Understanding your target market is an essential part of running a business. But many new businesses simply accept all clients that come their way.
This is exactly what happened with Brandfirm. The marketing agency knew it wanted to serve small businesses. But they learned a lot from taking on one larger client. Read the company’s story in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.
What the Business Does
Helps small businesses with branding and marketing.
CEO Robert Orcutt told Small Business Trends, “Brandfirm is a full-service branding & marketing agency focused primarily on small to medium businesses. We offer:
- Design/creative services – Web, collateral, packaging
- Branding – naming, visual identity, Logo
- SEO
- Social media & PPC management.”
Business Niche
Offering transparent service and clear communication.
Orcutt says, “We’ve deployed many methods to keep our clients in the know ’round the clock. We use a collaboration portal along with other communication tools to ensure our clients know exactly what we’re working on at all times and how their projects are progressing.”
How the Business Got Started
After a workplace shift.
The founder worked for a national mortgage company in its Chandler, AZ location. When the company decided to consolidate operations in Texas, he took the opportunity to start something of his own instead of moving.
Biggest Win
Securing a large client.
Orcutt says, “Outside of our typical purview, this client was based in California and was much larger than we typically take on. This meant a great deal to our little agency and meant partnering with a sister agency to cover the initial work under the main Brandfirm umbrella. We enjoyed our time with the new client and had some major successes in helping develop a lot of content as well as growing their brand recognition.
“In the end, it was decided to sever the relationship by our company to get back to our core clientele, as it was just a better fit.”
Biggest Risk
Taking on that larger client.
Orcutt adds, “We like companies from mom n’ pops to about 25 employees or up to about $8 million a year in revenue. We took on a client with worldwide exposure and nearly $80 million in annual revenue. In the end, we decided we’d rather stick with smaller companies for our services.”
How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000
Improve staffing and marketing.
Orcutt explains, “We run with nearly zero debt. Everyone employed by Brandfirm works remotely and we carry very little overhead. With $100,000 we’d perhaps increase staff budget, and focus on bolstering our own marketing and PPC efforts.”
Office Pet
Daisy the dog.
Orcutt says, “She can often be found in zoom videos or sleeping at the owner’s feet during work hours.”
Favorite Quote
“Men must be taught as if you taught them not, and things unknown proposed as things forgot.”
Orcutt adds, “I Believe I read this in Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends & Influence People, in which he quoted Alexander Pope. I always loved how it rolls off the tongue and reinforces the idea that many people may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel, which Dale Carnegie also says in the book.”
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Image: Brandfirm, Facebook
Great insight. I learned several things from this article that I can use for my clients… Much appreciated!
Annie, thanks for the write-up. This was a great read! Brings us back to this era and reaffirms why we specialize in helping smaller to medium businesses with their marketing & branding needs!
Really cool insights. As a small business, we still have so much to learn. Grateful for this writeup
If a business is a person-oriented one one of the best ways to brand it effectively is with the person of the managing director (is he/she admits the usage of the personality).
The risk is in the long run, that this person will lose his/her personal charm owing to a regular usage in the publicity.