Last time I went to a show in the Amway Arena in Orlando I couldn’t help but notice the staging, lighting, graphics and everything that went into this massive production. Every little detail reinforced and built upon the theme of the entire concert perfectly. Although the artists are amazingly talented, the imagery just enhanced the experience exponentially. I can only imagine the amount of effort and planning that went into putting this whole production together.
Creating Brand Awareness
Much has been written about the need to sell not just a service or product, but theexperience to the client. I wholeheartedly support this philosophy and I believe this is what creating brand awareness is all about and why having a branding strategy is critical. Focusing on selling just a product or service puts all the pressure on price as the key point of differentiation in the purchase equation, something our industry has been guilty of for far too long. Though, the AEC industry is extremely price sensitive, especially in the public sector, the brand awareness brought to the bargaining table can often be the tipping point in the selection process as in a sense, the customer already knows what they are buying… they already know what to expect.
In the AEC environment marketing is more than the development of pretty collateral material and well-constructed words…it is atotal experience. In the service environment the experience is what sells. In our efforts to establish and maintain a customer-centric mindset that crosses the boundaries into the services domain, the essence of marketing demands a complete understanding of the real needs of the customer—a marketing concept that is truer today than ever before.
Today “good” quality is the minimum price of entry into today’s competitive game. Unless your firm has an exceptional product or service that can sell itself, like a prototypical design or construction method, simply competing on a “good” product or service won’t give you any serious advantages over your competition.
Clients want to feel that you have a vested interest in their needs – that you stand to lose as much as they should you NOT provide the service they desire or need. How? By gaining a better understanding of their requirements and defining appropriate responses to their problems. By translating the service value proposition into a satisfying delivery experience, by demonstrating an in-depth knowledge and awareness of their needs. The solution is locked in service concepts that are reproducible and profitable and that enable you to meet and even exceed the client’s expectations.
It doesn’t have to cost more!
Focusing on the experience carries all sorts of tangibles and intangibles with it, some that are highly personal and others not. Some involve additional resources while some are reflected in attitude, professionalism and enthusiasm at little or no cost. The key is taking a holistic look at the overall experience that you would like the client to walk away with. This can’t be achieved with a segmented marketing program, it needs to encompass the entire marketing event including lights, staging, graphics and performance.
Contact us to find out how we can help you develop and implement YOUR Branding Strategy
DAVNA Enterprises, LLC is a marketing solutions firm dedicated to the Architectural, Engineering and Construction industry to improve the effectiveness of their marketing initiatives and keeping marketing professionals apprised of new and upcoming marketing tools and resources.
