Problem Statement
We want to find an external partner (freelancer) who can truly understand and complement our unique brand and culture.
What We Need: Ideas concerning ... print and digital collateral, our website and its content, how to improve our case/white papers to reflect our expertise, achieving brand consistency across our social media platforms, and overall brand strategy/representation.
Current Solutions
1. Can you craft a nuanced marketing strategy for a professional services firm like ours, which has a distinct approach from the typical corporate giants? 2. How can you ensure that our branding and marketing stand out, resonate authentically, and foster long-term relationships rather than mere transactional interactions? 3. What is the best way for 500-700 key professionals to learn about our work without us telling them ourselves?
Follow the judging criteria below as a rubric and write your ideas under each category that offers points.
Alignment with Company Values and Culture (20 Points)
- How well does the proposed strategy align with the company's belief in building lasting relationships and genuine engagement?
- Does the strategy prioritize value, expertise, and authenticity over aggressive promotion?
Innovation & Creativity (20 Points)
- How unique and innovative are the ideas?
Does the strategy provide fresh and creative ways to market the brand without mimicking Fortune 500 approaches?
Comprehensiveness (20 Points)
- Does the strategy cover all the areas mentioned? (print and digital collateral, website content, case/white papers, social media platforms, and overall brand representation)
Practicality & Feasibility (15 Points)
- How actionable are the suggestions?
- Are the ideas realistic given the company's position and desire for a one-off interaction?
Target Audience Engagement (10 Points)
- Does the strategy provide effective ways to reach the 500-700 key professionals without direct communication from the company?
Branding Consistency (10 Points)
- How well does the strategy ensure consistent branding across all platforms, reflecting the firm's unique identity?
Long-Term Relationship Building (5 Points)
- Does the strategy emphasize fostering long-term relationships over transactional interactions?
Reference to Successful Models (5 Points)
- If applicable, does the strategy draw inspiration from or make reference to Wachtel Lipton's marketing or other similar successful strategies?
Feedback Mechanisms (5 Points)
- Does the strategy include ways to gather feedback, measure success, or adjust tactics based on responses from the target audience?
Budget Considerations (5 Points)
- Does the strategy offer cost-effective solutions, especially considering the one-time interaction with the freelancer?
Additional Notes:
- The total score is 110 points. Ideas can be ranked according to their total score.
- The top three ideas, as per the scores, would then split the $1000 prize.
Background: We are a 20-25 person, commercial real estate firm with a distinct identity and culture. Despite our size, we compete with Fortune 500 companies in our industry. While they often rely on aggressive promotion, we believe in building lasting relationships through value and genuine engagement/developing true areas of expertise. We are selling seven figure relationships involving complex work assignments in tightly defined verticals of expertise. There is a $1000 prize to be split between three people; the money will be earned by whoever can give ideas in the below section for "What We Need." The 3 week timeline to submit ideas We are seeking an outsourced marketing strategy for our unique professional services firm; there is no need for a long-term in-house marketing role, for we need a freelancer that can give us ideas on how to market our brand fitting with our specific culture. We don't need anyone who needs to actually do anything but only give us ideas on what we should do (not looking to allocate resources for internal marketing role but need a one-off interaction where ideas are given).
What We Need: Ideas concerning ... print and digital collateral, our website and its content, how to improve our case/white papers to reflect our expertise, achieving brand consistency across our social media platforms, and overall brand strategy/representation.
Questions to Consider: Can you craft a nuanced marketing strategy for a professional services firms like ours, which has a distinct approach from the typical corporate giants? How can you ensure that our branding and marketing stand out, resonate authentically, and foster long-term relationships rather than mere transactional interactions? What is the best way for 500-700 key professionals to learn about our work with us telling them ourselves?
Reference: If you're familiar with Wachtel Lipton's marketing strategy or have come across the HBS case study on the same, it's a plus. We have found tremendous success being the opposite of the typical flashy, commercial real estate firm.
