Building A Brand Name On A Shoestring Budget

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Building A Brand Name On A Shoestring Budget

• Omaha Chamber Academy February 18, 2004
• Deb Bass/Bruce Peterson

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Session Objectives

• Gain understanding of branding basics
• Marketing plan construction
• Discuss various types of advertising mediums
• Putting customer feedback to work
• Budget considerations - what budget?

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Disclaimer

• Marketing professionals we are not
• Real life examples
• The believers vs. the skeptics

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Bass Associates, Inc. Company Background

• Full service I/T consulting
• Founded in 1993 by Jon Deb Bass
• Headquartered at 2027 Dodge
• Currently 65 employees, projected 7 million in
  revenues
• Reputation built on quality service

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Bass Associates, Inc.Snapshot of Customers

• 65 EMPLOYEES
• 7 MILLION IN ANNUAL REVENUE
• LOCAL CUSTOMERS

ConAgra, Inc. Northern Natural Mid American
Energy World Insurance Omaha World
Herald Ameritrade Methodist Health System
Union Pacific Railroad BlueCross BlueShield of
Nebraska AG Processing, Inc. Qwest Mutual of
Omaha Aquila State of Nebraska
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Marketing Branding

• A never ending process to build ...
• Name recognition
• Appeal to the human element
• Never underestimate nor overlook an opportunity
• Consistency of the message
• Internal people brand important too

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You Can Achieve Great Things!
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Simple Marketing Lessons

• Consistent message
• Consistent delivery
• Pay attention to the details
• Focus on what makes you stand apart
• Build on establishing and maintaining a
  relationship, not making a sale

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Why Choose Bass Associates, Inc.?How Are We
Different From All the Other I/T Human Resource
Management Companies?

• An established consistent Nebraska presence, the
  name you have trusted for the past ten years
• Top I/T Resources, selected through a stringent
  10-step hiring process and regularly documented
  consultant status reports
• A commitment to bring our clients the best
  hometown value ask anyone of our over ninety
  five invoiced clients this past year
• A dedication to listen and learn about your needs
  from our consulting services management team who
  have a combined total of sixty eight years in the
  industry
• A suite of superior I/T solutions to meet your
  needs via our team of over sixty I/T consulting
  professionals and a number of business partners
• Open communication and contact channels with
  client managers every thirty days via phone and
  written satisfaction surveys every six months
• A focus on building long-term relationships and
  partnerships through our forty hours no bill
  satisfaction policy
• Hands on personal touch approach with Bass
  brownies and beans deliveries
• The first I/T consulting company which adhered to
  the State of Nebraska Sales Tax Regulation
• Is there any wonder why Bass Associates, Inc.
  is the trusted name in I/T Consulting Services?
•  
• Experience why we are our clients First and
  Preferred Choice!!!
•  

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Relationship Marketing

• Moved from Information Age to the Relationship
  Age
• Listen to your customer be customer centric
• Two important points of customer contact
• Personal touch from the high level exec
• What solutions can you provide to solve their
  problems?

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Bass Associates Vision

• To be our clients first and preferred choice by
  providing optimal business solutions through the
  building of meaningful, long-term relationships
  and partnerships.

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Bass Associates, Inc. Mission

• To make our customers successful by providing
  optimal business solutions using flexible and
  responsive resource management while creating new
  and challenging career opportunities.

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Appeal to the Human Element

• Big budget isn't everything
• Be creative, make it tangible
• Display a warm friendly environment
• Every employee a member of the marketing army
• Constantly build on customer feedback

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Building A Marketing Plan

• Assemble a 12 month plan with a budget for
  internal external customers
• How much should you spend?
• Execute the plan
• Review and revise as necessary

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Sample Marketing Plan

• External Customer January 2004
• Outdoor Billboards 2
• Radio Campaign 2 weeks
• Career Link/Hot Jobs OnLine Search
• Brownie and Beans Deliveries
• MBJ Ad Jan.16
• On Site Client Lunches - 2

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Sample Marketing Plan

• Internal Customer February 2004
• Pizza Night Feb.5
• Employee Group Luncheon Feb.17
• Performance Reviews
• Service Awards/Birthday Baskets
• ICT Employee Lunches

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Prospecting/Name Recognition

• Newspapers magazines
• Frequency
• Consistent message and style
• Web Site - www.bass-inc.com
• Clear concise
• Drive traffic to the site
• Keep it current
• Consistent with hard copy

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Prospecting/Name Recognition -

• Billboards
• Strategically placed and rotated
• Simple, concise message
• Radio Advertising
• Customer centric message
• Run periodically, variety of stations
• Personalize your message

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Prospecting/Name Recognition

• Targeted mailings
• Did You Know campaign
• Drive traffic to corporate web site
• Follow-up after business shows

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Prospecting/Name Recognition -

• Scholarships
• Given with personal touch
• Builds on ambassador concept
• High School College Presentations
• Industry awareness
• Name recognition
• Never miss an opportunity

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Prospecting/Name Recognition -

• Business Shows
• Career Fairs
• Buy the Big O
• Technical Shows
• Corporate Sponsorships
• Seminars
• Relation to advertising
• Raise industry awareness
• Viewed as industry community leader

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Reputation as a Quality Organization

• News articles
• Easy to sell something you believe will help
  others
• Become The Place to work do business
• Core business values
• Protect your reputation

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Bass Business Values

• Maintaining positive relationships
• Delivering quality customer service
• Demonstrating honesty and integrity
• Building on our reputation as a quality solutions
  provider
• Practicing open and supportive communications
• Exceeding business commitments
• Delivering results
• Being community minded

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Trade Shows

• The booth
• The staff
• Appeal to your guest
• Follow-up

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Trade Show Mandate Highly Effective Behavior
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Special Events

• Customer Appreciation Events
• Educational Seminars
• Corporate Sponsorships
• Private Outings
• Catered Client Site Lunches

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Pay Attention To The Details

• Client site luncheons
• Logo napkins
• Note cards
• Brownies and jelly beans
• Floral centerpieces

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Powerful Relationship Building Communications

• Follow-up letters
• Company newsletters
• Handwritten notes
• Personal lunches

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Break..

• More to come - the Bass Brownie story.

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The Miraculous Bass Brownie

• Simple concept
• Consistently delivered
• Appeals to the human element
• Symbolized our company philosophies
• Thanks the client for their business

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How Do Brownies Relate To I/T?

• Niche focus on local value provider
• Set us apart from the competition
• Added personal touch to a cold industry
• Epitomized Bass values and standards

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Followed By The Bass Beans

• Small reminder we visited
• More impromptu
• Reflects different occasions
• Delivered throughout the year
• Carries an appreciation message

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Putting Client Feedback To Work For You

• Client testimonials
• Targeted mailings
• Maintain consistency
• Recycle the info and build on the concept
• Communicate with internal and external customers

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Putting Client Feedback to Work For You

• Client testimonials they say it best!
• Targeted mailings
• Maintain consistency
• Recycle the info and build on the concept
• Communicate with internal and external customers

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What Our Clients Are Saying

•  
• Heres What Our Clients Are Saying
• Twice a year Bass Associates, Inc conducts a
  satisfaction survey of their client managers.
  The February 2003 results revealed, 74 of those
  who responded rated the services they received
  from Bass as excellent. The remaining 26 rated
  the services as good. 
• The same managers were also asked to rate the
  staffs responsiveness to their needs. Once
  again, Bass Associates scored 89 excellent and
  11 good.
•  
• Good business relationship, good results. Dana
  Haynes, Nebraska Furniture Mart
• Local, understands my needs, communicates at my
  level. Steve Schmitz, OPPD
• Highly recommended by industry and personal
  references. Noreen Hebda, Universal Warranty
• For the past 7 years that I have been dealing
  with Bass, I cant remember a time when they have
  put a potential candidate in front of me for an
  interview that didnt match the qualifications I
  was looking for. Bass consistently does a very
  good job in screening their candidates. Brian
  Wallman, Union Pacific Railroad
• Easy to work with, talented resources and
  reasonable rates. Dave Dibben, Central States
  Health
• Because they are easy to work with, provide good
  resources and provide Bass Brownies. Paul
  Anctil, Aquila
• Easy to work with, great technical
  qualifications, and a staff that says What do
  you need us to do not That isnt my job. Jan
  Rowe, Childrens Hospital
• Quality of service. Rashid Mohiuddin, LaRue
  Distributing
• Their availability and flexibility. They give
  sound advice and direct us toward preparing for
  the future. Laurie Sokolik, Goodwill
  Industries
• Professionalism, responsiveness, quality of
  candidates. Charlotta Catlin, OPS

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Bass Associates, Inc.Skills and Experience -
References
The conversion was an outstanding accomplishment
enabled only through competent people and
teamwork. I am
pleased Bass Associates is one of our business
partners.
Kris Paper, Vice President CIO
Utilicorp
United, Kansas City, MO
Youve always done a great job with us. I
appreciate the way you do business.
Bill
Bechaz
, Director of Systems Development
ConAgra Frozen Foods, Omaha, NE
You have done a wonderful job matching
consultants to our needs. This shows that you
know your customers.
Ann
Finkner
, VP Application Systems
Farm Credit Services, Omaha, NE
Very happy with the service you have provided.
Good customer service!
Steve White,
Mgr
. Applications Development
Methodist Health Systems, Omaha, NE
You have a top notch organization. I only wish
I had more opportunities to use your services.
Vic Stevenart
,
Mgr
. Sales Marketing System
ConAgra Frozen Foods, Omaha, NE
Thank you for your help it has really been a
positive experience being involved with your
company.
T.A.
Greenwald
,
Mgr
. of Special Projects
Union Pacific Railroad, Omaha, NE
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What Our Clients Are Saying
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The Unsatisfied Customer

• Wealth of information
• Opportunity to shine
• Never give up
• Can be your most powerful ally

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Marketing Via the Interview Process Never Miss
an Opportunity

• Home office visit
• Structured format with professionals who
  understand the importance of the visit
• Understand that the communication is a two way
  process
• Send out the potential candidate as positive
  ambassador for your organization
• Marketing via reference checks

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Marketing WithInternal Customer Teams

• Build a Company Culture Brand
• Market as Employer of Choice
• Build relationships
• Numerous contacts throughout period
• Touch Base calls
• Contact to remind of company events
• Happy Birthday calls

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Relationship Building ViaInternal Customers

• Remember the philosophy and organizational
  strategy
• Be the branding champion
• Marketing army
• Numerous contacts to reinforce the message
• Employee recognitions Bass Wall of Fame

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Employees Your Marketing Army
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Employee CommunicationCompany Newsletters

• Build on the people brand
• Communicate marketing campaign
• Create regular company newsletters
• Human interest stories
• Repeat company values philosophies
• Communicate company individual successes
• Communicate company events

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Conclusion

• Build on the enthusiasm of others
• Build on previous successes
• Dont be afraid to brainstorm and try new ideas
• Make it fun for everyone

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Discussion

• Thank you for attending

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Bass Associates, Inc., a HunTel Company

• Bass Associates, Inc.
• 2027 Dodge St. Suite 500
• Omaha, NE 68102
• Voice 402-346-1505
• Fax [phone]
• E-Mailinfo_at_bass-inc.com
• HTTP www.bass-inc.com