Following a periodical analysis of my on-going consulting business I have decided, a couple of days ago, to create a survey. The purpose of this survey, like the purpose of most surveys, is to learn the habits, way of thinking and behavior of my target audiences.
In this case, I am trying to understand the pattern of using experts by hi-tech entrepreneurs. If you are one and would like to contribute to my understanding of this subject – please go to: http://www.yourpinion.net/The_Startup_Experts_Pattern and continue reading this post later.
Over the last couple of years I have been testifying to work like a missionary, investing widely in distributing my philosophy and belief. I believe that one may have the most amazing, original and revolutionary idea ever, but it’s worth nothing if it is not communicated in the right way to the appropriate target audiences, which change over the company’s lifetime.
The comments and responses I received encouraged me to stick to my specialty – communications strategies. However, “communications strategies”, as a title, is a communications challenge in itself. Most entrepreneurs in Israel may know what is a strategic consultant, a marketing consultant, a branding firm, a graphic designer or what a public relations firm do, but when you use the uncommon term, “communications strategist”, they are puzzled and do not know what type of services to expect under this title.
Let me clarify that I didn’t come up with this title. Google “communications strategist” and you may find nearly 40,000 results. However, search for a “strategic consultant” and you will get almost double.
The way I see it, a communications strategist is the best help a young start-up can get. It includes relevant aspects of strategic consulting, marketing consulting and branding all squeezed into a more concentrated and efficient process. Companies at more advanced stages may benefit from a communications strategist when facing , for example, or other specific challenges.
But what really matters is how the market perceives communications strategies, if at all. I hope this survey will help me answer this question.
I wonder, how do you differ that from strategy/marketing consultant? I’m looking at the communication as a vehicle to propely “communicate” the messages, value, offering etc. but in many cases I find that the “challnages” in communicating those things, are not “technical” but rather origin in the absense, or poorly defined strategy, messages, offering etc.. (I know it’s a little bit bigger issue to disucss in a blog.. yet..
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Hi Naor,
Nowadays, when one looks for a business consultant, it’s a tricky quest. Even if you are sure you need a marketing consultant, still, there are many types of marketing consultants. There are the industry specialists: for example, not every marketing consultant who worked with Ossem can do such great work for Google. And there are specialties within marketing activities: you have those who are more experienced working with advertising and PR, those who are top notch when it comes to working with trade shows and events and those who specialize in web marketing, which is a totally separate world.
Going one step up, a communications strategist is a strategic consultant, who specializes in answering the business needs through the use of various communications tools. Communications tools are the main tools at the disposal of the marketing manager or consultant. This should not be confusing: marketing and strategy are tied together and depend on each other. That’s how it should be. Communications strategists are positioned right on that tie.