I have been thinking about what it is that my wife and I do in our business that is so unique.
Since we run a marketing and advertising firm some would say that we offer marketing and advertising advice but that seems too simple. Since I am in marketing I care about the message, the story that is told. So indulge me if I try and sort out for myself what our story is....what it is we actually offer our clients.
When a potential client walks through our door they come with concerns and needs. They come with desires and fears. They need help with their business or organization. They need to get more customers or more particpants or more donors or more students... well you get the point, they want more and they think marketing might be the answer. There are two types of people that come to us.
The first is looking for some help with their advertising. Even more to the point they think advertising is what they need. They think that a new ad in the paper or a T.V. commercial is really what will help get things moving down at the store and they want us to make them one. These people often don't know much about advertising and they don't know what will really help them but they know they need help. They sometimes say, "I don't know anything about advertising" but when you suggest something new they are quick to tell you you're wrong.
The second type of person, and these are my favorites, come to us because they know they need some help with their message. A friend or business associate said that we might be able to help or that we helped them. These clients, these ideal clients, want help with their message. They realize that people are confused about what they do or offer. They realize that if they can clarify who they are and how they communicate then they have a much better chance of getting more customers or more particpants or more donors or more students... well you get the point. Then we can start to advertise and it might actually work.
I guess what we offer is message counseling. We do have a couch in our office...
