A chain restaurant CMO seeking expanded resources for a special project- A chain restaurant CEO who does not have a CMO in place
- A private equity firm either with a chain restaurant holding, or assessing the sales potential of a chain restaurant business for acquisition
- A search firm bridging a CMO need while the search is being conducted
- A large multi-unit Franchisee who wants an independent assessment of Franchisor marketing and Ad Fund management
- An advertising agency either pitching a chain restaurant client or looking for a breakthrough sales-building concept for an existing client
- A supplier to the chain restaurant industry seeking new accounts for products, services, media, or technology
- A new technology vendor seeking ways to apply his or her technology to an existing chain restaurant business
- A potential franchisee assessing the viability of becoming a chain restaurant franchisee
- A convention planning company or industry trade alliance seeking a speaker for a convention
One of the advantages of engaging an outside consultant is the independence that an outside perspective brings. As a Chief Marketing Officer, I always knew there were necessary organizational routines to keep all constituencies informed: Staff Meetings, Executive Team meetings, Agency Conference Calls, Product Reviews, Franchisee Conferences, Board Meetings, and many more. Whenever I used an outside consultant for a special project, I valued the focus and business benefits he or she could bring.
Each consulting engagement is tailored to a specific client need. Each engagement is flexible. There is no "cookie-cutter" approach. Engagements can be for two days, a week, a month, or a year. Fee schedules are scaled to duration.
In many cases, the problem a business is confronting or the opportunity it seeks is already defined. So a typical engagement begins by establishing specific goals and clearly defining the purpose and scope of a project. With a mutual understanding of any engagement, I can confidently warrant that client satisfaction is guaranteed.
There is one exploratory engagement approach that clients have found useful. Frequently, I study a business for two days and write a "white paper" to document strengths, weaknesses, problems, and opportunities. It is an effective way to provide a fast, outside perspective on a business that can then be used as a basis for a more in-depth assignment.
In undertaking any new assignment, I ask my client to select the reporting format(s) that will be the most beneficial to his or her business: There are a wide range of options: written reports, slide presentations, Webinars, video, face-to-face, broader audiences (e.g., board, franchise committees), in-the-market demonstrations/tours, and team facilitation.
While my marketing and product experience cover a wide range of experience, sometimes there is benefit to bringing in a tactical specialist for things like: market research, creative (copy, art, music and photography), media, product development, to name a few. I have strong alliances in many tactical areas and can bring specialists to bear on a specific need. In all cases, strategic partners are identified to the client prior to any engagement.