SMALL BUSINESSES & START-UPS
CommuniCreations understands the needs of small businesses and start-ups. After all, we were a small business once. So were companies like HP, Mrs. Fields, Apple and Microsoft. In fact, 80% of all businesses in the U.S. have fewer than 100 employees.
As a small business, non-profit or start-up, it's vital to have a consistent, high quality brand. That means not only your printed materials and web site appearance, but also how you approach the business, how you answer the phone and manage client relationships, and how you position yourself in the competitive climate.
Our typical small "business" clients already have their hands full. They usually wear many hats in the organization, handling much of the day-to-day activities themselves. This includes the critical marketing and communication functions.
While they understand the need for effective marketing, public relations and communications, these clients simply don't have the time or staff to deal with it. So it remains at the bottom of the endless "to do" list.
We work with small business owners and entrepreneurs to clarify mission and vision, develop effective collateral and sales materials, align the brand and create effective programs that generate awareness, sustainability and sales.
Why is this important? Ninety percent of businesses fail within the first five years. Much of that failure is due to the lack of effective marketing, a muddled brand, the lure of "busyness" versus "business" and the inability to articulate a unique value proposition in the mind of prospective clients.
Following are some of the communication and strategic consulting services we offer small businesses and start ups:
- Establishing Your Brand - We work with businesses to establish a consistent client and stakeholder experience from the point of first contact to the end of the relationship.
- Planning for the Unexpected - We help organizations plan for the unexpected, knowing that natural and man made disasters can cripple a small business. The plans serve as operational guides to acting clearly and decisively in the midst of a crisis or emergency.
- Getting Your Message Noticed - Gaining exposure via events that stakeholders are invited to is an under utilized way of gaining visibility, leads and buy-in. We help businesses identify opportunities for creating these high exposure events and provide the planning services necessary to execute them effectively.
- Standing Out in a Crowd - There's a glut of advertising in the marketplace. We help small businesses rise above the din by developing innovative and effective marketing initiatives that are truly outside the box. The purpose is to make a splash in the mind of your target audience without busting the budget.
- Moving Beyond Brochureware - The web is a primary first point of organizational content for many clients these days. We help you assess the usefulness of your site as a sales and marketing tool, providing guidance and counsel on how to improve its use as a branding and relationship management tool.
- Defining Your Image - A clean, memorable image begins at the first point of contact. Many times this is a sales letter, a business card or an invoice. We can review existing materials and realign them with the desired brand or create cohesive collateral from scratch, including logos, business cards, envelopes, stationery and sales materials.
- Getting Your Story Heard - Getting effective and consistent publicity is key to the success of any business endeavor. But the media sees literally thousands of press releases every day. We help you find your story and then develop it in a compelling way that will gain media attention. We also work with businesses to create media kits, conduct media training and create pitches for feature articles in newspapers, magazines and broadcast.
- Having a Solid Plan - Many companies put this at the bottom of their list as it can be a daunting process. But a carefully devised marketing plan is the foundation of any organization's long term growth. We help businesses develop their marketing plan, from identifying target audiences, challenges and opportunities to creating executable marketing campaigns on all fronts.
- Print That Doesn't Scream "Preprints" - Our award-winning design team can create anything in print, from brochures, pamphlets and sales sheets to posters, promotions and one-of-a-kind marketing tools. Nothing says small business like preprinted paper purchased from a office supply house
- Putting Sizzle in Your Promotions - Opening a business or launching a product or service isn't as simple as throwing open the door and sending out a press release. The simple fact is there is a glut of these types of ordinary "events." We work with you to create a memorable launch/grand opening event that will not only create a buzz but jump start your sales efforts.
- Making the Tradeshow Circuit Worth Your Time - The average business has just 10 seconds to gain and hold the attention of attendees. We work with business to create an effective and affordable tradeshow presence, from booth design and lead generation mechanisms to sales staff training and follow-up.
- Step Away from the Frontpage Software - If you have an existing web site, we can assess it and realign it to fit your unique brand and value proposition. If you don't have one, we can design one for you that is affordable, effective and which adds value to your sales efforts and client relationships. Nothing looks worse than a point of first contact that may be the last for a prospective client with high expectations of your abilities
