Variety is the spice of life, they say.
And Katrina Cliffe certainly enjoys the varied nature of her work as founder and director of Huddersfield-based KC Communications – a company providing marketing consultancy and marketing manager services to clients including SMEs and education trusts.
Katrina, who lives at Lindley, set up the business after gaining wide experience in the sector working for a number of companies, notably the multi-award winning agency Attik.
Now she is putting her expertise to good use developing marketing strategies to help client companies raise their profile and by providing support in terms of PR, social media, web development and graphic design.
Katrina attended Salendine Nook High School and took a modern apprenticeship in business administration. Her first job was with Leeds-based recruitment agency Moves, where she first got involved in marketing, advertising and design. She began as a receptionist, but got promoted to a marketing role helping candidates prepare for their jobs.
Katrina went on to spend four years at design agency Attik as account executive at its Fitzwilliam Street offices before leaving to work for Internet Direct in Marsden.
She went on to take a number of “small jobs” before a former boss from Moves offered her a post as marketing services manager in Ireland with telephone billing specialist I-Conx Solutions.
“I was based from home, but I travelled to Dublin once a month and internationally as required for conferences and events,” says Katrina. “I was there for five-and-a-half years. The job was great and I was working from home with two children by that stage.
“But I felt I needed to do something different. I decided I wanted to do something for myself, so I told myself to get on with it and do it!”
The result was KC Communications, now based in shared offices at Bates Mill on Colne Road.
Says Katrina: “While it was still just an idea in my head, I contacted some of the local networking groups to meet other businesses – and one of them, Sheards Accountants, became my first client. Paradigm Creative also came on board.
“I had two clients in the first month in business. In September this year, another two clients came on board. All the work ‘kicked off’ in September and it was quite daunting.
“I was developing four separate marketing plans for four different businesses in different industries. I was working all night and weekends to get them turned around.”
Katrina has now established the marketing strategies for all four clients – who also include Leeds-based Temple Learning Academy and the Sikh-ethos Khalsa Education Trust.
Says Katrina: “These are businesses that don’t need a full-time marketing manager. Instead, we provide the services and work as an outsource marketing manager. I can put myself in the client’s position.
“I know what they want to achieve in the long term. I can also look at things from the consultancy view – working on a campaign and how that will link into a further campaign.
“It is a really nice way to work, but clients have to trust you to do that. That’s what makes it different. I have been lucky with the clients I have on board. They are fantastic people to work with.”
Along with the 12-month marketing strategy, clients get detailed reports each month about their performance in areas such as web hits and publicity.
Social media is a vital part of the mix – and Katrina is keen to expand that angle.
Now Katrina has taken on an apprentice, who she hopes will provide additional support for the growing business.
“Social media ties into everything my clients are doing,” she says. “It is a large part of clients’ activities. To get the most from using social media, they have to have someone dedicated to it and the rest of the people in the company buying into it.
“It’s about attracting the right audience and helping to grow the business.”
Once committed to marketing via social media, companies have to keep at it. “I came across a company that last tweeted in 2013,” says Katrina. “Tweets and blogs aren’t the be all and end all because you have to make everything else work, too. But social media is the way to get out there.”
Says Katrina: “In the last few weeks, I have had more business enquiries from potential clients, including small businesses, a charity and a firm of architects. It’s busy, but everything is running smoothly.”
Help is now at hand with the appointment of an apprentice. “It’s something I started thinking about a few weeks ago,” says Katrina.
“I felt that I might be trying to run before I could walk, but I wanted to give someone else the sort of opportunity I had when I was an apprentice.
“There’s so much talk about young people not working and not wanting to work. I want to give someone else the opportunity.”
Katrina is still studying. A few years ago she gained the Chartered Institute of Marketing diploma in marketing and communications – while working full-time and raising two young children. Now she is studying for a diploma in digital marketing.
“People tell me I have an old head on young shoulders,” she says. “I bought my first house when I was 18. I’ve always been determined to succeed.”
Among other activities, Katrina is a non-executive director of Glint, the non-profit organisation run by Huddersfield woman Heidi Dawson, who has developed “horse assisted development” as a fun and effective alternative to traditional business coaching, therapy and training. Katrina is also vice-chair of Lindley out of school club,
“I met Heidi a few years ago when I went to her for some coaching,” says Katrina.
“Glint provides horse assisted work in team building, working with companies, individuals and young people. I have seen how it works and it’s amazing.”
Most important of all, Katrina also finds time to support a charity close to her heart, Tommy’s. The charity funds research into pregnancy problems and provides information to parents.
Katrina suffered from pregnancy-related problems that led to her first child, Casey, being stillborn at 20 weeks. Katrina and husband John’s eldest daughter, Stevie, now nine, was born prematurely – while it was thanks to medical advances that younger daughter Jaime, three, was born full-term.
Earlier this year, John, his father Richard and friend Mark Storey raced across Europe in a £500 banger to raise £6,200 for Tommy’s. The four-day race saw 100 cars travel 3,000 miles across Europe – via northern France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland to Milan before heading back via Lyon, Paris and Dunkirk.
Katrina took part in the 10k Great Yorkshire Run in Sheffield to support Tommy’s.
“That was my way of giving something back,” she says. “I try to do what I can for Tommy’s.”
Role: Director
Age: 31
Family: Married to John with children Stevie, nine, and Jaime, three
Holidays: My favourite places are New York and Lanzarote
First job: Receptionist at Moves Recruitment
Car: Ford Focus
Best thing about the job? The wide variety of clients I work with. They are all passionate about their customers and – in the case of the schools, their pupils
Worst thing about the job? When everyone wants something doing all at once. You try to make sure everything is running smoothly, but it doesn’t always happen
Business tip: If you have an idea and are passionate about it, go for it. It’s about taking a chance and maximising opportunities. And make sure you have a good team around you
Work: Marketing consultancy and marketing manager resource
Site: Colne Road, Huddersfield
Phone: 01484 829029
Email: katrina@kccomms.co.uk.
Web: www.kccomms.co.uk
