The key to an effective marketing plan is an intelligently crafted and consistently used Main Message. This must be informed by a company’s unique capabilities, its goals and an understanding of its clients and competitors. It will be the idea expressed at all touch-points: from website to portfolios, from samples to sales presentations, from PR to the way the phones are answered.
Pollock|Spark uncovers the unique strengths and goals of a company and creates a compelling and focused Main Message to be the foundation of all their communications.
Here’s how we do it for a typical creative company. This plan is fully adaptable to work for individual creative talents or for larger organizations
“Who do they think they are? And who do they want to be?”
Internal inquiry: Pollock|Spark conducts in-depth interviews with key principals/staffers to discover the company’s strengths relative to its competitors, the talents and services it offers, and their hopes and dreams. These interviews are face-to-face for best results and greatest insight. A review of the company’s work and a marketing audit are conducted.
“Who do their clients think they are, and what are they looking for?”
External inquiry: Pollock|Spark conducts telephone interviews with selected clients. These interviews will uncover their views of the company’s capabilities and their level of satisfaction with performance and product as well as whom they regard as the company’s competition.
Insights: Main Message
Pollock|Spark brings fresh eyes and objectivity to what it has learned. The company’s Main Message is crafted from our insights and is informed by our years of experience. This is not a tag line or a piece of advertising – it is an expression of the company’s unique value proposition and it will be used as the basis for all communications. In most cases it can be used as a brief “elevator speech” to describe the company. A report of the top-line findings and analysis will also be provided.
Projected Timeframe
The complete process usually takes around four weeks. The time is dependent on availabilities for interviews.
Deliverables
Main Message
Top-line findings and analysis report
Fees on request
Brainstorming sessions
Facilitated half-day brainstormings on a selected topic can be most valuable. These include such favorites as:
* Incorporating Message into the company’s DNA
* Communications/marketing planning
* Focusing the creative offering
About Pollock|Spark
Pollock|Spark, A Catalyst for Creative Businesses, is a management and strategic
consultancy that helps creative businesses to focus their vision and grow. We help make running a business fun again. To learn more, visit us at www.pollockspark.com
What Pollock|Spark clients have said:
“Michael (Pollock, Pollock|Spark) has a very strong ability to focus deeply on a company and draw out important, often overlooked, issues. His suggestions for next steps and action plans are excellent. Michael has been instrumental in helping us clearly define goals and working towards achieving them.”
David Gioiella, Partner, Northern Lights
“The Pollock|Spark report has served as a trusted guide for the board of directors and the professional staff. It has helped navigate the substantial structural and behavioral changes the association has gone through, helped change the way AICE conducts its business and the way it informs and engages its membership. The difference has been extraordinary. From the attitude of the board to the renewed sense of purpose of the membership, AICE is a reinvigorated association thanks in no small part to the careful and insightful work of Pollock|Spark.
Burke Moody, Executive Director, AICE
“(Pollock|Spark) navigated a potentially difficult internal political situation at our company very well (difficult because of the self-perception differences between the partners), advertised your services accurately and delivered an analysis that is relevant, clear and integral to creating forward movement.”
David Starr, Partner, Curious Pictures
Ask us for a quote – we would love to help you.
