Interview with a MarCom Strategist

What do you bring to the table that other ad agencies or marketing firms do not?

I have worked on both sides of the block.  My first 12 years I worked for both a boutique design firm in the San Francisco Bay area as well as an all-service advertising agency in Billings, Montana. Our clients ranged from retail to business-to-business.  The following 15 years I ran an in-house ad agency for an international high tech company, who’s brand I successfully shaped over that period of time, resulting in leadership positioning for that company, with growth from 1 million to 60 million.

What’s the difference? Sounds like you were doing virtually the same thing?

Yes and No.  In the agency business clients come and go, your listen to the client needs and design a program based on what they think they need and then they go away and you have no idea if the program was successful or even implemented.  
My experience working in-house for a business gave me insights I never experienced before.   I new right away if a program worked or not.  I had feedback from sales if customer inquiries were increasing or whether they liked a particular ad or catalog.  I experienced the success of programs that generated sales inquiries as well as the implications of poor customer service issues.  I experienced product promises that were made but failed to deliver and how that effected the company’s brand.  From these two work experiences I learned the importance of program implementation, follow through and the importance of brand consistency over time.

So how can you help my company successfully sell a product or service?

The success of a company’s product is more than just a pretty logo, snappy ad, or slick brochure.  One needs to look deeply at the market, product attributes, and whether the company can make good on the claims they make.  A close look is needed at the companies infrastructure to insure that promises can be kept and long term customer relationships can be formed. Also to identify trouble spots and recommend solutions.
 
Why is a creative strategy so important?

I was told once by a branding specialist at BBD&O that “you have to bake the cake before you can frost it and then you have to have a compelling story to tell."  Laying the groundwork guarantees a successful promotional campaign.  Then you need to stick with that story, propagating it internally and externally.  Over time, a strong brand promise can overcome any obstacle.  To reach these goals I have worked independently or have called in other creative professionals to collaborate on projects.  I am not limited by a hired staff and large overhead which means lower costs for my clients.
 
What do you require of the clients you take on?

I really believe that my client’s participation in the creative process is paramount.  Don’t hire me if you expect for me to do it all for you, I can’t do that.  I am only as good as the information you are willing to provide.  You can expect complete confidentiality.  I take the time to get to know you and your business through group brainstorming sessions with you and your staff which could include first phone contact, sales & marketing, accounting, technical support and/or customer service, up through to upper management.   Everyone involved has be willing to look at their part in the process and be open to change or reach consensus to implement  strategies.

If you are a business start up with limited support infrastructure, we can work together to identify a growth plan, that allows for your personal workstyle or lifestyle and most importantly, your budget.

What is the most important thing that you have learned about making a business successful?

First, its all about what you say and how you say it consistently over and over and over again in every way you communicate to your customer and the community you do business in.
 
Second among equals is that if you make a promise, you have to be able to back it up consistently.

Third among equals is the importance of building relationships and trust.  90% business is generated by word of mouth. 

Why are your fees so much less than that of an advertising agency.

My business does not have the tremendous overhead that a large agency with employees has.  I charge my fees out on a sliding scale and have formed creative alliances with other freelance graphic designers, web designers, e-commerce experts, CRM experts and other media suppliers.  They bill you directly with no 15% markup that an agency usually applies to all print and media buys. 

I am basically a creative strategist with a graphic design background.  My expertise lies in identifying creating and implementing a believable message for a product and recommending  the right mix of media to achieve set goals