Three top-down drivers for marketing success
From years supporting professional services firms to grow their profile, generate leads and win more business, we have come to understand that, no matter how innovative, creative and all round fabulous a marketing strategy or campaign is – it won’t be successful without top-down support. We’ve realised that the leadership of a firm needs to have three things to positively influence the success of any marketing approach; vision, courage and commitment.
1. A clear vision
A vision is merely a simple word to some, but its meaning represents so much more. Without a clear view, your firm is aimless, it has no motive, and it will have no cohesion. Your firm won’t be able to move forward. It might find some success, but unlikely sustainable success, without a clear vision to integrate your approaches, unite and guide your team.
Building a clear vision includes practice mix, client mix, a designated growth path and size, and having a targeted geography. Putting it all writing and sharing with your firm (verbally as well) will ensure everyone knows where they are heading. Get everyone on board to develop their own path to achieving your vision and get them excited for the future.
2. Courage
Firms tend to love stability and, with stability, there’s very little (if any) growth. A strong leader needs to have courage, because without it, and a will for experimentation – there will be no advancement and growth. The firm will stagnate. It will be the same old blue branding, undifferentiated website and pitch.
So, don’t be afraid of trying something new – a concept embraced by marketers.
3. Long-term commitment
Looking forward is vital in every business. Having a long-term perspective is not as easy as it sounds. It necessitates spending many hours to determine the future, tracking your progress and tweaking plans to ensure that you remain on the right path. It can also mean taking away your revenue earners for time out to plan, train, maintain client relationships, engage in marketing projects and more.
With these three leadership traits embedded in your firm, you can align your marketing to be even more successful, taking your form to new heights.