When it comes to creative choice, there is no ‘one right answer.’ How a client interprets a new logo, for example, emerges from that individual’s unique experiences, knowledge, and context. Overall, we seem to lack a common vocabulary to truly describe those likes and dislikes, so we thought it apt to take on the subject of Creative Choice—and The Lack Thereof.

As an agency, we are constantly challenged to find the perfect balance between abstract ideas and concrete results. For instance, creating a distinctive website that fits well with the client and their industry, while also standing out from the crowd, can be a challenge. Even something seemingly simple like developing a tagline that enhances a company name can take weeks to develop, refine, and perfect. Because there is no ‘one right answer,’ creative choice can lead you down a multitude of paths—none of which really work.

So, how do agencies like ours navigate this complex tangle of creativity? We use the powerful compass of “less is more.”

Forbes Agency Council recently featured Markitects in their article, “Seven Ways To Help Your Agency Reach Its Revenue Goals”. The article focuses on seven experienced agency professionals who discuss several ways new agency owners can achieve their revenue goals and build toward long-term success.

Read the Article

Francine Carb, President & Founder of Markitects, Inc., a B2B strategic branding and digital marketing agency headquartered in Wayne, PA, has been accepted into the Forbes Agency Council, an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies.

Francine joins other Forbes Agency Council members, who are hand-selected, to become part of a curated network of successful peers and get access to a variety of exclusive benefits and resources, including the opportunity to submit thought leadership articles and short tips on industry-related topics for publishing on Forbes.com.

Forbes Councils combines an innovative, high-touch approach to community management perfected by the team behind Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) with the extensive resources and global reach of Forbes. As a result, Forbes Council members get access to the people, benefits and expertise they need to grow their businesses – and a dedicated member concierge who acts as an extension of their own team, providing personalized one-on-one support.

According to Francine, “I’m thrilled to be accepted into the Council. Now, our best practices for B2B content and design can be shared with others in the agency community. This will also enable broader access to industrial, engineering, scientific, and services organizations everywhere.”

Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, says, “We are honored to welcome Francine Carb into the community. Our mission with Forbes Councils is to curate successful professionals from every industry, creating a vetted, social capital-driven network that helps every member make an even greater impact on the business world.”

For more information about Forbes Agency Council, visit https://forbesagencycouncil.com/. To learn more about Forbes Councils, visit forbescouncils.com.

A recent Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce event focused on the pros and cons of being in the middle. While those of you who are middle children may be subjected to taunts and stereotypes, middle market companies are in vogue. Why? They outperform F500’s and small companies alike, are attractive places to work, and are the lucrative targets of Private Equity firms, as well as those companies looking to grow by acquisition. It is truly a happy time for those in the middle.

Who comprises the Middle Market?

• 200,000 businesses representing 3% of all U.S. companies
• Annual revenues ranging from $10M-$1B
• 5th largest global economy—larger than the entire country of Germany
• Creator of 60% of all new jobs in the U.S.—over $1.1M jobs in 2013-2014

Q4 2017 by the numbers:

• Revenue growth = 7.6% compared with 6.9% in the S&P 500
• Employment growth = 5.2% compared with 1.4% for small businesses and 2.6% for large businesses
• High confidence = 75% in the global economy, 86% in the national economy, and 88% in the local economy

Furthermore, according to Thomas Stewart, Executive Director, National Center for the Middle Market, middle market companies are more attractive than ever. Consumer middle marketers are considered niche, and therefore more interesting and socially responsible. They are successfully chipping away at the market share of name brand products. Think craft breweries, for instance. On the other side of business, B2B industrials are doing well because of their key roles in the supply chain, as connectors, to F500 companies who depend on them for products and services critical to our economy.

Among the top challenges of those in the middle are acquiring and retaining talent, competitive pressures, and the challenges of expanding internationally. Regarding capital investments, 69% plan to expand. While some of the panelists recommended international growth, others have grown primarily by acquisition and will continue to do so. Not surprisingly, workforce engagement is high on the priority list—whether through wage increases, training, or both. Overall, the middle marketers are not an impetuous group. They are not taking on new debt, are expanding capital expenditures judiciously, and keeping inventory levels steady.

We at Markitects are proud to have served middle market companies for over twenty years. For more information, contact us.

A Master at Capturing Space… One Church at a Time

by Francine Carb, President

Meet Rick Lown, RA, NCARB, Master Planning and Preconstruction Services at Horst Construction, and our client.
“In 7th grade, all the students were required to take woodshop, metal shop, and drafting. In drafting class, we had an assignment to design our dream house and project it as a 3-D image. Game over…I was beyond fascinated. From that moment on, I was determined to follow my dream and become an architect. The idea and act of ‘capturing space’ is what keeps me energized and engaged every day.”

Rick has over 29 years of experience in design and construction. Having been involved in the planning, expansion, and renovations of over 150 religious institutions, his specialty is Master Planning and Design-Build projects.

Rick’s journey was filled with challenges and rewards. He was the only one in his family to go to college and was accepted to Lehigh University. When he was just about to graduate, Pennsylvania changed the rules to become a Registered Architect; he would now need a master’s degree or specific Architecture Degree in order to practice the profession. He attended Drexel University’s night school, driving from his job in Lancaster to Philadelphia and back—for 6 years! He sat for the intense 12 hour-a-day, 4 day exam, and passed it. In those days, becoming an architect was similar to preparing to become an MD, including 3-4 years as an apprentice. Even back at Lehigh, the curriculum was designed to weed out those less serious about the profession.

At Horst Construction, Rick’s job—and passion—is bringing a church’s vision to reality. He works intently with building committees to listen to their vision, evaluate their programming needs, and create schematic sketches that offer options to consider, while keeping with the original goals of the committee. Rick began developing his own Master Planning methodology back in 1998 and continues to develop this journey—keeping it current and modern. As one of his clients, Fellowship Church states, “It felt like we had found the missing piece—a company whose desire was not just to complete a project for us, but also to work by our side as our partner throughout the journey.”

As a member of the Marketing and Business Development team at Horst, Rick aims to make a connection with his clients early on—creating an atmosphere of teamwork, partnership and trust. According to Rick,

“Our partnership with Markitects keeps Horst engaged and focused on what is most important and effective for the company. They help us vet and develop the best ideas into actionable plans. I appreciate Francine and her team—they always bring us back to strategy, goals, and ROI. More than a sounding board, they have our best interests at heart, and help us execute in line with our objectives.”

Learn more about Markitects’ partnership with Horst Construction.

Markitects, Inc. was recently re-certified as a National Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). This certification affirms that Markitects is a woman-owned, operated, and controlled business. WBENC’s national standard of certification is a meticulous process including an in-depth review of the business and site inspection. The certification process is designed to confirm the business is at least 51% owned, operated and controlled by a woman or women. This coincides with Markitects’ celebrated twentieth year in business.

Francine Carb, Founder and CEO of Markitects, owns 100% of the business and is an award-winning member of the business community, where she is affiliated with many organizations throughout the Philadelphia region, including Entrepreneur’s Forum of Philadelphia, Mid-Atlantic Diamond Ventures, Greater Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT), and the Forum of Executive Women.

About Markitects
Markitects, Inc., founded in 1994, specializes in strategic marketing communications and product launches. The agency, known for its long-standing expertise in B2B technology marketing, has served over 200 clients in the technology, science and engineering fields since its inception. A two-time Philly 100 award winner, the agency provides market research, advertising, public relations, visual communications, outsourced marketing, social media, and digital marketing services to its clients. Learn more at www.markitects.com.

About WBENC
The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council is the nation’s largest third party certifier of businesses owned and operated by women in the United States. WBENC is a resource for the more than 700 US companies and government agencies that rely on WBENC’s certification as an integral part of their supplier diversity programs.

by Francine Carb, President

According to a new report from the CMO Council and Deloitte LLP, the role of the CMO has become much more complex in today’s digital, always-on world. Now, in addition to leading brand and marketing activities, CMOs find themselves responsible for owning the customer experience, tracking every encounter with users, demonstrating the value of marketing, and driving revenue for their companies.

The survey reveals a large gap between CMOs’ strategic priorities and their daily activities. CMOs say they would like to spend most of their time teaming with other leadership executives on global business and brand strategy (65.7 percent); yet only 16 percent achieve this. Other strategic priorities include innovating and implementing new approaches and strategies (57.8 percent), and evolving the brand narrative (39.6 percent).

CMOs say they spend most of their time reviewing and approving plans, budgets, and campaign elements (44.6 percent); attending meetings with peers and line-of-business leaders (42 percent); and making a case for marketing spend (38 percent).

To support CMOs, company executives, and other marketing professionals, we at Markitects have always had a very good head for strategy. To provide exceptional value and differentiate our agency, we have predominantly focused on growth strategies and marketing innovations. In fact, our strategic marketing process, Markitecture™, has benefited almost 300 companies over the course of 20+ years—many of which are national and global.

We are typically selected to help develop a plan for a new product, focus on a new initiative, or to respond to other challenges in market direction or customer needs. A few very recent examples include: new technologies to identify and stop counterfeit pharmaceuticals; thought leadership as a differentiator for a 100 year old construction firm; testing new sales channels for a homeopathic medicine company; and promoting engineering expertise for a manufacturing automation solutions company. We’ve also added executive coaching and sales leadership training to our professional services. And as always, we’re on top of the latest technologies and trends in digital marketing, marketing automation, marketing technologies, and sales tools.

If you’d like to work with marketing professionals who truly understand the challenges and opportunities your company is facing, email or give us a call and allow us to assess your needs.

And Why John Cleese Tickles Our Funny Bone, Every Time

by Francine Carb, President

I recently attended Kimmel Center lecture by John Cleese. While many of these events are an opportunity to listen to and simply be in the presence of great generals, heads of state, authors, and adventurers, the ‘Master of Silly Walks’ hit the mark with me.

John had quite a few pithy stories and lessons learned to share with the audience. I’ll paraphrase and share them with you, in a business context:

1. Stepping out of political correctness, every now and then, allows us to be honest, without being offensive. There’s great freedom to saying what we mean, without worry about repercussions.

Businesses—especially technically- or engineering-oriented businesses—are often paralyzed by the need to get everything exactly right, rather than focus on the audience. Take a step back, speak in the voice of your customer, and you’ll be heard with honesty and integrity.

2. Being creative requires free time and the ability to just play. Being playful produces lots of creative ideas. When’s the last time you allowed yourself to just play? Without fun, I’m afraid we’re already well down the path to become serious bores.

Take some time to allow yourself and your mind to relax. You’ll be amazed with your newfound ability to problem solve or handle a challenging situation. Go ahead and try that ‘out of the box’ idea you’ve been mulling over. It might be just the thing to get out of your comfort zone and move the bar—especially if you are a leader at your company.

3. Telling a joke, with laughter as a result, requires practice and skill. Telling a joke where people can’t stop crying, cackling, and foot stomping requires a gift.

Not everyone is, or should be, an entertainer; however, laughter can get most people to open up and more easily contribute to a conversation. And isn’t opening up a very useful objective of any company-client or boss-employee relationship.

Ready to have some honest communications with your employees, customers, and peers? Contact the marketing professionals at Markitects for more information about our Markitecture workshops and other consulting services for companies that desire growth.

A Master at Capturing Space… One Church at a Time

by Francine Carb, President

It’s a new year and unlike most of the prior decade, we’ll be facing some unprecedented challenges. Are you ready to take them on? Here are my top 5 business predictions and some prescriptive suggestions to best take advantage of them.

Competition will have a comeback.
There should be no argument that the business climate has been pretty blah for a fairly long period of time. We’ve become complacent and even the most business-savvy of us are used to a bland, if not dreary, competitive environment. That’s going to change this year. With companies upping the ante on investments in capital, people, and technology, you’d better get on your game and start investing in marketing your company. Look to traditional and digital advertising, as well as public relations, to take a jump in 2017.

More businesses will be shopping for your products/services/solutions.
With more competition, and more marketing activity, B2B customers will take shopping very seriously. Price won’t be the major factor either. New ideas, alignment of values, and solid performance will get their attention—while excellent account management and customer service will keep them coming back for more. Look to increased competition for new hires, overall marketing communications, and creative approaches on the rise. Intelligence and creativity will be the most sought after characteristics in companies and people for 2017.

Storytelling will take center stage as the marketing technique of choice.
All businesses have needs. It’s the alignment of these needs with your approach/methodology/culture that will convince new customers to select your company. While experience and skills do matter, storytelling is what will differentiate your company from others. Businesses feel most comfortable when selecting a company who understands their specific needs and has accomplished similar work for similar companies—hence storytelling. Take a hard look at revamping your case studies, testimonials, and presentations to add more engagement. Speak directly to customers to gain the appropriate understanding to become a great raconteur in 2017.

Mobile-friendly is no longer an option.
When is comes to websites, email marketing, and events, it is no longer an option to not be mobile friendly. Google will no longer prioritize your content as important and customers will be less likely to find your information organically. With consumer marketing completely on board, it’s time to ensure that you make a meaningful first impression with B2B customers and prospects alike.

Marketing Automation fees will come down from the stratosphere.
Marketing automation products that are currently sold as upgrades to Salesforce and other CRMs will have to address their exorbitant fee structures in 2017. We all want them; however, we all cannot afford them. 2017 will bring new service offerings and lower fees, so we no longer have to juggle multiple spreadsheets after every marketing outreach campaign—or so I hope.

Check back next year for my top 5 business predictions for 2018!

Looking for out of the “icebox” thinking, masterful execution, and double-digit results from your marketing efforts? Look no further than the professionals at Markitects.

From now until December 31, 2016, if you sign up for a Markitecture strategic planning engagement, you will receive a YETI HOPPER 20.

Your Markitecture includes:

• A half-day workshop
• Competitive analysis for up to 6 competitors
• Client interviews with up to 6 customers
• One hour presentation with 5-10 solid recommendations

For fees and more information contact Francine Carb, President.