Insights

Clear thinking for owners and directors.

Practical notes on brand, marketing and digital, each starting with the problem before the solution.

LatestBrand strategy & identity

Why good businesses are often underestimated

Buyers now decide most of the way before they make contact, on the little they can see. Here is why established businesses fall behind their own standard, and what to do about it.

By Zach Gerke, Director · 3 minute readRead the insight

More insights.

Short, practical pieces on brand, marketing and websites. New ones are added regularly.

  • Brand strategy & identity

    Sharpen before you rebuild

    An established business has already earned recognition, content and trust. Here is why most should sharpen what they have before rebuilding it, and how to tell when a rebuild is the right call.

    By Zach Gerke, Director · 3 minute readRead the insight

  • Marketing & content

    Your quote is part of your brand

    Quotes, proposals and follow-up emails are read more closely than almost anything else a business produces, and they are usually designed the least. Here is why that matters and what to change.

    By Zach Gerke, Director · 3 minute readRead the insight

Guides

Plain answers to the questions owners and directors ask before they hire help, each with its sources.

6 of 31 guides

All guides
  1. Search, reviews and AI How to get your business recommended by ChatGPT and AI search What AI search tools and answer engines rely on when they name a business, what Google says about AI features, and the practical steps an established business can take.
  2. Diagnosing the problem Signs your business needs a rebrand, or only a refresh Eight signs that how your business presents itself has fallen behind the work, a quick way to score them, and what the score suggests you do next.
  3. Choosing the right help What does a brand strategist do? A brand strategist decides how a business should be perceived, by whom and why, before any design or marketing begins.
  4. Brand and positioning What is brand strategy, and what does it include? A plain explanation of brand strategy for established businesses, the parts it includes, what it produces and how it guides the identity, website and marketing that follow.
  5. Documents and sectors What to include in a capability statement What a capability statement should contain, which version to use for which reader, and how to make it easy for buyers and procurement teams to assess.
  6. Workflows and automation Workflow automation for small businesses: where to start Which tasks are worth automating in an established small business, how to find them, and how to start without buying software you do not need.

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  1. You tell us the problemA short form. No finished brief needed.
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  3. A clear scope and tailored quoteThe work, the timing and the investment, before anything begins.