Goodbye cookie-cutter marketing strategy
Between the need to attract and retain skilled staff, adapting to the latest technology, and growing a professional network in a post-pandemic world, businesses big and small have a lot of focus points that need to be managed in the current environment. So, it’s not surprising that these changes – and finding a brand and marketing specialist that understands these changes - are on the minds of many business owners.
The good news is that you’re not alone, and our team at Excelerate Marketing understands the current challenges of the market firsthand. We understand the need to attract, retain and leverage the best skilled workers, we understand shifting to new technologies to deliver greater value to clients and trading partners, and we understand the importance of a professional network for support and referrals – and the work needed for the management of these changes.
This is because Excelerate Marketing is going through many of the same transformations as your business. You’ll gain greater peace of mind when you have a partner like Excelerate Marketing in your corner, who not only can help you kick your marketing goals, but is walking in lockstep with you as you experience unique changes to your business.
In a market where you have to retain staff, be technologically advanced, and grow your professional network, it’s natural for other businesses to be drawn to like-minded business owners, be that for the opportunity to work together, or simply have a conversation and share circumstances and solutions. We explain more below.
Points of focus for businesses in the current market
There are several unique focus points that are on the minds of business owners in Australia, particularly in the financial sector. Many of these emerged in the last few years in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
1. Attracting, retaining, and leveraging skilled staff
Skilled workers were in short supply prior to the pandemic but the pressure of attracting, retaining, and leveraging skilled staff has only been amplified since. The market is currently working in favour of employees so businesses have to adapt to the needs of skilled workers to remain competitive in their industry. Whether that means offering flexible work environments or showcasing your skills development training, standing out in a crowded market is fundamental in your ability to draw in new staff.
However in a highly competitive environment, the work doesn’t stop once you’ve attracted new staff. Reiterating the brand value of having a business like yours on their resume can be crucial for retaining staff in the current environment. With the most skilled employees under your wing, it becomes even easier to leverage these skills into high quality product and/or service offerings for your clients.
2. Updating your technology
If a potential client is searching for, say, bookkeeping services, they are likely searching to engage with a company offering the best results with the fastest turn around. If your business is utilising the right tools, and has set up effective internal infrastructure for smooth workflow, it’s likely the client will work with you as opposed to a competitor relying on outdated programs.
Adapting to the latest technology is a crucial way you can improve your product and service quality while leveraging the skills of your workers. This could mean anything from task management systems to the latest accounting software and data management tools. Don’t be afraid to change your systems and processes because even the smallest changes to your business structure could deliver extraordinary results.
3. Growing a professional network
For many businesses, your network is the cornerstone that drives new referrals. You never know who is going to bring up your name in a room full of opportunities so you want to know that you are engaging with the right trading partners or clients. And in the current market, maintaining your network is important, but so is building a network that is authentic to you.
Authenticity can be hard to quantify through word-of-mouth alone so employing a clear and defined brand identity through your products and services is more likely to grow the professional network best aligned with your core values. If a client or partner business understands your skills and services well enough that they refer high-quality leads on to you, and vice versa, this can deliver long-term growth opportunities for all businesses in your network.
The journey so far, walking alongside you
Excelerate Marketing began as a small team and has grown from strength to strength by attracting and retaining contracted workers with a variety of skills. It is no longer my expertise that I am offering but the experience of my team and their network, as well as the systems and technology we use, to help you achieve your marketing goals.
Leveraging the authority and influence of our team of skilled workers is the pillar of the Excelerate Marketing experience. Just as you are searching for the most skilled workers for your business, we work with leading industry professionals only - so you don’t need to be the expert. And unlike old-school marketing agencies that offer cookie-cutter strategies to businesses from an account manager juggling 20 other clients, we offer efficient and cost-effective growth opportunities through our bespoke strategies delivered via our network of skilled contractors.
We’ve also seen an increase in the quality and delivery of our services by adapting our technology as we’ve grown. New technologies are a clear value add for our clients, as we have seen a sharp rise in performance metrics by updating our management and communication tools. Just as your business is looking to engage with the latest, most efficient technologies, Excelerate Marketing is trialling a multitude of similar options. As a tech-savvy, future-focused business, we had to make changes and one of these was migrating from Asana to ClickUp for project management.
We also understand the importance of utilising your network to drive new referrals in this current market. Excelerate Marketing has largely grown through this network alone. We’ve been able to rely on word-of-mouth referrals because of the high-quality results we’ve delivered for a range of clients. Not only that, but the industry professionals we engage with have a vast network that we can tap into for the marketing and brand management of your business as well.
In a way, it’s a lot like an iceberg. At first you might see the expertise I offer as your first point of contact but it then becomes everything “beneath the surface” that really helps businesses. This includes the team of professionals we work with, the technology we utilise, and the networks we connect with, which help make up the comprehensive, high-quality results your business benefits from.
Case Study: The benefits of prioritising and showcasing team culture
Challenge: Attract high-quality new hires
A client recently advised us that a focal point for improving their brand awareness was attracting new staff to the business due to the highly competitive nature of their industry.
Without taking the time to understand this priority, another agency may have pushed them down a path of quantity-heavy, generic social media or an email campaign that targeted the wrong audience and leveraged the wrong networks. Gaining 1000 new followers on Instagram means very little when you’re looking to sell your company and its culture to the top skilled workers in your sector.
Our approach
Our team at Excelerate Marketing was able to grow their business brand awareness in a more specific way to target high-quality new hires, so they may stand out from some of the “bigger” names in the industry.
We knew the type of culture their company has on a more intimate level, as we were able to spend time in their office to discover this firsthand. This involved filming at various office locations which helped create a variety of content to share across social media. The important aspect of this was to determine what content to share, in what format and at what frequency to build engagement for the brand and tell the story, whilst maintaining engagement with their network.
Knowing your business to this extent is our top priority when working to deliver you the specific results you need. This is what makes our strategies truly tailor made.
The results
Since engaging with Excelerate Marketing, this client has hired fifteen new staff in the last twelve months. They recently held a conference in which they were able to completely fill a room. This was an amazing result for the business.
Excelerate Marketing: let us read your mind
The way that you should market your business is as different now as the ways that you’ve likely had to shake up operations post-COVID-19. We understand the importance of keeping up with evolving technologies and the ‘people’ challenges that emerge. These are not unique to the financial services industry but are prevalent in businesses of any size – even to Excelerate Marketing. After a couple of years in business, we see these points of focus within your sector on a deeper level as we have lived through them ourselves.
At Excelerate Marketing, we prioritise establishing a deeper knowledge of your business first and foremost. We want to familiarise ourselves with the challenges on your mind so we can evolve our strategies to help you rise to the occasion. We provide you with high-quality content and services for your audience using appropriate messages delivered to the right channel, at the right time. We find businesses offering financial and professional services especially underserviced in this space which is why we specialise in these industries.
We recognise your priorities and tailor our services to your specific needs and audience. This not only saves you money otherwise wasted on irrelevant targeting but it also helps grow trust in your business from your existing clients and trading partners as you retain your authentic voice.
Put simply, let us read your mind (because we really get you) and tailor advice to your specific needs, as opposed to forcing your business to fit a particular mould.