Bringing strategic clarity and additional marketing capacity ahead of peak season

Uniquely Local curates over 300 Yorkshire-based gift experiences, championing independent local businesses through thoughtfully designed experience gifting.

Founded and led by Managing Director Rachel Marshall, the business experiences a significant surge in demand during the Christmas period.

The Context

As Uniquely Local prepared for its busiest season, Rachel knew two things:

• Marketing activity was already happening

• But the business could benefit from greater clarity, structure, and capacity heading into peak

Content was being produced, but without a single strategic plan guiding positioning, priorities and metrics. With Christmas approaching and operational demands increasing, Rachel wanted confidence that marketing was aligned, purposeful, and manageable.

Her goal was clear:

A simple, structured marketing plan, and support executing it, without adding to her workload during peak season.

The GrowthBox Approach

GrowthBox worked closely with Rachel to shape both Uniquely Local’s marketing plan and the then early-stage GrowthBox proposition itself.

Rather than starting with content, we started with clarity. Here’s what we did:

Phase 1: Strategic foundations in place

• GrowthBox Marketing Diagnostic Audit

• Market and competitor analysis

• Developed clear positioning in a crowded experiences market

• Defined content pillars linked to business priorities

• Created a seasonal marketing plan aligned to Christmas demand

Phase 2: Content Execution & Capacity Support

• Over 30 social media posts created for Facebook and Instagram

• 10 posts published directly by GrowthBox during the trial

• 4 blog articles aligned to the agreed content pillars

• Weekly business updates captured via a simple, low-effort process

This ensured content stayed relevant, timely, and grounded in what was actually happening in the business…without demanding extra time from Rachel.

What Worked Best

Experience-led content performed strongest. Posts that showcased the real experiences Uniquely Local offers, rather than generic promotions, resonated most, helping bring the brand’s value to life during peak gifting season.

Just as importantly, Rachel had:

• A clear plan to guide decisions

• Confidence that marketing was being handled

• Time back during an intense operational period

Rachel’s Feedback

“What GrowthBox brought was clarity. Having a clear marketing plan and content direction meant everything felt more joined-up, especially heading into Christmas. The content support was a huge help when I was busy with orders, but the real value was knowing there was a plan behind it all.”

Rachel Marshall, Managing Director, Uniquely Local

The Outcome

• A clear, documented marketing strategy for Uniquely Local

• Content aligned to business priorities and seasonal demand

• Reduced stress and decision fatigue during peak season

• A stronger foundation for future marketing activity, both internally and with external partners

Rachel has since successfully sold and exited the business.