Does anyone here understand what my company, Creative Partners does? In the early 1990s, the German chemical company BASF ran an ad campaign with the slogan: "At BASF, we don't make a lot of the products you buy, we make a lot of the products you buy better."
Creative Partners is like BASF.
Sometimes it’s easier to define yourself in terms of what you don't do. Like BASF, Creative Partners does not make products or provide services to consumers. Instead, we help companies to get the message out to consumers about what products and services they offer.
Sometimes it’s easier to make an emotional appeal. Why would BASF want to market directly to consumers with such an emotional appeal if it doesn't actually tell anything about what the company actually makes? If BASF can get customers (businesses as well as consumers) to think about buying more airplanes, lotion and carpet, then end-product producers will need to purchase more of BASF's products.
What do you do? When I tell someone that I run a creative services or marketing company, they often crinkle their noses and have looks of confusion. Now, whenever anyone gets that look, I try to explain that I help people and their companies by getting the word out about what they do.
A few examples:
- I write and design company brochures.
- I decide what goes on webpages -- the headlines, the text, the photos, etc.
- I brief executives before they meet with the press to make sure they cover all the major points they want to make…should make…need to make.
If I can get you to think about situations in which you need to communicate what you do, then I can help you through those situations.
- When you want to create or improve your website.
- In a meeting with clients or other businesses.
- If you need a sign in front of your building -- what image do you want to convey? What message do you want to get across?
- When you give a speech.
- When you get a phone call from the press.
- When the press doesn’t call but you want them to.
- If you would like to tell potential clients what you do or what you offer -- and want to answer common questions -- you may need a brochure.
- If you want a business card, or some type of promotional product -what should go on it, in what color, etc.?
- If you want to stay in touch with customers, hoping for repeat business or referrals -- a quarterly newsletter, a monthly email blast -- what will its content be?
Or, as the BASF ad campaign said, "At Creative Partners, we don't make a lot of the products you buy or services you use, we help you to know what products and services are out there.