Building a Brand for an Advertising Firm: Question 1

AG asks : “I run an advertising firm in Bangalore. I have some high profile clients and I am completely booked with assignments. However, this is not what I want to do. My question is:

1. My clients consider me as a designing shop mostly for their below-the-line advertisements
2. My company enjoys a good brand equity among my clients, but I never seem to get the kind of work which they give to other bigger advertisement firm
3. I want to grow my business and want to put a good team with me, I want people who will concentrate only on business development, or designs, or creative thinking & copywriting.

How to go about that.”

Susmita says: “Thank you for visiting this blog space and putting up your questions. You are the first visitor to this forum, and its great to have such challenging questions to begin with.

Look, the situation that you are in is nothing unusual. There are innumerable organizations, all over the world, who are facing these problems everyday.

To begin with, let me also ask you a few questions!

1. what do your company do exactly and what are its core competencies
2. what are your vision for your company –
3. do you have any short term and long term goals. If yes, I would need to know them.
i. how you want to achieve these goals? Your business plans
ii. What is your current organization set up? Who does what, and what do you do?May be we can have a phone chat later to discuss these issues.

Please note here that to answer your questions and to come out with some effective solutions, I need to have the answers to my questions. However, I will put in the following points for you to think over, as well:

I will combine your questions1 & 2 – According to you, your company enjoys good brand equity; however, you also mention that you primarily get jobs for below-the-line activities which is not what you want to do. Now, that’s an anomaly.

Let me ask you this – “what does your company stand for?” or, what do you think your company stands for – for example is it a designing studio? an advertising firm? Etc.

Now, what is it that your clients think your company stands for? In other words, what is the perception that they carry about you? You are an advertising agency? You are a designing studio?

Do you think there is substantial difference between the two? Your concept and their perception? If yes, Why? Find out the gap -
1. How have you positioned your company?
2. Is your communication to your clients about this positioning good enough?
3. Have you ever pitched for other kind of work? Or, you are too occupied with whatever your clients have to offer as business. If you have done, and your clients have declined, why so?

I would like you to go through all my questions carefully and then put your replies together. I am sure, this will help you to see through your business differently than you are doing at present. Please come back to this marketing forum as soon as you are ready. I am sure we will find solutions to your problems, together.

Happy Marketing!!