We’re in the process of rebranding our business and messaging. For anyone who has had to do it before, you’ll understand. For those who have not, I would suggest that you, at the very least, go through the exercise.
The reason is simple: it allows you to consider what your messaging, focus, and core principles are; it helps you evaluate the language used with prospective and existing clients or customers; and it helps to bring you back to where you started. Even if the end result shows that you are precisely where you want to be.
The Harvard Business Review blog entreats its readers to “Resolve to make your business human again.” This includes taking a long and hard look at what it is that your business does. Are your working to satisfy a bottom line to make investors happy? Or, in the case of many agencies, is your company just trying to meet the numbers set by your holding company? I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve heard people tell me how their company works harder at meeting their parent company’s numbers than actually meeting client requests and desires.
Because at the end of the day, if you know what your job is, you do that job right, and clients are happy to pay you, your bottom line should also be met; you make your numbers, and your parent company/investors should be satisfied.
Yes, the investors/owners may set unreasonable goals. Or they may be squeezing you – the successful company – to make up for the other companies in your group that aren’t doing as well.
But even so, the exercise of re-evaluation can come as a refreshing burst of energy for flagging enthusiasm, especially if your investors/parent are sucking the very life out of you!
Few of us got into this business because we had investors to satisfy. Investors got into our business because we were doing something right and being successful at it!
Are you still doing what you did right back then?