Vickie Sullivan

Market Strategy for Thought Leaders

Competitive Branding for B2B Professional Service Firms

Front runner status bring the opportunities to you

Let’s face it: the marketplace is crazy out there. Every buyer knows they have many vendors to choose from. Your sales team fights hard for every opportunity. Having a great relationship isn’t enough to save the deal. If you are tired of

  • Talking to prospects who love your work but can’t get your fees approved
  • Making proposals to organizations that turn around and choose a more prominent option
  • Getting a lot of price resistance from those who then pay someone else double what you asked for

Vickie can help with competitive brands that put you in the front runner position.

Firms with front-runner status get paid a premium. They get insider access to opportunities that better firms without prominence hear about after the deal is done. They get higher fees because they are seen as the “safer” alternative. They attract high-end buyers who understand the necessity of investment.

And the deciding factor: Combining the science of strategy with the art of articulation. When you promote your firm beyond the general “quality and service” promises, you represent something bigger than just “buy me.” And that something attracts more media, more awareness, and more buyers that will buy into your sales conversations.

 If it’s time to get out of the “RFP trap” and attract better opportunities, Vickie can help

She understands the hidden agendas and motivations behind the buying process. She knows what you have to do to find and attract your ideal clients. And she can connect your value to their hot buttons.

The result: shortened sales cycles. Higher close ratios. Prominence that pays.

Because Vickie’s work is so customized, it’s hard to choose which option is best. Here are the most common scenarios B2B professional service firms call us about and the solutions we suggest:

Are you thinking about rebranding and want to avoid costly mistakes?

Do you know which brand message the market will embrace and which they will ignore? How will the marketplace compare your value and your results to others? Let’s run your top three brands by Vickie before you spend a lot of money on marketing tools and media. After that, let’s make sure you know what’s ahead and what you really need to do to make your growth goals happen. Vickie’s Market Assessments will give you an advanced heads up before you find out what works and what doesn’t the hard way.

Ready for the next level of growth and revenue?

Yes, you’ve got great referrals. But that’s not enough to grow to the next level. You need different buyers who can (and are willing to) invest at your level. Do you know what hot buttons to lead with? Does your new ideal client really understand your value against the competition? If you’re ready to grow your business past your current buyers and referrals, you need to be top of mind. If you want a strategy, those perfect words and a game plan that will get you in that game, you might be a candidate for Turbo Charge Me Now. And if you want Vickie to help you implement those findings, then check out Make Me A Star.

Are you writing a book to promote your business?

Newsflash: everyone is doing that now. Hundreds of thousands of books are published every year. And a vast majority fall short of expected ROI. Let’s make sure your book is positioned to open doors and possibilities. Check out Strategic Sounding Boards to leverage your book’s efforts into high-end opportunities.

Are you working too hard to get the sale?

You have a great marketing strategy that is working. You find opportunities to promote your business and plenty of publicity. The problem: something is missing. Prospects are interested at first but then drop out of sight. Or that media mention didn’t make the phone ring. Might be time to step back and regroup. Sometimes the smallest change in wording or strategy reaps big results. If you need specific help, Vickie can diagnose the problem and get you back on track with Strategic Sounding Boards. If you need more heavy-duty work on market strategy or your brand, then Turbo Charge Me Now is your best choice.

If you are ready to outsmart your competition, reach out to Vickie at VSullivan@vickiesullivan.com to explore how she can help.