Lesniak Swann
Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester
Website: Lesniak Swann
Founders: Mark Lesniak and Alexander Swann
Year founded: 2002
UK headcount: <50
Offices: Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester
An agency adds value because we question and don’t just do what we’re told.
Profile
Lesniak Swann has carved its niche in the admittedly “unsexy” industrial world, where it has been working with B2B clients in telecoms, tech, engineering and construction since 2002. But it is this very specialist knowledge that has seen Lesniak Swann grow consistently over the past two decades and evolve into a one-stop-shop for clients.
Having originally tried their hand at education marketing, co-founders Mark Lesniak and Alexander Swann changed tact and decided to double down on brands with very technical products and complex routes to market. Today, this includes many brands you would recognise in a hardware store, including Michelin, Finning Cat and Polypipe.
Mark and Alex are currently navigating the agency’s “third age,” during which it has been growing on average by 33% annually. Much of the agency’s work is UK-based, with its 30-strong team spread across its Stoke-on-Trent and Manchester offices, but the international side is growing; it currently accounts for about 25% of work and clients are increasingly requesting global campaigns.
With an 84% pitch win rate and 110% client retention rate, Lesniak Swann has clearly mastered its craft. Hiring the right people, who are genuinely interested in the product and who enjoy the work, is fundamental for an agency of this kind. The last PR recruit, for instance, had a degree in physics and a master’s in science communication.
“Having a geekiness about wanting to understand how a product works is key,” says Alex.
Having doubled revenue to £3m in the last year, the agency is now chasing £6m - £6,660,000 to be exact – which has been dubbed the ‘666 plan’.
As part of that plan, Lesniak Swann acquired B2B marketing agency, Don’t Be Shy, last year, with the aim of broadening digital services such as performance campaigns and marketing automation. In addition to providing Lesniak Swann with a new Manchester base for further expansion, the acquisition added brands including Uber and TalkTalk to the roster.
Never shy of a challenge, Lesniak Swann is currently scoping out the potential to expand into the professional services sector, particularly complex markets such as family law. Thanks to its new office space, it has plenty of space to grow.