WHAT
MAKES US DIFFERENT?
There are a number of consulting organizations large and small. Here
is a short analysis as to what makes our approach to strategic
consulting unique.
We pioneered “Positioning”
Jack Trout wrote the first article on the subject in 1969. He also
wrote two books on the subject, “Positioning: The Battle for Your
Mind” in 1980 and The New Positioning in 1992.
No other organization has this experience and knowledge of this
subject.
We do all the work
While we will employ expert “Partners” when certain expertise is
needed, projects like this are not done well by juniors. In our
experience, senior management can best be dealt with via senior
people
.
Few organizations tend to use only their top people on projects.
Our process is a book
In Jack Trout’s Differentiate or Die, we lay out, in great detail,
how companies can effectively position themselves. We apply this
process to all engagements
.
We suspect that no other organization has a book on their approach
and methodology.
We work very quickly
Because we work only with senior people, there is very little wasted
time and decisions are made very quickly. In general, a project can
usually be completed in less than three months if necessary.
Generally, all that is required is one input meeting where all
existing information is gathered and perhaps a later directional
meeting just as a check on initial thoughts and directions. This is
followed by a presentation of recommendations on a positioning
concept, how to best verbalize it and bring it to life.
Most organizations require far more time.
We have vast experience
As you can see by our client list, we have worked in every category
from caskets to computers.
No organizations have as much Positioning experience as Trout &
Partners. In fact, Jack Trout just completed a Positioning project
for the State Department on how to better position the United States
in the world community.
We are not expensive
Because we work with only senior people, we are able to avoid
charging exorbitant fees. We estimate that most projects can be
completed for far less than most consulting organizations. At the
end of this process, you should have a blueprint from which you can
start implementation.
Each project has to be estimated individually.
Finally, a warning
We require everyone with whom we work to be open-minded as we bring
what some have described as “brutal honesty” to a project. We take
nothing for granted and if we see a problem that might not be on the
table, we put it there along with a solution.
If you have your minds made up, don’t hire us. We don’t want to do
what a client wants to do unless we think that their solution is
absolutely correct.
There are a number of ways to look at a problem.
But the most common are either
quick and simple or long and more complex.
Here's an outline of how they are different.
The Quick Look
The quick look is what is called a one-day consultancy.
It starts by sending us a short synopsis of the situation and the problem as
you see it, as well as product background and something about the
competition. This affords us an advance reading for the situation.
During the session, the problems and opportunities are isolated, concepts
are
developed and a plan of action is laid out.
These sessions are good at setting direction but, obviously, a little short
on details.
Generally, people leave with a good sense of knowing what has to be done and
why.
The Longer Look
The more complex project has that same one-day but it's only the start of a
several month project.
During this briefing day, we also gather all available research, product
information and a competitive analysis. These sessions are candid with
no-holds barred.
With this in hand, we then develop an outline of the key issues and how to
best deal with them. What emerges is a more detailed look at the strategic
options and how to best verbalize them. What we're looking for is that
competitive mental angle upon which a company can build a marketing program
against its competitors.
Prototype Communications
With a strategy in hand, we develop prototype communications that bring our
recommendations to life. These are presented in the form that best fits a
company's basic communications. For example, for Procter & Gamble we
developed prototype television commercials. For Merck, we developed a
prototype sales presentation.
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