chamber Awards in the category ‘Excellence in Collaboration’ for Social Circle, and subsequently, in 2025, we were named as finalists for the Real Entrepreneur Awards in the ‘Entrepreneurial Collaborator’ category.
For Landmark
- Boosted brand awareness in Leicester
- 38% rise in occupancy rates in Leicester offices
- Improved tenant retention rates
For Insight Consultancy
- Increased brand visibility
- Support local SMEs with free marketing advice
- Network growth
+Over 200
attendees in 18 months
+93%
of attendees made valuable connections at Social Circle
+100%
of attendees would recommend Social Circle to a friend or another business
The Future.
Building on the success of the Social Circle Networking Event, Insight Consultancy and Landmark Property Solutions are exploring a range of new initiatives, markets, and opportunities. This includes expanding Social Circle to new locations and introducing new sponsorship packages designed to attract larger local businesses.
I loved the format and it was informative as well as relaxed… wish I had known about it sooner.
- Anonymous survey response
