As mentioned in the last article, performing periodic brand check-ins is essential to the health of your market brand. After a year-long exercise of corporate soul-seeking conducted via an extensive investigation process with marketing strategy firm NextLevel Thinking, we were ready to take our results and put them into action.
The two main focal points of the process were as follows:
- The company developed a separation statement, the primary purpose of which was to create a document that boils down all that was learned in our investigation phase into a one-page document that served as a guide in developing our new positioning, messaging and strategy.
- The company constructed our positioning and messaging which brought together, in a story, how our organization should be positioned in the marketplace. It answered the question of how the experience of working with your organization should be perceived in the minds of existing and potential clients.
Responses from our clients placed heavy emphasis on the personal relationships they have with PKF Texas team members and the way they feel as a result of these relationships. Words like attentive, personable, responsive, valued, approachable, hands-on and trusted were seen throughout the survey responses we received.
We realized we really weren’t in the accounting business at all. In fact, we had been in the appreciation business all along. As a result, the concept of Appreciating Your Business™ was born.
The Strategy of Appreciation
What started as the seed of a concept soon sprouted roots of a brand repositioning. In addition to being a double entendre, Appreciating Your Business™ would become the basis on which our brand would grow. Our entire existence as an accounting firm hinges upon our ability to appreciate our clients’ businesses, both in the sense of recognizing and communicating their value to us as a valued client and utilizing our resources and expertise to help them grow and appreciate the value of their business.
From our investigation findings, we developed a new strategy in which to go to market. It was important to separate from our competition. We did this by highlighting our ability to appreciate our clients and the approachability of our advisors.
Together with our NextLevel Thinking compatriots, we began the effort of repositioning our brand in the market with the goal of not just promoting what we do, but who we are. To “humanize” PKF Texas, the rich history of the company was highlighted, along with the unique perspectives and backgrounds of all that work at the firm.
“I really liked the idea that we were going to craft our marketing strategy based on insights we learned from our clients, as well as an analysis of our competitive landscape,” said Byron Hebert, chief growth officer at PKF Texas. “Through our repositioning effort, we felt better equipped to serve our clients and attract new talent to the firm.”
Bringing it All Together
A fresh brand story was written, and from that brand story came the idea of our work as the combination of a little art and a little science. This notion became the inspiration behind our new branding and website design; who else in the accounting world can boast of such a colorful, eye-catching website? We couldn’t wait to see where these ideas would take us.
Not to say there wasn’t any discomfort along the way; there was certainly a healthy dose of it sprinkled in with our excitement over the new brand positioning we were creating. But there is growth in discomfort. Instead of letting it fester, we took hold of it and pressed forward.
What did we learn from this? There is an accounting term called “goodwill” which refers to an intangible asset that can enhance the value of an organization due to its brand reputation, customer service, employee relationships, and intellectual property. Is evaluating the health of your brand through the eyes of your customers a good idea? We certainly think so.
The result was a complete brand overhaul and successful repositioning in the marketplace, coupled with happy clients and growth. Want to know the rest? Visit our new website and see it for yourself.
If reading this has inspired you to assess your own brand, we encourage you to find a capable partner who will walk through the repositioning process with you. The results you’ll discover hold unrealized opportunity and potential for your brand. So go ahead and take that first step; you’ll be glad you checked in.
Contact us to learn how we can help Appreciate Your Business™.
This article was originally posted on the Houston Business Journal website.