Moving = Change and A Good Time for Review

Written by:
Faith Seekings President & Creative Director
Rapport Communications & Design Inc.
t 416.368.8956 ex.25 f 647.430.7367 e faith@rapportinc.ca
66 George St, Toronto, ON M5A 4K8 | www.rapportinc.ca

If you’re moving into a new office space, you’ll need to consider having your stationery updated, maybe a new sign made for the hallway or building, etc. However, the fact that you are moving suggests something has changed for the company and it’s a good time to review how you’re marketing yourself.

Maybe you’ve been in business for a couple years and you’ve grown, added new services or dimension, are aiming to conquer bigger mountains. Does your logo still make you proud? Does your website still inspire you and do what you need it to? Does your messaging still articulate your brilliance and why you’re the best in your field?

What 2-3 factors which have changed for you or in your business environment from a year ago? Do your clients have different needs? Are you doing business in another region? Have you added new skills to your organization?

Think about the state of your company now, congratulate yourself for all you’ve accomplished. Now, think where you want it to be in a year. What is the biggest thing you want to accomplish over the next year? Could be revenue-based, getting investment dollars, winning specific clients.

What are your marketing tools?
What items, or platforms do you use to represent yourself or your business everyday? For example: business card, web site, blog, articles, speaking, networking, Twitter, brochures, trade shows, crm, newsletter, etc.

Look at all of your existing marketing tools and evaluate them against:
1) what has changed for you, and
2) what you want to accomplish over the next year year.

Think about how they look, your target audience, what the messaging is – do they still reflect and support you in what you want to accomplish this year and in light of recent changes?

If you’ve added new skills for example, is that listed anywhere? Could be as simple as updating your website’s services page.

If you’ve changed your client focus from large enterprises to SMEs, is your content still appropriate? For example, large businesses are all about the bottom line and efficiencies, where SMEs are a little more about relationships and trust. Does your current approach still resonate with this new target?

If your clients are holding back due to the economy, can you change your messaging to be more sympathetic or collaborative, maybe demonstrate your value to them more.

Think for a moment about these things and write down some things you may have spotted, things that might need changing to meet your vision for the year and take into account changes that have occurred.

When you look at your marketing tools in this light, some of you may say ‘ya, I need to make some changes.’ Others may feel extra confident in what they have, they’re doing the right thing for themselves. The most important thing is that you feel supported, inspired, heard seen and excited by your tools.

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