FirstPoint

“Our previous website was nearly a decade old, built on a legacy system with no easy way to update it,” Christine explained. “We’d never invested in marketing at this level before, and we needed a partner who could help us move beyond just a visual overhaul.”

Finding a content partner with design and strategy chops

Christine considered MarketSmiths her top choice for marketing partner, but vetted others for a fair evaluation. She noticed a clear divide in the market: some firms specialize in design, while others focus on content.

She considered a Florida-based holdings company that had acquired separate agencies for writing, design, and strategy. “But everything was siloed—different teams for each service. That worried me. I wanted a single, integrated team.”

“I knew MarketSmiths was solid on content, and I knew you could supply the design work,” she said. “Plus, I trusted you. Having a strategist who sees the full picture makes all the difference.”

Undertaking a long-needed rebranding: finish line, no fires

Christine had to manage everything under the sales domain while getting current on the company. She knew staying organized and maintaining momentum would be challenging. “Internally, we start with a fire under us, but then priorities shift, leading to long delays,” she observed.

MarketSmiths provided the steady guidance Christine needed. “I didn’t have to worry,” she said. “The regular check-ins let me know things were progressing, and allowed me to provide input without feeling overwhelmed.”

Cutting through the clamor while giving everyone a voice

Finding common threads among the disparate divisions was one of the biggest challenges. “I honestly had no idea how you guys were going to tie this all together,” Christine confessed. “The company’s been around for almost 80 years—and they’ve never been able to do this.” 

Each division executive advocated for their own needs and vision. Christine explained, “Some were saying, ‘I need representation this way,’ and others insisting, ‘No, we need it this way.'” 

Christine said MarketSmiths’ unbiased perspective was like “Okay, let’s just get everyone’s viewpoints and come up with a solution.’” 

Reaching agreement on branding and messaging went a lot smoother than Christine ever expected. “It was like a rebirth,” Christine noted. The updated brand “created a lot of buzz and excitement,” energizing the leadership team with its modern vision.

Brainstorming a fresh new logo, taglines, and website

MarketSmiths, with the help of their in-house design team, created an umbrella company logo with spinoffs for each division. The division logos share the font and design element, but are assigned a distinct color.

“We received a lot of positive feedback from our clients,” Christine recalled. “A modern, professional website not only enhances their experience but also reinforces our commitment to staying current with compliance and industry standards.”

Taglines were another strategic way to unify the brand. Using a consistent structure, three impactful words highlight each division’s strengths. Christine offered the background screening tagline—Accredited. Trusted. Efficient.—as a prime example. 

“By placing ‘accredited’ first, you highlighted the value of certification. ‘Trust’ has been the cornerstone of our business for decades. And ‘efficient’ perfectly encapsulates what we aim for.”

Christine added, “Those taglines give us an edge of who we are and what makes us different. You don’t realize how powerful words can be until you see them come together like that.”

With the new logo and brand messaging deck in hand, MarketSmiths and Christine moved onto developing the new website, with MarketSmiths guiding on design, structure and content. 

MarketSmiths addressed industry nuances with a human touch, bringing warmth and empathy to sensitive services like debt collection and background screening. A balance of professionalism and approachability ensures the website resonates with visitors and reflects the company’s core values.

Beefing up marketing collateral

Because of the brand deck and website, Christine was able to quickly create a variety of tools—proposal templates, marketing pieces, presentation outlines, letterheads—all with minimal effort. “I just had to cut and paste,” she said. The brand messaging guide gave her the cohesive wording and confidence to upsell existing clients and present new offerings to prospects.