Professional Services Brands

How Are They Different And Why Would You Care?

When most professional services (PS) executives think of brands, they usually think of brand identity. From our perspective, brand identity is a sub-element of a PS brand and probably the least important. But this raises the question - what is a PS brand.

Professional Services Sales

Why Is This Hard For So Many Firms?

Many sales professionals with admirable careers in product-based companies struggle when they go to work for a Professional Services firm? The game suddenly changes and all of the techniques that made them successful in the past are no longer useful. Before long they ask themselves the big question. Why is this so hard?

Thought Leadership:

Differentiate for profits and market share.

There is an old saying ripe with wisdom: “No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” As professional services (PS) people, we are all about knowledge and expertise. We can do things that other people don’t know how to do. It’s convincing the market of this and of the value we provide that is the challenge. At The Shattuck Group, we believe thought leadership is the single best way for PS firms to acquire customers.

The Three Stages Of Brand Life:

Entrench your firm in a winning position.

PS brands are often confused with identity elements such as a logo, tagline, website, or brochure. PS brands are, simply put, reputation. Whatever the market thinks of a business is its brand.

Marketing Strategy & Tactics:

Understand the difference to succeed.

At The Shattuck Group we often meet with PS executives who are in a hurry to move straight to tactics when rolling out a new service or offering. They can see a new web site or brochure or a certain pitch and want to immediately get there without stopping to think things all the way through.

The B2b Buying Cycle

Why Is It Critical To Understand How It Works?

B2B buying is unique. Those who understand it and leverage it win big. Those who apply B2C assumptions to B2B buying patterns end up frustrated, destroy client confidence, and lose deals.

Market Research:

The key to pulling away from the pack.

At The Shattuck Group we talk to dozens of professional services (PS) executives monthly at firms of all sizes. We’ve discovered a common and disturbing trend - rolling out new services or new departments without conducting market research.

Sales & Marketing:

How are they different and how should they be measured?

On occasion, at The Shattuck Group, we attend client board meetings. At this senior level, it is not uncommon to hear executives talk about the effectiveness of their sales and marketing initiatives. We’ve noticed this language tends to roll off the tongue with a little too much ease. In PS firms where sales and marketing are too easily lumped together, we’ve noticed a trend - infighting and finger-pointing.