Hire Me

Most companies and entrepreneurs struggle to discover their brand DNA – the professional identity and core message that sums up exactly who you are and what you do. Can you clearly explain your unique value to anyone in ten words, before the elevator door even closes?

An awful lot of money is being misspent, or left on the table, because otherwise solid providers fail to go to market with clear, focused positioning and messaging.

Of course, no-one actually believes that there is positive ROI in a go-to-market message that is unclear, or in a business direction that is unfocused. But you’d never know if from most of the websites, slide decks, and marketing collateral I see. Which provides a great opportunity for you to differentiate.

That is why I offer a unique service called Brand Therapy. Here’s the backstory: as the Connection Agent, I make targeted referrals between clients and providers. But, while brainstorming with many providers over the years, helping them find their brand identity (so I could make better referrals to them), it eventually became clear that this lack of clarity and focus was a widespread business problem, one I enjoyed solving.

Recently I was in the midst of this process with a talented and successful digital agency in the Northeast. As I queried them about their core strengths, they kept coming back with nice-sounding (and true) phrases, none of which really distinguished them. So I scribbled J.A.D.A. on a piece of paper and pushed it across the table.

They sounded like Just Another Digital Agency. A commodity.

Now, in fact, they weren’t, and I knew it, but they hadn’t boiled their message down to a unique, differentiating identity. The raw material was there, but it took some more pointed questions to finally bring it to the surface. They had revenue, they pleased their varied customers, but they were on a treadmill. Commodity brand positioning does that to you.

Q1: Why do companies need a Brand Therapist?

A1: It’s simple, really – we’re all too close to our own work. We get so immersed in our companies and offerings, that we can no longer see clearly who we really are. In fact, I have others who play this role for me!

Q2: Who is the target audience for Brand Therapy sessions?

A2: Primarily (though not exclusively) entrepreneurs/small companies (1~35 people).

Q3: What’s the goal of Brand Therapy?

A3: Together, we distill down the business brand to the Core Four –

1. Your differentiating offering
2. Your one-sentence summary
3. Your compelling brand story 
4. Your key marketplace analogy

It’s intensive and enlightening creative brainstorming, with an external expert, and there’s a certain magic that occurs when we re-define a company within a very short period of time (and without agency overhead!)

Q4: What does a Brand Therapy session look like?

A4: Here’s a page that explains the process, using (of all things) a bowl of M&Ms!

To appreciate the epiphanies that can occur for both companies and individuals, read the testimonials from people who’ve experienced the process (scroll through the comments).

Special Offer: 20% off any Brand Therapy session booked before August 31. E-mail for rates and details! (if you are an individual entrepreneur, contact us about special rates for a similar, but streamlined therapy session!)

Bonus: through my expansive Connection Agent network, I can help you find the providers that you’ll need to carry out your business and marketing plans, through targeted and trusted referrals. Because my goal is not just to connect you with your identity and message. It’s also to connect you with the other people who can help make your business fly!

Steve Woodruff, Brand Therapist
steve at connectionagent dot com
973-947-7429
@swoodruff on Twitter