Question 1

When is the right time to involve us?

Accepted Answer

Ideally before you've committed to a plan that you have doubts about. We've joined teams and projects when the trains already running, but it's easier to add value when we help you shape the vision and scope.  Which processes do we support?

1 Before launching a new product, or a division, or a business, to make sure your are making the robust foundational marketing choices.

2 When new leadership want to align the business to a new future direction.

3 Before briefing execution agencies for activation. (Yes, we often represent clients (brand owners) in running projects with digital, PR, trade show, brand experience, and content production agencies.

Question 2

Who leads the workshops?

Accepted Answer

I, Kyle Talbot, am always leading workshops. My support team is for research and preparing report outs, and back office tasks.

Question 3

How long will a process take?

Accepted Answer

Brand Positioning, our longest process,  can be completed within 4 weeks. The other workshops can be completed more faster.

I recognize the time of leaders is valuable, and have designed a process to extract maximum insights and knowledge in a short timeframe.

Question 4

Do I have experience in your sector?

Accepted Answer

My specialism is companies with a technical culture, and at every stage of the value or supply chain.

My clients have been in, or selling into every sector from Automotive and Consumer Electronics to Healthcare and Defence.

Here is a list of companies I've supported:

Advanced Materials
Avery Dennison, DSM Protective Materials (Dyneema), DSM Engineering Materials, DSM Innovation Centre, Worthen Group
 
Broadcast Technology
EVS Broadcast Equipment, NEP Global, Axon Digital, Infostrada,
 
Business Solutions
Adnovate, Dysel Software, i3 Group, I.R.I.S Software (Canon), Nedap Retail
 
Chemicals
Borealis Group, DSM Resins & Functional Materials, Synres
 
Defence
Skydec
 
Graphics
Paperlinx, Zing, Buhrmann
 
Education
Open Universiteit, Essisme, iPadKlas
​
Energy
Endurans Solar, DSM Advanced Solar, DSM Biofuels, ODE Ltd, Doris Engineering
​
Food
Geris Dairy Solutions
​
Professional Services
Advocaat Gillioen, Legaltree, TradeWiz
​
Government
Rijkswaterstaat (Department of Transport)
 
Leisure
Willem Alexanderbaan, Louisehoeve
​
Manufacturing
Additive Manufacturing Technology Ltd, Avery Consumer Products, Crown van Gelder, Vasco Groep
 
Non Profit
De Gezel, Revitalise, World Wildlife Fund
 
Real Estate
Igluu, Wooninc, Zibber
 
Retail
Korsit (Dundle.com), Heidebrouwerij, Riviera Maison, Scheiwijk

Question 5

When does a brand positioning fail?

Accepted Answer

Brand leadership is hard to be successful at. It requires imagination, a long term vision, investment, discipline, and it asks colleagues throughout the organisation to stand up for principles and values. To keep the promise the brand represents.

There are three typical red flags that lead to failure within 1 year:

1 key leadership people act unilaterally and drift off brand in the execution

2 the customer insights we are building on turn out to be different - perhaps customers have very different opinions or needs than expected, and so our core proposition does not resonate

3 internal priorities change, postponing activation

Question 6

Would I collaborate with your other agencies?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely.

I support you early in the process, so you can make better choices about which agencies you need, and give them effective briefings.

Every project becomes teamwork, and success depends on engagement from internal colleagues, agencies, and other strategic partners. I'm a team player.

Question 7

Do I work with startups?

Accepted Answer

Yes, I love supporting startups!

I work with entrepreneurs to develop MVPs, to refine their product/market fit, and those preparing to scale up.

I also share why and how startups should approach branding and marketing in a radically different way to large enterprise organisations. Priorities, investment, and process.

Question 8

What kind of questions do leaders ask me?

Accepted Answer

Here are some examples:

"We are in 80% of all cars, but no one has ever heard of us. How do we get seen for what we do?"

"Our product is technically superior. How do we convince customers?"

"We are a component supplier, so how do get seen as an innovation partner?

"We are losing market share to Chinese commodity suppliers... how can we protect our reputation for quality?"

"We sell through distributors, and want to build a relationship with end customers, how do we do it?"

"We're merging companies, how do we protect our brand equity? Do we keep all our brands?"

"How do we share that we  are a leader in sustainability?"

"We are known as a business optimisation solution, we want to be seen as a sustainability technology, how do we make the shift?"

If this triggers your curiosity, book a 15 minute call with your question.(https://calendly.com/kyletalbot/first-meet)

Question 9

Do you need a specialist for b2b?

Accepted Answer

You need expertise that understands what type of ideas will work in your market.

Many b2b markets are still highly influenced by relationships... if so you need someone who understands what digital can and can't do for you. 
If you're a global organisation you need someone who isn't surprised that half the work is earning internal buy-in, and convincing skeptical colleagues. Or that to be successful you need to target multiple decision makers all along the value chain to create a pull effect, and they all have different motivations.

So yes, work with a specialist in b2b for the strategic and creative choices. Once you're into implementation, work with specialists in digital, in social, etc.

Book a 15 minute introduction call.  (https://calendly.com/kyletalbot/first-meet)

"How do we run two brands without cannibalising our flagship?"

"How do we run two brands
without cannibalising our flagship?"