IvySea, Inc.

The Need

Internal and external marketing efforts have much in common, starting with the need for an audience to understand what you do, how you do it, and why it matters to them. The key challenge is not so much found in crafting your marketing materials, but in honing a distinct, authentic message that clearly communicates your group’s unique personality and value.

Vague or ineffective marketing efforts can confuse or alienate customers and prospects alike. Murky marketing can also be a waste of time, energy, funds and employee productivity; and can dilute the group’s understanding of its vision and shared purpose.

The Request

A department executive recognized that internal customers were not tapping her team for meaningful, skill-appropriate projects, but instead for quick-hit administrative support that didn't fall into her team’s scope of offerings. After a sincere, deep look at the team’s talents, testimonials from internal clients, and feedback from all, the executive learned that her internal clients weren't aware of the team's actual purpose and offerings, and didn't know how or when to approach the team for support needs that matched the group's strongest competencies.

In another company, the CEO wanted to attract clients and employee candidates that suited his company’s vision and culture. His challenge was how to authentically and powerfully communicate the vision that resides in his head, and the culture as his employees and clients experienced it.

These leaders contacted Ivy Sea for advice, recommendations and implementation support to market their services accurately and authentically to their respective audiences.

The Action Taken

Ivy Sea worked closely with these leaders to unearth their respective visions, learn more about group capabilities, identify how the groups met the primary needs of their clients, articulate core messages, and discover how to authentically and effectively communicate to the groups' ideal customers.

Through mindful questioning, deep listening and a pointed decision not to rush to implementation, Ivy Sea helped these leaders focus, refine, and gain clarity on what their groups’ value is and how that’s a benefit to their respective audiences.

The implementation included coaching sessions and check-ins, as well as marketing-communication collateral such as their web (or intranet) site, print materials, and personal communication approach.

The Benefits

When customers know what you do, you’re better able to attract and retain the clients and projects that you desire, and for which you are most suited. This reduces the number of misdirected requests that you have to manage, and can increase the number of potential customers that become happy, satisfied clients. The same applies to recruitment marketing for ideal employees that are a good match to your organizational culture.

With clear, effective, authentic marketing materials, you’re also in a better position to enhance your group members’ level of skill and focus on what’s most important (instead of spreading the group thin on many different energy-draining tasks and priorities).

Bottom-line benefits include a more efficient work process, an increase in qualified leads and requests; and the creation of effective; appropriate, satisfied customers; and efficient marketing tools that don’t need constant revision (thus saving you time and financial resources).

A clear vision and marketing direction can also help improve employee morale by helping to coalesce team members with a common, shared goal, and eliminatomg any confusion around the group’s or an individual’s purpose.

Ivy Sea can help you clarify your messages, and develop effective, authentic marketing materials to attract well-suited internal or external customers. Contact us to discuss the possibilities.

On to Case Study #3!

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