In the last issue, I outlined three distinctly different, yet typical approaches to marketing strategy development. The first, “brute force,” required a continuous supply of resources for its maintenance. The second, “shotgun,” mandated consistent attempts to be all things to all people in all markets. The third was the strategic approach to establishing a position in the marketplace. This article focuses on implementing the latter, and by far, the most effective of the three.

The Key is the Process

Here’s a simple six step procedure to develop positioning strategies for your design practice:

Top Management Review – Begin with a review of the process by the firms owners or managing principals. Be sure they understand what will be accomplished by each step. Other partners and associates will expect the leader’s role in the firm to include development of marketing strategies and will expect that person to be in control of the strategy development process.

Recruiting Outside Experts – One of the most effective strategy development exercises is the use of outside resource persons who know your markets. These might include prospective clients, associates, suppliers, agency officials or others. They bring independent perspectives on marketing your services to new and existing clients.

This is an optional step, but a powerful one. It corresponds to what Napolean Hill found to be one of the keys to success in the hundreds of business leaders he studied. He called these outside resource persons the “mastermind group.” In a formal setting, they might be your board of directors, or in a less formal sense, a marketing advisory board. It’s remarkable how easy it is to get key people to share their expertise on your behalf, but they make important contributions to strategy development.

First Group Consultation – Use a one-half day meeting of your partners, associates and resource people to answer five key strategy questions:

What do we do really well? Include a definition of the scope of services you provide, but go beyond this and ask the question this way: “What makes us different from other firms in this field?” Strengths may include quick turnaround time, availability of associates, lower fees, technological expertise, outstanding individual staff members, special knowledge of key regulations, proximity to a client’s offices, a “premier” reputation, etc. If you can’t answer this question, the marketplace will not be able to answer it either, and you will get only those projects that randomly land in your lap.

Listing your strengths sounds simple. However, our experience in marketing professional services indicates that the factors which make a firm stand out from its competitors are subtle and elusive. The object of this activity is to take that which is elusive and make it crystal clear. Only by being clear about the basis for your strategies can key staff properly implement them.

Two facets of strategy development are important to keep in mind at this point:

• Strengths must be facts, not claims, wishes or opinions. Be sure to take a realistic look at your company.
• Strengths are only strengths in comparison to competitors. If all firms in the market provide outstanding performance on a particular dimension, then none do?EUR??,,????'??+because you can’t stand out if all competitors are the same.

There is something special about almost every firm. That which can be used to characterize your firm as unique, or at least special, is a powerful element in the development of winning strategies.

Who are the prospective clients? Young or old, individuals or corporations, commercial, retail or industrial markets? Trying to focus on everybody is the “shotgun” approach and it does not work anymore. With your best present and prospective client in mind, ask yourself: “What do these clients really want?” The answer might include low cost, hand holding, project approval, always getting you on the phone when they call, etc. Few clients want only the literal service you offer?EUR??,,????'??+for virtually every client there is a hidden agenda. What are the hidden needs of your best clients and best prospects? (Marketers call this issue “segmentation.”)

This is a good opportunity to draw out from your associates the insights, understandings, trends, perceptions, etc., that they already possess about prospective clients. Use a group process to get all the thoughts on the table in an orderly and energized fashion. In this way, everyone e4 has the chance to see the circumstances in the firm’s marketplace, and then react, interact, question, respond and finally, understand. This is a good way to identify your firm’s opportunities because it encourages your associates to take action on the strategies they develop.

The next issue will examine the “mission, and “vision” of strategy development. The last question posed in this series of articles is also the most difficult, the discovery of its answer the most rewarding, that is; What are the strategies that will magnify what you do best and capitalize on the opportunities in your market?

About the Authors

Robert E. Heightchew, Jr., Ph.D., is president of Organizational Excellence, Inc., a Washington D.C.?EUR??,,????'??+based consulting firm specializing in marketing and strategy development for design firms. Dr. Heightchew also teaches marketing strategy in the University of Maryland’s graduate school.

Kerry B. Harding, Vice President of Marketing for Organizational Excellence, Inc., was formerly executive director of the Professional Services Management Association, a professional society focusing on management issues in the design professions. He received a bachelor’s degree from Ball State University and a master’s in marketing from Marymount University.