Communities 2.

0 Case Studies
Gofal Enterprises (Not Just Nuts) – draft – February 2011
(version 1)
Author - Mark Smith, Communities 2.0 Senior Marketing Officer

1. Introduction / Background

Not Just Nuts (NJN) is part of the trading and enterprise arm of mental
health charity Gofal. NJN sells organic and Fair Trade products online.
Its website, although of a good standard, has been maintained by a
third party who has had to be paid for each alteration and there have
been delays in actioning urgent changes or updates required to the
site. The two NJN staff, employed by Gofal, wanted to take over the
running of the web site; this would reduce running costs and improve
their ability to respond to market demands.

In addition, the website statistics provided by the external web

developer were not that helpful in allowing NJN staff to assess the
effectiveness of the website and to respond to site visitor behaviour.
The free Google Analytics programme is an industry standard method
of assessing visitor behaviour and improving the web site response to
it. Proper analysis requires expert training and Google has approved a
number of trainers who can provide this, one of whom delivered a
three-day training course in London that was attended by NJN staff. A
properly and constantly market adjusted web site does contribute to
increased traffic and sales, thus increasing the turnover.

The ICT Review provided by Communities 2.0 reported on the obstacle

of implementing elements of the business plan, due to the reliance of
NJN on an external developer. A more immediate response to market
trends and visitor behaviour will improve the implementation of the
business aims.

The development of in-house online marketing and sales skills will

enable NJN to enhance staff members’ work abilities and provide an
avenue for current volunteers to be involved business activities. Most
volunteers have, or have had, mental ill health (Gofal’s core business)
and such an opportunity will increase their employment experience
and chances.

2. Host organisation(s) / partnership

Not Just Nuts was established in late 2008, with the aim of delivering
an ethical social business which promotes positive mental wellbeing
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through a range of organic, fair-trade and local products. NJN prides
itself on being able to offer volunteering and employment opportunities
to people who have experienced mental ill health. By doing so, NJN is
challenging the stigma associated with mental health but is also
playing an important role in supporting the economy. Approximately
90% of NJN’s business is conducted online, with 100% of available staff
time devoted to its website and other online marketing e.g. social
media.

NJN is planned to move across to be part of Gofal Enterprises, a social

enterprise trading subsidiary of Gofal, once it becomes established.
Gofal Enterprises aims to provide volunteering and employment
opportunities to people with mental ill health, who are among the most
disadvantaged in the jobs market.

Gofal, as a whole, provides a wide range of services that support

independence, health and wellbeing and promote recovery. The charity
lobbies to improve mental health policy, practice and legislation and
campaigns to increase public understanding of mental health and
wellbeing.

3. Package of support

The support provided by Communities 2.0 has centred on assessing

the requirements for an improved internet business trading tool
(website) and sourcing suitable IT trainers, alongside NJN staff. A
marketing report has also been commissioned by the Welsh Assembly
Government’s Social Enterprise Support Project, which is being
delivered by the Wales Co-operative Centre. Communities 2.0 provided
£2,396 financial support to Gofal Enterprises for this project.

4. Aims and objectives

As previously stated, NJN staff and volunteers wanted to learn how to

run the social enterprise’s own website, to save on fees for an external
web developer whose response times were also thought to be limiting
NJN’s ability to react to market demands. This would enable NJN staff
to meet their aim of developing online marketing and sales techniques
and skills, which are not only vital to NJN as a business but to the
individuals that help to run it, as the majority live with or have
experienced mental ill health.

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An improved trading situation will allow Gofal to give those with mental
ill health the opportunity to have work experience and contribute to
their employability and improve their mental well-being. In time, it’s
hoped the attainment of web trading skills will allow other planned
enterprises of Gofal’s trading arm to use the in-house expertise and
learn from the development of Not Just Nuts.

5. Process / ‘how it happens’

Gofal Enterprises contacted Communities 2.0 in the latter half of 2010,

leading to meetings between NJN staff and Enterprise Technology
Officer, Dafydd Ladd. Dafydd worked on the premise that NJN’s needs
were based around marketing, more than any other business
discipline. Once NJN’s needs were outlined in a more formal capacity, a
project proposal was submitted to Communities 2.0. The successful
application meant that NJN could proceed with identifying a suitable
training course for staff to attend.

The Google Analytics training, held in November 2010 has enabled the
staff to accurately analyse the behaviour of the NJN website. The
training of managing and developing the current web site (developed
using OS Commerce freeware) will allow staff to implement any
changes required. It is important that the training is carried out within
the planned timeframe to enable the staff to fine tune the web site
over the coming months in time for their busiest period, which starts
from late summer.

6. Achievements / Impact

The development of in-house online marketing and sales skills has

enabled NJN to enhance staff and volunteer’s work abilities and provide
an avenue for current volunteers to be involved business activities,
helping to professionalise the overall organisation. To date, two
members of staff and two volunteers have directly benefited from the
training that was accessed through Communities 2.0 support. The in-
house skills will also be used to help in the development of other
aspects of Gofal’s proposed trading arm expansion, opening up
opportunities for other staff and volunteer developments.

Staff will benefit further from being trained to develop their own on-line
business tool (i.e. a merchant retail-driven website), based on analysis
of the current website’s traffic and developing (changing) market
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conditions. It uses ICT to increase business and sustainability. It
encourages a greater use of ICT as a business tool and provides staff
with personal development opportunities. NJN is a business that has
been assisted and financially assisted by Communities 2.0.

Jo-Ann Davis now works for Not Just Nuts as a paid employee, having
joined the project as a volunteer. She told Communities 2.0 that the
training on Google Analytics has increased her confidence and enabled
her to make use of prior knowledge and experience. Jo-Ann also
explained how her increased ability of Search Engine Optimisation
(SEO) has made it easier for people to find Not Just Nuts on the
internet, which is vital for a trading social enterprise. Staff are now
able to tell how customers came to be on their website (e.g. through a
Google search, or links on another website), how long they stay on the
site and certain pages, and what search terms they use when looking
for the site. Since the training, staff have reported that the NJN website
is functioning a lot faster since they conducted a ‘clean up’ of the site
which has made it more navigable.

7. Lessons learned

The Gofal team involved in running the first social business has learned
many invaluable lessons, both during the period of starting the
business and whilst working with Communities 2.0. These included the
importance of understanding its market and the competition, ensuring
social enterprises have enough resources allocated for marketing
purposes and having a core team member with the relevant e-
commerce skills, amongst others.

8. Next steps

The in-house skills will be used to further increase traffic visiting the
site, with the direct result of increasing sales for NJN and an indirect
benefit of helping developing other aspects of Gofal’s proposed
trading arm expansion, opening up skills-based opportunities for other
staff and volunteers.

Gofal is also hoping to secure additional equipment, such as a digital

video camera and e-newsletter software, which can be used by its
different projects, their staff and volunteers, to showcase their work
online and to provide their workforce with the associated skills.

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