InsideOut Group

Metrocorp Technologies had grown nicely on the back on one big client for over two decades. But all your eggs in one basket is never a good thing. The risks are obvious, but less obvious is that you forget how to compete for business. When Metrocorp considered broadening their client base they had to admit they weren’t a lean and mean competition fighting machine. So they brought in some new talent and then called us to update their old DIY brand and website, and get marketing going for the first time ever. We built a positioning and brand strategy around strengths that we helped uncover, wrote a full marketing plan, completely rebranded the business, created a new website, placed a fractional marketer inside their business, and got to work taking their new-look offering to market across a number of channels. Here’s what their GM David Stramadinoli said: “InsideOut Group’s model of having somebody embedded into our business to drive our brand evolution and build our marketing and business development foundations, appealed, and within a few months we had relaunched. Staff and customers responded well and we now have the confidence of knowing we stand apart in our industry“. The work can be seen here 👉 https://buff.ly/3X7VSAr #industrialrebrand #SMEstrategy #SMEmarketing # industrialmarketing #rebrand

Sorry about the capitals but I need to yell this: If you’re not UNIGNORABLE a in market, you’ll never succeed. Yes, even in B to B. Maybe even more so. I don’t care whether you’re in Biotech, Engineering Construction or Manufacturing, it’s true. How to be UINIGNORABLE? A lot of it comes down to marketing. And there’s plenty you can do there. If you’re not sure what, check out our latest blog: How to become UNIGNORABLE in B to B marketing. 👆 It’s a click away: https://buff.ly/4eXJgnC #businesssuccess #SMEstrategy #SMEmarketing #btobmarketing #growthmarketing

If your mindset is ‘it’s all about the sales meeting’, maybe think again. Sales don’t scale beyond a certain point—at least not for B2B. This is because 80% of B2B buyers have a shortlist before you ever hear from them. And before they reach out to a salesperson, they’re 57% of the way through their decision process. Are you capturing these leads if you’re sales-only? You’re simply not. This is one of many reasons marketing is so important; it is a distinct function separate from (but integrated with) the actual sales process. ⭐️ Good marketing will build your visibility online (where 61% of all transactions start). 🌟 Great marketing will provide proactive customer service information, significantly reducing your in-person customer service needs. 💫 Fantastic marketing will do half your sales job for you, so your salespeople can stay engaged in the people part of the process (their expertise). If all that matters to you is the sale, you’re missing out on building a customer community through brand relatability and potential partnerships. You’re missing out on valuable market feedback from questions asked in comments and enquiries. You’re missing out on true scaling, where the amount of work your salespeople do actually decreases as your marketing becomes more effective. Basically, you’re doubling down on a pre-digital approach to growth that is no longer effective in supporting growth. Is sales-only really worth missing out on new business? #salesandmarketing #marketingstratagy #businessowners #businessgrowth #SMEgrowth

In a saturated marketplace, standing out can feel like an uphill battle, but effective marketing makes all the difference. It starts with understanding your unique value proposition—what sets you apart from the competition. Engage with your audience authentically and consistently across all channels, using creative and impactful messaging. Remember, it is always better to do one channel well, than lots of channels poorly or inconsistently. Stay adaptable and responsive to market trends and customer feedback to keep your strategies fresh and relevant. Remember, in a crowded market, it's not just about being seen—it's about being remembered. #Marketing #BusinessGrowth #BrandStrategy #CustomerEngagement

Apple didn’t sell iPods as media players using audio file compression technology to increase storage capacity. They sold ‘1000 songs in your pocket’. Short, sharp, relevant, and it made billions! When we ask clients “what’s the ONE THING” your customer should remember about your business, they are almost always stumped!  Instead, most are very keen to run through a long list of their strengths, service or product features, methodology, QC and service standards and more – and it’s usually a significantly long list.  Especially engineering and technical businesses! B2B buyers have been shown to suffer from decision exhaustion. To have any chance of lodging yourself clearly in the prospect’s mind, you’ve got to make it easier for them to buy.   That means nailing your value proposition. Find out how here 👉 https://buff.ly/4eXJgnC #engineeringmarketing #engineerenrepreneurs #SMEstrategy #SMEmarketing #valueproposition

Building a business from the ground up could be said to be an art. Decisions about where to invest time and energy are anything but black and white – a high degree of creativity and commitment is required. A technical, engineering-led business perhaps even more so, because while chasing sales and revenue, you also need to build a team with specialist knowledge and capacity, AND invest in R&D to develop your technology. It’s a helluva juggle. The reason I started my podcast ‘Long Term Thinking for Business Success’ was to let people who have been down that road to share their entrepreneurial story with others – especially engineers who don’t often hear from their peers. My latest guest Wayne Shub has built BHF Technologies into Australia’s leading industrial filtration and purification specialist. His unwavering commitment to providing leading-edge products combined with exceptional service has been the cornerstone of the company's success. Listen to him tell his story and that of BHF Technologies here 👉 https://buff.ly/3xejtqj #businessresilience #SMEstrategy #SMEmarketing #businesspodcast

This may sound weird coming from a full-time senior marketer, but not every business needs a full-time senior marketer. The reason? Senior marketers don’t come cheap—and not many SMEs can justify the cost, or even need that level of seniority full time. However, younger marketers without significant executive experience are of limited value to SMEs. They won’t be able to: • Create a strategy • Set a creative direction • Analyse marketing results • Find new business opportunities • Inform you of new strategic decisions • Watch your competition’s online actions • Manage executive stakeholders, and teams You need those kind of skills if you’re going to invest in marketing. The only answer is Fractional. Fractional senior marketers are precisely what they sound like: Senior marketers that are only there a fraction of the time. They do everything listed above and then some, because they also have all the skills any traditional corporate executive has. They’ll be able to advise you on where you’re going wrong in your marketing, put together a plan, and execute it (or delegate & oversee). Fraction senior marketers make the execution-without-strategy trap disappear. Suddenly, your ad-hoc marketing tactics become a seamless, single marketing strategy that builds real value. And delivers results. Want to learn more about how fractional marketing works? Comment a 👋 & I’ll send you a link that explains more about how a fractional marketer can create an amazing growth platform even when a business is seeing flat growth. #fractionalCMO #fractionalmarketer #seniormarketing #SME marketing

My latest podcast guest has made it a virtue to do things her way. Nina Kilpinen runs a blue-chip infrastructure engineering project management consultancy and usually manages client teams inside multi-billion dollar projects. You might think that doing things in a distinctive way that is unusual for the environment she works in would not work. But there’s no ‘hope and pray’ at work here. As she said to me in her podcast chat: “If you want to do something different, you've got to have deep thinking behind it.” This is somebody who has embraced challenges as opportunities and found highly creative ways to do what she and her team do. She embodies collaboration and grace under pressure… and has much to teach us all. Listen to her explain more in the latest episode of ‘Long-term Thinking for Business Success’ 👉https://buff.ly/3WAdGFp #businessresilience #SMEstrategy #SMEmarketing #businesspodcast

Creating a brand isn't just about a catchy logo or a memorable tagline—it's about crafting an identity that resonates with your audience. 📝Here’s some tips on how to find and develop an effective brand: • Understand Your Audience: Know who they are, what they need, and how your brand can meet those needs. • Know Your Values: Clearly express what your brand stands for and find customers who align with your values. • Consistent Messaging: Maintain a consistent message across all channels to build trust and recognition. • Have a Unique Value Proposition: Highlight what makes you different from the competition. Offer something unique that resonates with your audience. • Engagement: Build relationships with your customers. Listen to their feedback and engage with them regularly. #BrandBuilding #Marketing #BusinessSuccess #EffectiveBrand #CustomerEngagement #BrandStrategy

Unless you’re Kim Kardashian, (hi Kim, if you’re reading this!), building a successful business is a marathon, not a sprint! For most of us, becoming an ‘overnight success’ is likely to take a decade or more! So what sustains us for the long run? What drives muti-decade sustained effort, focus, resilience? As small businesspeople, these questions are so central to our lives, they’re ALWAYS worth discussing. My guest on the latest episode of ‘Long-term Thinking for Business Success’ mused about his own journey of courage, the transformative power of knowledge and an unwavering commitment to developing leading-edge, cost-effective products combined with exceptional service and support - the cornerstone of his company's success.  Catch visionary CEO of BHF Technolgies, Wayne Shub, sharing his journey to business success here 👉 https://buff.ly/3xejtqj #businessresilience #SMEstrategy #SMEmarketing #businesspodcast