Providers vs. Partners

Jun 21
2009
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This is part of my continuing rant about the term ” Service Providers,”  marketing or otherwise.  I’m actually ranting about the term “provider.”  Do we really think anyone gives us more credibility for being a provider versus a preferred supplier or vendor?  If you ask any of your traditional customers what they consider you, I’d bet dollars to donuts it’s not a provider.

OK, so you’re ready to stop being a doctor, lawyer, or marketing chief. What do you become? Please reconsider the MSP (aka Marketing Service Provider) moniker becoming popular in the graphics industries. As it is, few people agree on what “marketing” is so how will they know what you provide as a marketing service provider? If you must evolve to a provider of some sort, consider evolving to a”Media” services. There are a few companies that have successfully rebranded themselves as a Media Service Company.

Notice, they don’t use the word “Provider.” I believe the word “provider” clearly puts you in a supplier box as far as a customer is concerned. I’ll argue what a customer really wants is an expert; a partner in helping them be smarter, do things better, help them fly in achieving their own business aims. A provider is someone who does something for you, rather than someone who works with you.

How did the word “provider” even get into our lexicon?  I keep hearing business consultants liken themselves to doctors doing diagnosis on business health, so perhaps they are the ones who thought “Provider” might be a good term based on commonly referred-to  ”health services providers.”  However, that’s what the insurance companies call them. I call them doctors.  I also don’t think I’m generally getting great service from most of them. It’s not a great model to follow.

Finally, if you are looking to evolve into anything, consider the word “communications.” Communications companies help people get key messages across to defined target audiences. If  your goal is help your customers communicate more effectively with their customers, you may just be part of the emerging communications industry.  Sounds like an exciting place to be.

P.S. And this isn’t to suggest you become a “Solutions Provider” either. For more on this topic, see my article “Identity Crisis”in the NAPL Business Review from August 2008.

*adapted with permission from original post on InsideMarketing.org, 6/21/09, Rhona Bronson, NAPL
Written by Rhona Bronson in: Marketing Service Provider | Tags: , , ,

Marketing Service Providers

Apr 20
2009
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I’m wary of businesses that call themselves marketing service providers.  Just calling yourself something doesn’t make it so.  But at one of the earliest breakout sessions at this year’s NAPL Top Management Conference, I stood corrected. Two companies,  BOPI in Illinois and COT Media Group in the Bahamas have made the transition and serve as models for others to follow.

Keys to the transition include but are not limited to:

  • Time.  It’s not something that happens overnight. It takes a plan, strategy and commitment. But it doesn’t take forever. It can be done in a year with foresight and dedication.
  • Teamwork. Both organizations use a team approach that involves all many talents including IT, marketing and frequently the top guy in the organization as part of the sales team.
  • Identity. They’ve renamed their organizations and printing is not in the name.
  • Structure. The organization has to be fundamentally different.  Same old same old sales tactics won’t work, and same old same old compensation structures have to change as well.
  • Help.  Both companies availed themselves of outside consulting services to help them pave the way and create change within their respective organizations.  They knew change would not just come from within.

    • A complex issue is how to change customer’s perceptions of the organization.  Change doesn’t happen by accident. Just saying you’re a marketing service department doesn’t make it so. Both BOPI and COT are great examples of making it so.

    * adapted with permission from original post on InsideMarketing.org, 4/20/09, Rhona Bronson, NAPL

    Written by Rhona Bronson in: Integrated Marketing, Marketing, Marketing Service Provider | Tags: ,