Finding our own way in Nicheland

As we celebrate our 10th year in business, we too have been refining out niche. After all, we can't very well encourage our clients to do this without walking the walk as they say.

In examining our own operations, we have found that we tended to emphasize the products we create rather than the value we bring to the services we provide clients.

For example, when prospective clients asked us what we do, we inevitably launched into our well-rehearsed elevator speech, "Well, we're a creative services agency that does web design, graphic design, digital video, blah-blah-blah!"

By the time we hit the word "digital" in this spiel, eyes would already glaze over and we could tell that this treasure trove of new business potential either didn't understand what we did or lumped us in with all the other companies doing web and print design.

The problem was, we were doing our clients and prospective clients a disservice by listing the types or products every ad agency, marketing firm and graphic design company on the face of the earth does. We never explained what made us unique in the marketplace, or how our services and capabilities – our value proposition – could address their pressing business needs.

So we too did a lot of soul searching. And it finally dawned on us what we provide our clients better than anyone else: peace of mind.

We found over the years that clients could give us the most impossible job and we would get it done. It didn't matter what the deliverable was – video, web, print, tradeshow, event, marketing plan – it was that we would take on the project and get it done so our client didn't have to think about it any more.

But perhaps more important, we also brought a high level of counsel to even the smallest job. Because of our team's unique backgrounds, we were able to provide advice and consult with our clients about branding, marketing, advertising, communications and public relations and how their particular project fit into their organization's business goals and objectives.

Finally, we realigned what we did anyway with our new elevator speech, which doesn't concentrate on the end products but on the higher-level strategies and tactics that make any media or communication plan or component effective.

Here's our new elevator speech that we use with prospective clients:

COMMUNICREATIONS is a strategic communications agency that offers clients nationwide consulting on the integration and interaction of internal and external communication strategies and tactics in a connected world.

The follow-up explanation:

If it communicates something to someone somewhere somehow, the company can strengthen the effectiveness of the message, realign and improve delivery methods and streamline communications with employees, clients, stockholders, the public and the media through the use of traditional and digital communications.

In doing so, we work closely with management and communication departments to identify gaps in their organization's communication processes and recommend methodologies and tactics that close these gaps. With the dearth of new technologies clouding once clear communication channels, our role is to help management and practitioners assess, realign, strengthen and measure traditional and digital communication tactics and tools.

We provide value to our clients by being able to work on tangible communication solutions from the initial research stage through the delivery of the final products, programs and tools, whether they're executed in print, video, audio, digital or verbal form.

Our goal throughout this process is to improve productivity, increase profitability, streamline operations and create a cohesive, motivated corporate or organizational culture.


That's it. A direct connection to our clients with a very clear message of how our team can address their business needs. No need to talk about all the tools we use. Just the value we provide to the client.

The result? Rather than eyes glazing over they become engaged because it address a need on their end. And new leads have been coming in from the most unexpected places in our traditional networking and marketing channels.

So what's your elevator speech? Is so broad that it never says what you do? Or is it well defined and offers a unique niche service or product.