Chris Mervyn

Experience

• 

  Northcliffe Media

  May 1996 - May 2003

  Creative Designer

  A great introduction to the world of publishing working for clients across Devon and Cornwall for the Daily Mail Group of companies. Primarily in an advertising creation role although it did also slip into digital. Success with Estate Agent clients at the National Newspaper Awards was also gained with two highly commended gold awards for advertising campaigns.

• 

  Daddylonglegs Design

  May 2003 - Jul 2005

  Owner

  Working with primarily property clients initially, the company concentrated on brand and brand message with start up companies and had a team of two, a designer and account manager. The portfolio covered all aspects of design from branding, website, social media and story telling.

• 

  Cambridge James Estate Agents

  Jul 2005 - Feb 2008

  Sales Manager

  My first employed role in the property industry and I was taken on by a former client of my design company. Operating from two offices we took market share away from the dominant agent locally with clear and concise marketing and a strong local presence.

• 

  Plymouth Property Paper ltd

  Feb 2008 - Dec 2008

  Director

  A start up company creating a newspaper from scratch with local advertisers. The first disrupter locally with realistic fee structures for advertising and a clean, quality weekly product. From sourcing the crm, distribution, print to gaining the advertisers and taking to press the finished product. Eventually the market dictated that the product wasn’t viable without substantial investment and we could see that the industry was turning to digital products so we ceased trading. We had big plans, learnt a lot, lost a little but I look back on that time as a huge achievement. Show less

• 

  Mansbridge Balment - established in 1971. The longest-established estate agent in Tavistock.

  Mar 2009 - Oct 2018

  A dual role involving day to day valuations and brand management. Overseeing the day to day running of two offices within the parameters of the brand as a whole involving promotion, advertising, social media, customer service standard monitoring, new initiative creation and roll out, campaign planning, director level liaison, community event sponsorship and negotiation, event participation, business mentoring participation and planning and strategic business growth planning.The valuation aspect has seen me cover the two branches in the Plymouth and South East Cornwall area, being the main valuer and back - up valuer when required. This has enabled first hand knowledge of how the company is perceived, how the marketing and new initiatives are presented to the general public and if there are any knowledge / marketing gaps in how the company is viewed by its customers. Because of the systems we have implemented and the companies wide coverage and variety of properties and clientele we visit, Mansbridge Balment have been able to remain successful as a business without any need for an upper and lower brand split. We have also remained firm on fee levels by offering a real value to the service we offer. Show less

  • Branch and Marketing Manager

    Aug 2015 - Oct 2018

  • Valuation & Brand Manager

    Mar 2014 - Jul 2015

  • Company Marketing & Media Manager

    Dec 2011 - Mar 2014

  • Valuer

    Mar 2009 - Mar 2014
• 

  NAEA Propertymark

  May 2016 - Jun 2019

  Board Member and Regional Executive for the Westcountry Region

  Part of the national board steering government legislation in estate agency and the buying and selling process. The role included conference presentations, being a point of contact and reference for the association within the Westcountry.

• 

  MANSBRIDGE AND BALMENT (PLYMOUTH) LIMITED

  Oct 2018 - Dec 2018

  Marketing Director

  Marketing Director overseeing the two market leading Plymouth Branches.

• 

  Lawson

  Jan 2019 - Aug 2022

  Marketing Director

  Marketing Director overseeing the two market leading Plymouth Branches. Director level engagement with staff and clients. Steering the direction of the company through positioning of key messages using digital and social media and videography. Improving standards by training internally to utilise the latest crm and prop tech to provide a key differentiator. Now also undertaking Energy Performance Assessments for properties, photography, floorplans and videos.

• 

  Self-employed

  Aug 2022 - Mar 2023

  CAAS Surveyor

  Contract work on behalf of the MOD on service accommodation. Undertaking CAAS and EPC surveys.

• 

  Auction House South West

  Apr 2023 - now

  Property and Land Auction Valuer Devon

  Covering the Plymouth and surrounds area for Auctionhouse Southwest. Working with the general public, partner agents, national companies and private clients to achieve property success since 2007.