Davis & Associates - Strategic marketing

Item 1: Online Banking – Leaders & Trends

Online US business solutions specialists, Gomez (see item also below), in their 2003 Internet Banker Survey, comment banks are leveraging the power of the internet "more effectively to cross-sell products and services, generate cost savings and more efficiently (generate revenue) from their internet customer base".

In the US, Wells Fargo topped the survey's list of online-banking services due to a strong customer focus (e.g. paying attention to online banking customers by pre-filling customer data into new account applications, delivering extensive help and online-banking demonstrations, and posting clear security and reliability guarantees on its site).

Meeting customer needs online is a priority for the banking industry. Technology consulting firm, Gartner, predict that an additional 40 million users in the US alone will take advantage of their bank's online bill payment features during 2003.

Item 2: Recommended Websites

For some of the very best and current thinking on brand, bookmark www.prophet.com ; behind Prophet are a number of acknowledged leaders in brand strategy (including Professor David.A.Aaker and Scott Davis).

Gomez www.gomez.com is a website worth visiting for comparative data (e.g. benchmarks, scorecards, indicators etc) on online customer experience across different industry sectors.

While very North American in its focus (US/Canada), the Gomez data tracks key online trends and indicators of relevance to the Australian online environment.

Item 3 : Reasons to Align Employees Around Your Brand

In an article entitled “Brand Assimilation – Aligning Employees Around Your Brand”, brand strategy consultancy Prophet, offers the following rationale:

1.	It provides a tangible reason for employees to believe in a company, which keeps them motivated and energised
2.	It allows each employee to see how he or she fits into the greater scheme of delivering on the brand promise to customers and the impact of these efforts on business goals
3.	It builds a level of pride tied to fulfilling the brand’s promise
4.	It facilitates recruitment and retention
5.	It confirms that the customer and the brand are the things to focus on.

And the critical success factors for building and sustaining a brand-based culture, include:

-	Commitment from the top
-	A clearly articulated, long-term brand strategy linked to the business strategy
-	Assimilating the brand effectively at all levels, built around a segmentation of your employees according to level, formal/informal influence and the degree of direct involvement with either customers or marketing communications
-	Building a structured brand assimilation program in three clear phases: strategic development (scope, segmentation of internal audiences, detailed 18-month assimilation program, performance metrics); foundation building (materials, workshops, prioritisation of key internal segment messages, timetable); and implementation (training, internal communications, monitoring and measuring effectiveness, refining /modifying for improvement)
-	Measurement of success (e.g. are employees aware of the new brand initiative, understand “what’s in if for me” and the company, know how to deliver on the brand promise)
-	Commitment to a long-term brand assimilation program.

Item 4: Our Rules of Consulting

We established the company five years ago, and in that time, we’ve learnt some valuable lessons about how to build and sustain client relationships.

1.	Always Look to Value-Add: suggestions on topical reading / seminars / events; introducing your clients to relevant contacts within your own network; providing reference sites for your client to enhance their knowledge-learning; passing on information / IP; facilitating quality speaking opportunities
2.	Keep Abreast of Issues-Trends: tell your client something they don’t already know; keep abreast of relevant knowledge and information (personal reading, seminars-conferences, mentors, knowledge sharing with colleagues and peers, further education and training)
3.	Use Language and Terminology your Client will Understand: don’t try to impress or baffle clients with consulting speak; where possible, embrace their terminology and vocabulary
4.	Understand Quickly and Clearly the Needs and Priorities of your Key Client Contacts: as a consultant your job is not to grab the limelight, your job is to help your key client contacts deliver, and in doing so, enhance their standing and credentials within their own organisations
5.	Don’t Buy into Internal Politics (or at least Negotiate them with Caution): as a consultant people will frequently offload their frustrations and political battles – your role is to listen and absorb not to get embroiled – to do so risks losing your independence, integrity and effectiveness
6.	Communicate Value for Money: be clear about precisely what you will deliver to your client for the fees quoted – and include all extra /”out-of-pocket” costs upfront.
7.	Treat Your Client with Respect and Honesty: express your concerns and issues directly and honestly with your client - it builds trust and mutual respect. You need to be free and trusting to say what you really think. You also need to enable your client to do the same.
8.	Keep Your Client Informed: ensure your client understands precisely where you are in the process, and whether you’re on track to deliver against milestones and timelines.
9.	Have a Clear Written Agreement, including KPIs: (deliverables, timeframes, KPIs tracking performance and ROI, costs, confidentiality, required resourcing etc).
10.	After the Contract-Project, Sustain the Relationship: once you’ve completed the work don’t neglect the relationship. Be prepared to sustain an ongoing association – this doesn’t mean peppering them with phone calls or emails; but from time-to-time, catching up, inviting them to an interesting event, or occasionally forwarding on information you think they will find of real interest.

Item 5: New Business

In June, Davis and Associates were appointed to undertake new strategic marketing and brand projects for:

Australian Graduate School of Management
Sparke Helmore
Uniting Church
Volunteering NSW.

Item 6 : In the News / On the Hustings

Dianne Davis was quoted in B&T (26 May)on the trend of procurement functions becoming increasingly involved in advertising services tenders; and again on 16 June in relation to advertising agency profitability.

Next Issue: WHO’S REALLY OFFERING WHAT IN BRAND CONSULTING LAND

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