Bensi & Company needed a complete digital transformation.
Situation
As a small, local Indianapolis business leader, owner Mike Bensi wanted to promote his services across his website, email, and social media presence while sticking to a strict budget. 1909 DIGITAL created an essential strategy to assess the landscape of leadership consulting and identify obstacles, while highlighting areas for opportunity.
We developed website copy built on clear framework messaging, improved site mapping (providing a streamlined user experience), and optimized emarketing funnels for Mailchimp recipients. After a 6-month relationship, Mike brought us on for a comprehensive re-branding effort, propelling Bensi & Company forward as a top competitor in the leadership consultant industry.
1909 DIGITAL found an approach which communicated the core values driving Bensi & Company while also distinguishing the brand within the marketplace.
Findings
Mike’s competitors were widely known for their publishing and speaking engagements, but often their digital presence did not clearly align with mission. (Meaningful differentiators within the field were difficult to identify.)
Building upon a strong foundation of strategy completed during an initial contract, 1909 DIGITAL went to work on an expanded scope, implementing new messaging across the Bensi & Company website, and segmenting portions of content for UX optimization. Diving into email segmentation using an existing subscriber list, we separated audiences based on persona modeling to best reach newsletter readers.
1909 DIGITAL provided Bensi & Company with easy-to-use tools and future-proof assets that do not require further development or an additional team to utilize.
Solutions
- Identifying key Bensi & Company clients and establishing stakeholder personas allowed us to provide Mike with a playbook for approaching each client. This empowered the Bensi team to approach each prospective client individually.
- We created centralized messaging designed to project a sincere but professional coaching tone, for utilization across all digital media and personal interactions including email, website, and presentations. This allowed for a greater reach and more consistent tone while highlighting services and abilities.
- We developed a new color palette, typefaces, and overall look and feel to present Bensi & Company as a team that is sincere, competent, and dynamic.
Mike’s vision was to create a look and feel that would allow Bensi & Company to compete with industry heavyweights: highly sought-after authors, keynote speakers, and executive business coaches.
Considerations
- It was challenging to strike a balance between an established and professional voice while demonstrating an approachable, friendly feel that embodies a contemporary and future-oriented vision.
- The leadership consulting space lacks shared standards of professionalism. Many companies consist of a single facilitator while small businesses rarely have an entire staff to aid in marketing functions.
- Momentum can be a compelling force on an exciting project, and one can quickly find themselves out of scope. However, knowing the confines of an agreement and navigating open channels of communication make for a healthy business relationship. While a concrete deliverable allowed us to apply new logos, colors, and fonts to the Bensi & Company website, we pursued more significant changes in order to bring a cohesive outcome to everything we accomplished together.
Doing great work is important. Setting clients up for future success is essential.
Wins
We found an ideal client. It’s important to highlight that Mike approached each project with an open mind, always listening and giving actionable feedback. We were fortunate to be able to take elements from our digital strategy and bring them to life. Re-branding allowed us to effectively and efficiently reach desired audiences by utilizing messaging we developed together. We were able to trust the process and build from the ground up.
Setting someone up for success and sustainability is what we aim to achieve. Creating a well-documented brand book provided the opportunity for thorough context, empowering Mike as he continues to evolve and implement his brand. This growing relationship has provided Bensi & Company with a strong foundation for years to come.