You don’t want some “creative” with such strong opinions that they don’t ever listen to your business needs and who is always trying to mark up their “value” by criticizing everything except what they bring to the table. And you don’t want a mealy-mouthed newbie who will make whatever you want but who’s not providing any actual value that you hired them for, because they don’t have the insight and guts to provide - and stand up for - the solutions you need. Things like:
I remember when I launched my second company. We had a great product - it was a garden fountain kit that homeowners could install themselves. We had a good production method. We had a strong team, but we lacked cohesion. Our messaging wasn’t aligned with our tools so we missed our mark and after some tremendous growth and traction, we began to lose clients. Locally, when we were in front of people, we were a hit. But when it came time to get serious and tell our story to the masses, it fell apart. I learned these three business truths:
I vowed to never again get punished for being unable to communicate to my customers the benefit we offered. Also, I learned that I need to have good tools and assets to tell a better story. A better website, stronger marketing collateral, a cohesive brand, and content that made sense all the way through.
If they follow your narrative, you’ll build trust; leading to more conversions, greater loyalty, and longer retention. Your business will go from good to great. (I promise, I didn’t mean to make that reference. But it’s true!)
Now I know exactly how to communicate to my clients (YOU) the value we bring. And it’s leading to greater growth and more revenue!