The innovative marketing techniques of outsourcing specialists Shergroup have led the company to the finals of the Excellence in Marketing category at the Essex Business Excellence Awards.

It follows the recent success of Chief Executive Claire Sandbrook, who was runner up in the East of England Businesswoman of the Year awards, one of many accolades she has secured over the years, including the Institute of Credit Management’s ‘Credit Personality of the Year’ last year.

Using a raft of creative ideas, including a pop-art video to explain the process of getting paid using a series of Shergroup outsourcing services to potential creditors, alongside email marketing, targeted sales, PR and social media, Shergroup has added a large number of new clients to its books.

Claire said: “We’re proud to be different when it comes to our revenue management processes, so we wanted to celebrate that by promoting ourselves in a completely unique fashion. To be recognised by the judges in the marketing category is a great honour. “ Shergroup will find out in September if it has scooped the top prize. Judges have long been impressed by Claire’s success since she started as an audio typist with the company 30 years ago, working her way to the top and buying the company.

Under her guidance, Shergroup’s enforcement division has become one of the UK’s leading High Court enforcement agencies, with other divisions offering top flight security, business process outsourcing, digital dictation and now recruitment services.

As Claire says, “We began as Sheriffs, and using our heritage as both Sheriffs and lawyers we are building a portfolio of business solutions for a growing range of clients which gives us lots more opportunities. We would like to thank our customers in the credit industry for their continued support which has been such a boost to our credibility”.