Voted by The Judging Panel Sponsored by Aascent Finance Company.
Established since 1992 and based in Leamington Spa, Heartland (Midlands) has a strong resource of more than 11 employees. This established broker has been a member of the Willis Commercial Network since December 2000.
Heartland takes a pro-active approach to marketing its services and took its first steps this year to establish a local brand image.
Working with a professional marketing agency and selected insurers, a direct marketing campaign coupled with a telemarketing resource was initiated.
The 'Apples and Pears - a fresh approach to business insurance' campaign generated increased income and raised brand awareness locally.
Heartland's Brian Weetman said: "Our aim was to establish a clear identity for Heartland, establishing the way we conduct business, so we could attract like-minded customers.
"Accepting that not all prospective customers are suitable for Heartland was the cornerstone of our thinking. And moving away from the traditional 'A4 canvassing letter' to a more powerful use of imagery, along with simple un-fussy language, helped to differentiate our offer.
"While reaching the finals was recognition enough for all employees who have contributed to the business, it was a real delight to win the award outright. It's particularly rewarding to know that as a small brokerage we can compete with larger national players on marketing strategy.
"But the greatest pleasure was that the success of the campaign allowed the employees to enjoy an all-expenses-paid trip to experience the delights of Paris."
Hosted by comedian and actor Tom Allen, 34 Gold, 23 Silver and 22 Bronze awards were handed out across an amazing 34 categories recognising brilliance and innovation right across the breadth of UK general insurance.
