Background
Fiona Ballantyne and her team specialise in all aspects of market research, feasibility studies and in the development of marketing strategies and plans. Her market research activities include: desk research, B2B and customer research, attitudinal and staff surveys within organisations as well as impact assessments for projects and initiatives, marketing activities and publicity materials.
Her clients range from blue chip companies to government and economic development agencies, and from small and medium sized enterprises to academic institutions and not-for-profit
organisations. Typically, these clients are facing change in the markets that they serve, want to assess the impact of projects, or wish to improve the effectiveness of their marketing effort. The team has developed particular expertise in the education, not-for-profit and tourism and leisure sectors and has assisted in the preparation of successful bids for Lottery funding.
As a senior manager with the Scottish Development Agency, becoming Director, Tayside and Fife in 1988, Fiona had responsibility for a range of services including trade and export development, small business advisory and business development services, property development and regeneration projects such as the £184m Dundee Project.
Fiona has experience of reorganisation and change management in a variety of
organisations, both as a manager and as a consultant. She has particular skills in business development, strategic marketing and planning, and in communications - both internal and external. She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and of the Market Research Society.
People
Solutions
Lothian Region Council
Facilitated staff attitude surveys for Lothian Region Council, Scottish Sport, Dumfries and Galloway College and Barony College during times of considerable cultural change. The research helped to identify staff concerns and attitudes towards change, and to develop communication and management strategies to manage the period of change more effectively.
Historic Scotland
Facilitated a series of workshops for Historic Scotland to develop staff-inspired solutions to problems and issues identified in a recent staff survey.
Training & Development
Managing Change Seminars
Facilitating Managing Change Seminars for the Byre Theatre, Dance Base, MacRobert, An Lantair, Scottish Youth Theatre and others.
Mentoring
Experienced coach and mentor, working through the Institute of Directors’ Executive Partnership Programme, and the Scottish Enterprise Business
Mentoring Programme.
Sales and Marketing
Strategy and Solutions
Scottish Forestry Trust
Proof of Concept Study for the Scottish Forestry Trust to identify demand, and potential project champions, for a dynamic demonstration building and centre of excellence. The building would provide accommodation for timber and forestry organisations in an environmentally efficient and sustainable building, which would also act as a live test-bed for new developments in timber and wood products.
Market Research/Intelligence
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
Customer attitude research and customer profile development for the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and development of recommendations for the organisation’s first Interpretation Plan. The Plan is designed to increase intellectual and physical access for the Garden’s many visitors, and to increase understanding of the work of the RBGE, and of its role as an international research institution.
Multi-national business-to-business survey
Provided for a manufacturer of electronic point-of-sale credit card terminals. The research investigated the attitudes of senior staff in financial organisations towards the company’s product and service levels. This led to a major re-evaluation of the company’s approach to servicing its client group, and to further product development.
Retail Menswear Chain
Menswear chain with a very successful Scottish outlet had expanded into the south, but found it difficult to replicate the success of its Glasgow outlet. Through customer research we were able to develop a better understanding of the purchasing decision process, customer attitudes towards the company, and to profile customer groups more accurately. This led to a complete restructuring of the company’s promotional strategy, which is now improving the performance of the new outlets.
Perthshire the Brand
Research and development work for a branding concept for Perthshire, to bring together Perthshire’s key themes and to be used in the promotion and interpretation of Perthshire’s exceptional natural heritage assets. The result was the Big Trees Country concept that is now being applied throughout Perthshire’s forest and woodland sites. Interpretation Guidelines have been produced for the application of the brand across signage, interpretation boards, and printed matter.
The Wise Group
Stakeholder Study for The Wise Group in order to assess the market’s perceptions of The Group, to investigate its image, and to inform future product development. The sample included senior civil servants, local authorities, housing agencies, economic development agencies and the Careers Service. In addition, Staff Workshops were held to develop strategies to respond to the findings of a Stakeholder Research.
Market Testing
UK customer attitude research and market testing of an innovative packaging concept for designer lagers and soft drinks - for Diawa, Japan.
Business
Strategy
Business Planning
Business Plans for the launch and development of an innovative software package developed by Heriot Watt University, for Farm Diversification in Dumfries and Galloway following the Foot and Mouth Disease, for large-scale Lottery bids, and for a number of tourism initiatives.
Essentia Group
Non-executive Chairman (1997-2001). The Essentia Group was restructured, a new MD appointed, a major cultural change programme was instigated to develop a more commercial and ambitious culture, and significant investments were made in technology. Turnover rose from £0.9m to over £4.5m, and staff rose to 300 full and part timers. The Essentia Foundation was also established into which part of the company’s profits are channelled to grant fund programmes that benefit children and young people in the local community.
Contact Fiona Ballantyne at Fiona.Ballantyne@4-consulting.com
