Somersault Marketing and Fundraising Consultancy

I’m Michelle Dennis, a versatile, down-to-earth Strategic Planning Director who has been helping to steer marketing, fundraising and communications strategy for many years.

Based in East Sussex, I’ve moved away from the blue-chip brands where I honed my skills in London advertising agencies towards clients that sit comfortably with my values.

I support and guide purposeful businesses, cultural organisations and charities where my input creates impact, value and meaning.

Have a project in mind? Let’s have a chat.

Approach

I’ll work with you as a friendly, collaborative partner.

If you choose to partner with Somersault, I’ll bring integrity, intelligence and incisiveness to our conversations.

I’ll apply relevant aspects of my past experience to inform your current challenge, to stimulate new ideas and unlock opportunities. I relish every new brief as a blank sheet of paper and enjoy applying myself to each strategic question. So my response is always thoroughly explored and considered in its unique context, well-rounded and bespoke. There’s no ‘off the peg’ process.

I can help you make progress by asking perceptive, intuitive questions. I’ll give you the confidence to side-step red herrings, dismantle rootless assumptions and to clarify priorities.

My rigour and logic are coupled with emotional intelligence, empathy and creativity. I listen really carefully. I’ll challenge, but in a warm, good-humoured way. I’m great at drawing out and spotting exciting, meaningful nuggets of insight with pin-point focus. I’m quick to make connections and to join the dots.

My written output is comprehensive, articulate and, most importantly, incisive. I’ll provide you with a springboard for commercial or creative decision-making that you’ll be able to share with colleagues and start using straight away.

Expertise

I can help with:

Audience insight
Brand strategy and positioning
Communications planning
Creative and campaign briefs
Customer/ supporter journey mapping
Fundraising strategy
Growth strategy
Innovation and new product development
Marketing strategy
Messaging and copy platforms
Product portfolio strategy
Proposition development
Qualitative research
Workshop facilitation

I am also available for agency Planning support on a freelance basis.

Experience

Some of the categories and brands I’ve spent time with, over the years:

Animals: Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
Brooke
Pedigree
RSPCA
WWF
Arts and Culture: The British Library
Royal Museums Greenwich
Automotive: Volkswagen
Children: Barnardo’s
Great Ormond Street Hospital
NSPCC
Plan International
Save the Children
Start-Rite shoes
Environment: Fauna and Flora International
Marine Conservation Society
WRAP
WWF
FMCG: Ahmad Tea
Ariel
Baileys
Becks
Dulux
Fairy
Flora
Galaxy
Johnnie Walker
Pedigree
Snickers
Health: Asthma UK
Breast Cancer Care
British Heart Foundation
The Christie
Fight for Sight
Great Ormond Street Hospital
Macmillan Cancer Support
Mental Health Foundation
MND Association
Nurofen
Stroke Association
International Aid and Development: British Red Cross
Brooke
Oxfam
Medecins Sans Frontieres
Save the Children
ShelterBox
Toybox
WaterAid
Leisure: Canal and River Trust
National Trust
Ramblers
Retail: Boots
Collect+
The Post Office
Social Welfare and Rights: Emmaus
Freedom from Torture
The Royal British Legion
Shelter
Trussell Trust Food Banks
Victim Support

Testimonials

“Michelle gave myself and the British Library team clear direction to help us articulate an energised, activating case for support. She listened carefully to stakeholders from across the British Library’s Development team, identified commonalities and key challenges and facilitated a lively, productive discussion. Instinctively, she spotted a unifying way forward with a brand-aligned core proposition and flexible messaging for our widely diverse audiences. She was a delight to work with and approached all tasks in an incredibly focused, clear and friendly manner.”

Emily Harris, Marketing Manager

The British Library

“Michelle has delivered two outstanding projects for us at WaterAid - a supporter engagement strategy and a product portfolio review. On both occasions, working with her was a joy. She took our brief, added huge value and exceeded expectations. She has also given me some invaluable guidance in my own strategic role. Michelle is insight-driven, consumer-focused and commercially aware. She is an excellent listener and communicator. She was incredibly responsive to feedback, and so collaborative. Not only would I not hesitate to work with her again, I positively look forward to it.”

Lucy Crow, Strategic Planning Lead

WaterAid

“Michelle was our lead Strategist with the creative agency Southpaw, guiding the development of a refreshed brand positioning for Start-Rite. She was a pleasure to work with, both collaborative and creative. She painstakingly mined our existing knowledge and market trends, offering clear hypotheses that framed the opportunity. I was impressed with how nimbly she facilitated focus groups among our target audience, masterfully drawing out some valuable new insights. Michelle was readily able to connect with our consumers’ attitudinal drivers. Her resulting guidance is rooted in the brand's sources of credibility while really lifting its tone and relevance emotionally.”

Kate Pienaar

Marketing Manager, Start-Rite

Somersault is a no-nonsense Strategic Marketing and Fundraising consultancy.