How it works
Instead of spamming you with a list of services that might not be relevant to your circumstances, I prefer to kick things off with a relaxed chat over a brew. We’ll take a look at your specific situation, establish what you need, and work collaboratively on knocking down the pins until you get where you need to be.
That said, my work tends to fall into four broad pillars:
BRAND+DELIVER
Brand consultancy
You probably have a bit of selective invisibility around your brand — you’re just too close to it. So you might not see hazards, but I will, because I’m not inside your business daily.
BRAND+DELIVER is where I look under the bonnet of your brand to see if I can find any glaring contradictions, missed opportunities or ways to improve how it communicates.
Don’t panic, I won’t start ripping up your branding. This is a careful, collaborative process. I work closely with you to understand what you need, establish what’s stopping you getting it, and model out what the future could hold. I make suggestions and offer hands-on support to improve your marketing function, as well as broader business performance.
ROUTE+BRANCH
Brand strategy
If you’re going hiking, you wouldn’t venture into unknown territory without a route, water and food supplies, and a fully charged phone. If you did, you’d likely run into trouble.
Having a sound brand strategy is just like that.
I can help you set the tone and direction you intend to travel in. We’ll plot your destination, and the steps you need to take in order to get there — consistently and coherently.
Brands lose power if their consistency drops off. Think about it this way. If Jaguar or Chanel started sponsoring the knobbly knees contest at a UK seaside resort, it would look and feel totally incongruous. This inconsistency would negatively impact the brand. (Incidentally, it works both ways; it wouldn’t help the resort’s value-driven brand image either.)
A solid strategy will plan and clearly set out how your brand should present wherever it appears. It describes the standard which should always be maintained, and how much mutability is acceptable, in order to protect and maintain a consistent brand image.
Work like this is about showcasing why your brand is remarkable, and demonstrating the value you deliver, so you become the only choice.
PLAN+EXECUTE
Marketing communications management
This usually goes hand-in-hand with the above brand work. Some brands fall over when it comes to consistent application — the best strategy on the planet will sputter like a wet firework without a solid plan to deliver it through marketing activity.
This is where an eye for detail comes in very handy. Making sure all your hard work and careful positioning on branding doesn’t get watered down or contradicted in your functional comms, social media posts or instore messaging.
I can work with your in-house team, arming them with everything they need to deliver the marketing communications activity in a consistent and efficient way.
I’m also used to eking out tight budgets and getting the maximum bang for your buck. I know that every penny spent on marketing has to count.
STEADY+STEER
Tactical leadership support
I’m good at thinking on my feet and I’m comfortable with taking on leadership responsibility. I can manage and develop teams and I’m great with clients.
With my extensive leadership experience, I’m regularly asked to take on MD or other senior roles in a part-time or interim capacity. This can be very useful for organisations that need a bit of a steer for a specific period of time, but don’t want to commit permanently to hiring an expensive senior figure in-house.
I’m not afraid of being dropped in at the deep end (I’m a good swimmer), so I can start tackling knotty issues straight away.
Does your business need help to reach the next level?
Get in touch and let’s see how I can help you get there.