Will Schnier, the Chief Marketing Officer for WGI and the former CEO of BIG Red Dog, joins the Encourage Build Grow podcast for a riveting discussion on leadership development and effective communication within the design industry. Schnier lends us valuable insights into the flourishing merger between BIG Red Dog, started in 2009 during the recession, and WGI, acquired in 2019. This collaboration has not only proven to be lucrative but also presents a blueprint for maintaining company culture during acquisitions.
Marketing Strategies
Mergers and acquisitions are more than just legal and financial processes; they hinge on the trust and belief in the acquiring group. Schnier elaborates that the challenges they faced during the merger were opportunity-based and not related to personality or culture. This successful melding has opened up new geographical markets, with BIG Red Dog bringing Texas and WGI incorporating Florida and Midwest geographies.
While the engineering industry has generally been slow on the uptake for branding and marketing innovations, WGI has been a game-changer. The firm has developed an ecosystem where brand positioning and voice are paramount, and they aim to make it as easy as possible for both clients and team members to reach them.
Podcasting and Marketing
The beauty of WGI’s marketing strategy lies in its comprehensiveness. They employ a range of content platforms, including podcasts, thought leadership articles, and other online content to ensure that people already have a firm grasp of who they are before the first contact is made.
The new website, launched post-acquisition and designed with input from BIG Red Dog’s creative team, includes features like geo-locating and retargeting, making immediate engagement possible. Schnier believes that podcasts serve as a valuable content stream, not just for marketing but also for attracting talent and representing company culture.
Benefits of Podcasting and Marketing Strategies
Schnier outlines several benefits of using podcasting as a marketing strategy:
- Flexibility in consumption and wide distribution
- Communication of company culture
- Low financial barrier to entry
- Usefulness in retargeting and remarketing strategies, something other industries like retail (Nordstrom, Macy’s) have successfully leveraged
Marketing Strategies and Branding
According to Schnier, there’s a challenge within the marketing space of the design industry to move beyond mere buzzwords and delve into the granular aspects of marketing. This involves everything from building brand awareness before entering the sales funnel to emphasizing HR marketing for talent acquisition. There is a need for design firms to follow in the footsteps of organizations like SMPS (Society for Marketing Professional Services), which excel in RFQ responses and are improving on branding and marketing.
Digital Marketing and Growth
With voice platforms predicted to be significant in the next 2-5 years, Schnier urges companies to take immediate action. Investing in digital marketing isn’t just financially accessible but also pivotal for brand awareness. For firms unsure where to begin, Schnier recommends books like ‘Golf is Not a Game of Perfect’ and ‘Radical Candor’ for insights into business and life.
Conclusion
In today’s fast-paced world, Schnier fondly notes how three-hour car rides have been replaced with flights, symbolizing the broadening horizons of his business ventures. Quoting his favorite saying, “the man in the arena,” Schnier highlights the importance of comfort and courage in leadership roles.
Starting a podcast, as Schnier illustrates, is not a Herculean task but a rewarding one. Given the seamless merger between BIG Red Dog and WGI, it’s safe to say the collaboration was indeed a match made in heaven.
