Case study: Building awareness and engagement for a local cookery school
Client: Harts Barn Cookery School
What we did
We managed all digital marketing for this dynamic cookery school in Gloucestershire, focusing on enhancing brand awareness, increasing class enrolment and driving engagement both online and offline.
The challenge
As a well-established cookery school in the Forest of Dean, Harts Barn wanted to strengthen its online presence and stand out in a competitive market. They needed to showcase their range of classes, highlight their expertise and build a stronger connection with their community of food lovers.
The objectives
- Increase awareness of the cookery school and its unique offerings
- Drive more class bookings and repeat participation
- Build a loyal and engaged online community
- Position Harts Barn Cookery School as a trusted authority in food and cookery education
- Demonstrate the value and impact of their classes to a wide variety of people
Our strategy
We developed a digital-first marketing approach, combining rich website content with dynamic social media activity and email marketing to showcase the school’s expertise, personality and local roots. This included short-form video, professional photography, student testimonials, chef soundbites, engaging influencers and collaboration with local media to create authentic content that resonated with both new and existing audiences. We wanted to highlight the personality, expertise and fun atmosphere of the school, giving audiences a glimpse behind the scenes and helping to bring the brand to life.
The implementation
Website – created rich, high-quality content including recipes, interviews and articles on culinary trends to boost visibility and authority
Social media – managed Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, sharing creative, engaging posts featuring cooking tips, student stories and behind-the-scenes moments from classes
Email marketing and newsletters – grew subscribers by sharing regular updates, recipes, new classes and exclusive content to keep the community engaged and drive bookings
Content creation – on hand to capture a variety of events, classes, private tuition and cookery school hire
Community engagement – strengthened brand loyalty through ongoing interaction with students, partners and followers, fostering a vibrant and supportive community both online and offline
The results
Harts Barn Cookery School achieved greater brand visibility and stronger engagement across all digital platforms. The website became a hub for food lovers seeking inspiration, while social media activity led to increased class bookings, repeat attendance and a thriving online community.
What they said about working with us
Alex thinks carefully about the promotion, communicates very effectively and has positively contributed to our offering as a new valued member of the team. All my reservations changing to something new has been seamless with Alex’s cool, calm and thoughtful approach.
Harts Barn Cookery School, Longhope, Gloucestershire