Practice
Four Stages, in Order.
Position, language, system, direction. Each stage builds on the last, and none is sold in isolation from the others.
The four stages
- 01
Position
- Objective
- What the business is for, who it is for, and what it refuses.
- Inputs
- Past proposals, pitches lost and won, the current client and specifier base.
- Outputs
- Positioning statement, segment definitions, competitive map.
- Duration
- 2 to 4 weeks
- 02
Language
- Objective
- The words the business uses about itself, fixed at source.
- Inputs
- The position, existing proposal and sales material.
- Outputs
- Messaging framework, commercial language for proposals and fee conversations.
- Duration
- 1 to 2 weeks
- 03
System
- Objective
- Identity, web, catalogue, social, email and PR, built as one asset rather than five separate ones.
- Inputs
- The position and language.
- Outputs
- Identity system, website, catalogue, social system, email and CRM structure, press materials.
- Duration
- 6 to 12 weeks, depending on scope
- 04
Direction
- Objective
- Keeping every channel arguing the same position after launch.
- Inputs
- The completed system.
- Outputs
- Monthly review, specialist coordination across every discipline, quarterly reporting.
- Duration
- Ongoing
Enquiries start with what the business is for. Start an Enquiry.