Commentary

Some thoughts from Scott Sacco on Maquan Communications’ business

Competitive Advantage…

My targeted clientele is firms that specialize in institutional investment management. I also work with environmental resource managers and mainstream conservation groups. I focus on these sectors because I know a lot about each of them and the combination of experience and perspective I can bring to bear on behalf of my clients is highly unusual.

In addition to my marketing and corporate communications experience, I have worked in an executive management capacity within the institutional investment arena. I know what a plan sponsor is – I have presented private equity investment funds and products to public pension plan boards – and, I know the role investment consultants play in establishing asset allocation strategies and advising pension plans, foundations and endowments on manager selection. I also have developed the strategies and marketing platforms from which several other institutional funds and private equity programs have been capitalized.

In the resource management arena, I have worked with foresters and farm managers responsible for the operation and stewardship of millions of acres of working land in all corners of North America. I have been involved directly in the permitting and management of renewable energy and mining operations and I have helped launch cutting edge climate change projects both in the U.S. and abroad. Finally, I have initiated high profile corporate responsibility programs and negotiated fee simple and conservation easement transactions with state and federal agencies as well as some of the most respected conservation organizations in the world.

To my knowledge, there isn’t another firm providing marketing and corporate communications services in these sectors that can offer its clients comparable experience or a more compelling set of core competencies.

Value Proposition…

Maquan is a boutique consultancy. I use a networked business model and my value proposition is simple. I provide senior-level marketing and corporate communications services to my clients and do it in a highly strategic and cost effective manner. If you don’t have a marketing or communications director, I can play that role for you on an out-sourced basis. If you have such expertise in house, however, I can augment your capabilities by serving in either an advisory or project management capacity.

My goal is to help my clients sell their products and services and to develop strong brand loyalty among those they serve and represent. I believe good marketing starts with self-awareness – understanding who you are, what you do better than anyone else and why others should care. I’m not interested in helping my clients “spin a story.” I want to help them develop and tell their story in an honest, compelling and interesting way using every medium available to them.

Marketing Evolution…

The advent of new media and social networking is completely changing the way we communicate with our constituencies. Marketing is no longer about pushing your message. It has become about listening, networking and dialoguing. Social media tools like LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are making that possible and regardless of what business you’re in, I think you need to understand them and how they can be leveraged to your benefit. You also need to understand their limitations.

Advertising, whether it be in print form or on the web, still can be important from a branding and product positioning standpoint. I believe most organizations still need a strategy and plan for dealing with the news media, both to promote their capabilities and to inoculate themselves against negative attention. Producing good, clean print collateral is still a great way to achieve competitive differentiation. Direct mail continues to be an effective tool for influencing the buying behaviors of clients and prospects. Finally, having an attractive and informative web site is extremely important and will become more so over time.

Each of these tools and mediums is used to push information out to the marketplace, but they are no longer enough. Social media provides us with the opportunity to engage our clients, customers and prospects on their own terms, but to do so with strategic intent. Looking ahead, I believe it will increasingly come to dominate marketing within the sectors in which Maquan operates and a big part of what my strategic partners and I do is help clients think about how to integrate all of these tools effectively so they can achieve their goals.

Thanks for your interest in Maquan Communications. Please feel free to contact me to discuss your marketing and corporate communications needs.

Scott Sacco
781 801-3279
E-mail me