“A company with a price advantage can be undercut. A company with a performance advantage can be outflanked. But a company with an emotional difference can potentially demand a premium forever.”
– David Ogilvy, 1964
At the heart of what I do is to resolve your dilemma of differentiation. It is a logical process but involves a significant input of human emotion to be successful.
The process begins as it should with Definition. Your definition to be more precise. It involves a couple of meetings with you to clearly identify what your needs are and what they are not. By identifying what success looks like for you, a proper scope can be created that focuses on what matters most to you.
The second part of the process is called Discovery. It is precisely that. It can be as sophisticated as you can afford, or your organization will tolerate. The richer the engagement from employees, leadership, customers and suppliers, the more stories, anecdotes, and data that can be extracted to uncover your undisputed truth.
The third stage of the process is the Diagnosis phase. All the information is gathered and together we assemble a blueprint of your organization, good, bad and indifferent. Comparing feedback from the outside and inside, offers valuable hints to where the trail may lead. And it does lead somewhere.
The fourth and final stage is Deployment. This is where all that has been learned and created is executed internally and externally. This part of the process will depend on the needs of the organization, but will always focus first on engaging employees and explaining how we got to where we did and why.
Of course depending on your needs, the stages can be streamlined or you may wish me to focus on one stage of the process. It may be a refreshed digital strategy, or perhaps developing a marketing or communications plan. Or it could be as simple as gathering your stories to tell prospective clients.
That’s the beauty. I am flexible to your budget, time constraints or resources. The end is result always needs to be valuable and rewarding for you.
My aim is to leave you feeling better as a brand, a company or as an individual than before you met me. Progress will always be at your pace. And business strategy always drives brand strategy.
Whatever your need I am willing to dive as deep as you need. Discovering your uniqueness is worth the oxygen.
“John is a trusted ‘go to’ mentor. His depth and breadth of knowledge, insight and experience never fails to provide me with a pragmatic and solid steer, and yet at the same time, prods my thinking and pushes me creatively. It’s reassuring to know he’s in my corner.”
— Michelle Carvill, Founder Carvill Creative, Author, Educator