Feel the Vizzit buzz
The Vizzit Group was founded in 2006 by Richard Lock and Anita Gresham-Hale. Richard was managing a national sales and marketing team of over 100 people for one of the major banks and Anita ran her own company as an IT marketing services consultant, with clients such as IBM and Oracle.
In founding the company, their professional objective was to develop a new media company with a broad range of services. Their personal objective was to achieve that elusive work/life balance by moving out of London and into the New Forest, and being their own bosses.
In setting their business goals, they recognised the dramatic shift from traditional marketing media to a world where online marketing is king. They also identified a significant opportunity to provide online marketing support to the small and medium-sized (SME) business sector, the majority of whom were embarking on that transition without a fully thought-through plan.
One of the first outcomes of this goal-setting was the launch, in December 2006, of the online Internet magazine and business directory, www.vizzitnewforest.com. This has now been followed by a rapidly explanding national network of online magazines that carry video both in the listings and in the editorial.
Vizzit Online Magazines with video are for local residents, local business people and visitors to the area and gives information about the New Forest, its towns and villages, and its services and businesses, including eating out and holiday accommodation. Residents and visitors find the A-Z business directory extremely useful. they are aptly named the next generation of online magazines.
Vizzit’s next venture was to launch its Web Design Division for the design, build and management of websites for high visibility on the main search engines. This meant recruiting a team of talented individuals with the right knowledge, experience and motivation. Vizzit Group's constantly evolving services now include creative design, messaging, social media marketing and hi definition video production and hosting.
Today the company’s team of IT and marketing specialists operates from the Vizzit Media Ltd office in Sway in the New Forest. To date, Vizzit has over 1,000 paid business listings,its own internet TV channel and well over 500 websites in its portfolio.
Managing Director, Richard Lock, comments: “The Vizzit journey has been incredible so far – and the best is yet to come. Every day brings new challenges and new opportunities. It is hard work but fantastically satisfying. I would say to any potential franchisee, come on in – share the responsibility and share the rewards.