I had a meeting with a business owner and the VP of sales recently to discuss the findings of their new customer & prospect research project, which would culminate in a new marketing strategy and marketing communications plan. They had recently hired a Cincinnati advertising agency, but were less than pleased with the output.
I had met this company before. I understood the business. They fit nicely into a box called IT staffing and services. Yet pouring through the volumes of feedback, a very different company was coming to life in the comments from its customers and prospects. What became clear was that this company was, and would become, much more.
Having long ago set the goal of distancing itself from the commodity business of staff augmentation and consulting services, this company was already delivering the 'trusted expert', solution oriented experience. The problem is that too few people knew it. Customers' understanding of the business was limited to the services they purchased. Most had no idea the depth and breadth of talent and experience that lived here.
It was time to start telling the story.
As we pieced together the major elements of the marketing strategy, this new direction fit the company better than the path they are currently on. We needed to capitalize on the intellectual capital resident in the people. We need to get them talking, blogging, and connecting with customers and prospects. We must capture customer successes and tell powerful stories of how this firm has changed the business landscape for its customers. We must define and claim a thought leadership position in the market, sharing educational content and valuable resources at every opportunity. The enthusiasm for this newfound clarity permeated the room.
Then it was time to talk about the identity.
Considering the time and expense of historical brand development efforts, the owner of the firm preferred to 'stick with the logo we have.' Sure, as a business owner I can understand the complications of such a change. Materials, market communications, and the associated efforts can be expensive. Meanwhile there's a closet full of trinkets with the current logo. He felt like he'd be taking a few steps back before really getting started. I understand.
The problem is that the packaging no longer fits the product. The product is amazing. It changes businesses. It delivers increased productivity and revenue, decreases costs across the enterprise, and lays out a deliberate path for using IT as a strategic advantage. Yet it's sold in a paper bag.
The market can't see it. They can't sample it's uniquness. They can't form a connection with a brand that doesn't clearly fit the products, services, and people it represents. It gets pre-judged before anyone has a chance to realize its value. It doesn't form a connection, tell a powerful story, and inspire the market to act. And so, neither will the company. Judging a book by its cover may not be fair, but you do it everyday, and so do your customers.
Does your brand fit?
