Does your Marketing deliver the expected results?
Does your Marketing deliver expected results? Is your Marketing making a significant contribution to the success of your business? How efficient and effective is your Marketing function?
Marketing is much more than a support function. Marketing is a business partner and can be a game changer.
This is the mindset of Marketing with Impact. Every day, in every project, in every team, and throughout the entire process - from strategy and planning to implementation and performance measurement.
Marketing with Impact. That is my passion and my value proposition!
I have been a Consultant and Coach for several years, successfully guiding companies on their journey to Marketing with Impact.
Before starting my own consulting business, I worked in specialist and leadership positions in Sales, Marketing, and Corporate Communications for over 35 years. I have experience with family businesses as well as large technology companies. Thanks to my deep expertise gained from international projects in the product, solution, plant engineering and service business, I can make a measurable contribution to any company.
I leverage the latest trends, leading practices, and insights through my membership in numerous associations. Through my personal network, I also have access to a pool of experienced and creative experts and talent, when needed.
- Bundesverband Industrie Kommunikation e.V. (bvik)
- Bundesverband der Kommunikatoren e.V. (BdKom)
Consulting
A focus is the collaboration of Marketing and Sales on topics such as cross-selling and upselling, partner programs and ecosystems, account-based marketing, and new business development. If Marketing and Sales want to be successful, they must become one "unbeatable" team.
The brand strategy, content marketing, employer branding, and digital agenda need to be aligned to create a holistic marketing strategy. This includes topics such as customer journey management, customer relationship management, social media, and marketing automation. However, a strategy is only as good as its plan and implementation. Is one of these topics currently on your Marketing agenda? I can help by bringing my years of experience and providing an impartial, external perspective.
Coaching
In addition to consulting services, I offer coaching. My style is result-oriented, forward-looking, and focused on what matters most. I am available both virtually and in-person.
In my experience, personal one-on-one coaching sessions or team coaching sessions at regular intervals are most effective to drive change. I can also conduct strategy workshops or give a keynote at a business conference. My coaching is aimed at top management, marketing and sales executives, as well as functional teams.
Please contact me for more information.
Projects
With many years of professional experience in various specialist and leadership functions in the areas of Sales, Marketing, and Corporate Communications, I offer measurable value for my clients. My know-how is not based on theoretical knowledge alone but is the result of a multitude of successfully implemented projects internationally.
Below you will find a few examples. Please feel free to reach out if you would like to learn more about a specific project.
Brand Strategy for Executive Search consulting firm
Situation
The Executive Search consulting firm defines its own core business with the sustainable staffing of high level specialist and top management functions. The business understanding is driven by the ambition to understand the clients' business in detail and to have a genuine interest in each and every candidate. Only in this way can the Executive Search consulting firm successfully connect companies and candidates. The company's brand strategy has remained virtually unchanged for years. Value proposition and relevant core messages need some content and visual validation. To be better prepared for sustainable growth, the brand strategy should be updated in terms of content and become more forward-looking and human.
Objectives
- Development of a marketing strategy for the next few years
- Review of the brand strategy and, if required, update of important brand elements
- Development of an attractive brand narrative for the Executive Search consulting firm
Results
- Sustainable marketing strategy
- Focused brand strategy
- Compelling (refreshed) corporate design
- Attractive value proposition and relevant key messages (foundation for future storytelling)
Improve collaboration between Sales and Marketing
Situation
In a manufacturing company, as part of the German Mittelstand, Marketing was previously perceived only as an internal support function. A systematic exchange of information between Sales, Product Management and Marketing was only partially established. Sales has increasing requirements and needs for a marketing function, which the marketing team in this particular company could hardly fulfill under the existing framework conditions. Marketing has to work closely with Sales, as a business partner. Marketing should proactively contribute to the success of the overall business.
Objectives
- Definition of Marketing business mandate (mission statement)
- Definition of relevant core functions for a sales-oriented Marketing
- Optimizing the collaboration between Sales and Marketing
Results
- Re-Aligned marketing function (business partner and service provider)
- Established agile project organisation (analogue and digital marketing)
- Changed reporting structure, Marketing reports to Head of Sales
- More systematic information exchange based on mutual target agreements and defined projects
Marketing coaching in the Energy Sector
Situation
The company is one of the big player in the Energy sector and is actively shaping the energy transition in Germany. So far, the focus has been on energy generation. New business areas will have to be developed to contribute to the future business success and to give a more sustainable perspective. This very dynamic transformation brings with it a lot of challenges. In this context, B2B marketing is becoming increasingly important in order to place new products and services on the market in a systematic and target group-oriented manner. Target customers and potential projects have to be identified, qualified and deals have to be closed. Marketing can make a significant contribution to support Sales.
Objectives
- Foster a common understanding of the impact of marketing
- Build up marketing skills
- Definition of a marketing strategy for one business area (blue print)
- Create a marketing plan
Results
- Better (common) understanding of the impact of marketing
- Marketing strategy and marketing plan
- Marketing toolbox, including planning templates
Development of Corporate Communications Function
Situation
In this specific company, only some building blocks of corporate communications were available, such as product-oriented trade press work, employee magazine publication, intranet updates and the collaboration with industry associations. Important building blocks of an integrated corporate communications were not existing. Projects were mainly implemented on a less strategical level.
Objectives
- Development of corporate communications strategy for external and internal communications
- Expansion of the communication channels (print, digital and live) to provide comprehensive communication
- Strengthening of editorial planning and storytelling
Results
- "Best-in-Class" corporate communications, establishment of a corporate communications team, and individual development of the employees
- Introduction and establishment of employee communications and leadership communications
- Professional approach to media relations for the business press, trade press and regional press
Expansion of Online Shop Business in Germany
Situation
This company is characterised by strong direct sales across all customer segments and various industries. In addition, significant sales was made with distributors and wholesalers. Sales via the online shop was not in the strategic focus. In the course of the general digitalisation of business processes, customer demand for digital solutions - from information to transactions - has been growing steadily.
Objectives
- Sales increase of the online shop to at least x% of addressable total sales in Germany
- Measurable increase in efficiency of the internal sales force, in order processing and other related process steps
- Creation of sustainable competitive advantage through digital solutions
Results
- Increase of the Online Shop Germany sales to the defined target range
- Increased efficiency in the sales office and in order processing
- Increase in up-selling and cross-selling and thus higher order value per order
Introduction of Customer Excellence Program
Situation
Following the financial crisis, this company was systematically and successfully geared towards efficiency and sales growth. In almost all functional areas, the focus on the customer was slightly neglected. The last customer survey in Germany was conducted with internal resources. No international information was available. Knowledge from the customer's point of view, backed up by facts and figures, was only available in isolated cases and had to be generated with a great deal of effort.
Objectives
- Generation of up-to-date and reliable customer feedback on an international level
- Improving performance in relevant functional areas on a continuous basis
- Strengthening customer satisfaction, loyalty and willingness to recommend
Results
- Establishment of a "best-in-class" customer excellence program with strategic customer surveys in more than 15 countries and regular surveys at touchpoints in relevant functional areas (including sales, marketing, order processing, production, logistics, service)
- Alignment of the entire organisation with customer focus as the number one priority
- Increase Net Promotor Score (NPS)
Contact
Do you need new inspiration for your Marketing? Do you want to challenge the status quo and identify areas for improvement? Do you feel that the Marketing team can become more effective? You are looking for an independent, honest, and experienced perspective.
If you want the Marketing team in your company to be more impactful, I would be happy to help you as a consultant and coach.
You can contact me by email at dirkmiller@consulting-miller.com. I look forward to hearing from you.