branding your investigations firm and yourself

HOW TO BRAND YOUR INVESTIGATIVE AGENCY&

YOURSELF

PRESENTER

CHIEF THOMAS P. SHAMSHAK (RET)WWW.SHAMSHAKPI.COM

EAST COAST SUPERCONFERENCETROPICANA RESORT & CASINO

JUNE 26TH - 28TH , 2013

Thomas P. Shamshak

Licensed Professional Investigator Former Law Enforcement Officer and

Police Chief 35 years investigative experience Boston University PI Program Director

and Instructor

Professional Highlights

• Retired June 1999• Developed a Business Plan • Licensed August 1999 & Setup Shop in Boston• Joined LPDAM October 1999 (Value + Benefits)• Attended March 2000 Atlantic City PI Superconference

& Networked with the Stars in the PI Industry• Presenter at NALI 2001 Boston Conference• Past President – LPDAM (04-05)• 3rd Vice President of NCISS

Starting a Business

• Confusing and time consuming• Failure rate for new start up businesses is high• Many long hours every week• Normal for new businesses not to earn a profit• Possess the entrepreneurial spirit

Critical Skills

• Technical skill• Managing the Business• Growing the Business

Write a Business Plan

What Is a Business Plan?– A written expression of your business idea– Describes the business, services, market, staffing,

and financing needs

Purpose of a Business Plan

• Convince potential investors• Test viability of idea before expending

resources• Outline each area of business• Research market thoroughly• Determine financial needs• Attract talented personnel• Monitor business and financial needs

Find a Niche

A niche or target market is a group of potential customers who share common characteristics, making customers especially receptive to your service.

Focus on One Area

• Create your own identity in the marketplace. • Being focused increases the probability of

getting more business.• Consumers prefer businesses that specialize.

How to Find Your Niche

Ask yourself…

• Who are you?• Who is your competition?• Is there an untapped market?• What you offering?• Who are your prospects?

How to Find Your Niche (cont.)

Think about…• What are your best skills?• What is your passion?• Where would you fit in? Where would you not

fit in?• Identify your competitors• List all the benefits for your services

How to Find Your Niche (cont.)

Consider…• How you spend most of your waking

hours?• What does your competitor do? right and

wrong?• How will you fill a void in the marketplace• Can you reach and develop prospects?• Can your prospects pay for your services?

How to Find Your Niche (cont.)

Double Check Your Choices!

1. Is this niche something you know how to do?2. Can you do it well?3. Is it something you like to do and would not mind doing day after

day?4. Is it something with a broad enough appeal to sell on a steady

basis?5. Can it be sold at a price that will cover all your expenses and

overhead plus return a profit?6. Can you raise enough funds?

Top 20 Specialty Areas

Missing persons Pre-employment checks Insurance fraud Countermeasures Surveillance Liability investigation Background checks Bail bond recovery Criminal defense Domestic investigations Asset investigation Sex crimes investigation

Worker’s compensation Missing heirs Database/online search Adoptee/birth parents

location

Service of process Employee theft Bodyguard/executive protection

Political background checks

BRAND THE AGENCY

• The Brand called “YOU”

• The Brand is your reputation!

• Embody your Brand!

BRAND THE AGENCYCORPORATE IMAGE

• Corporate identity is crucial to care + growth of your business

• Corporate image refers to how a firm is perceived

• It is a generally accepted image of what a company “stands for”

BRAND THE AGENCYCREATING AN IMAGE

Creation of a corporate image is an exercise in perception management; it suggests a mental picture to the publicA successful corporate image must be believableThe image must accurately reflect the company’s product, services, values, and representativesA company name, logo, and tag line help establish + reinforce the image

BRAND THE AGENCYIDENTITY PACKAGE

• Your corporate identity package defines the spacing, styles, colors, fonts, margins and images for:

• The logo – a combo of alpha and graphic elements that present the business name

• The tag line – a phrase or motto that further defines a market niche or benefit of the company

BRAND THE AGENCYIDENTITY PACKAGE

• Protect your identity to maintain your position in the marketplace

• Take time to set down rules about how, where, and when your logo and business appear

• By setting standards you are assured that your brand collateral is always displayed correctly in any medium or communication tool

What’s In a Name?

1. What you can glean from an agency’s name?

2. What type of service do you think the agency provides?

3. What is your initial impression based solely on the name?

What’s in a Name?• Accurate Information Consultants• Active Investigation• Blackhawk Investigation• Central Investigative Services• Corporate Integrity Services• Jag & company Computer Forensics• Merrimack Valley Guard Service• NH Background Investigations• Tactical Surveillance Investigations• Tri State Investigations Agency

REINVENTING YOU AND YOUR AGENCY

• Does your brand need to be changed?

• Is a makeover necessary?

• Are you happy with the trajectory of your business growth?

• Do you have the right professional traction?

Business Cards

Your business card will be kept by:

• Clients• Prospective clients• Your peers• Lawyers• Other professionals

Business Cards (cont.)Make sure your card is:

• Professional• Printed on high quality paper• Accurately represents your business• Provides contact information• Displays appropriate credentials

Always carry your business cards. Everywhere!

Develop a Marketing Plan

Marketing plan basics include:

• Gathering market research • Analyzing the competition• Strategizing about a campaign• Focusing on the prospective client• Identifying a plan of action• Providing supporting objectives• Defining a budget

What Is a Marketing Plan?

A marketing plan helps answer:

• Who are your clients?• What are you selling?• What specific market will you target?• How are your clients segmented?• Is your market steady, growing, or declining?• How will you promote your business to your

clients?• What pricing strategy will you implement?

Components of a Marketing Plan

• Define the business• Define the clients• Define the advertising plan• Define the advertising budget• Determine the overall promotional objectives

Advertising

Without…advertising, information...would take years to reach all of us who might benefit by it and progress would be delayed.

Harry S. Truman

Target Advertising

• Create a communication strategy• Determine a budget

– Website– Networking – Public relations– Social awareness– Print media– Radio/television

• Track response

Website Impact

• Website Development– Domain registration– Content development– Underlying structure– Design elements

– Consult with Jimmie Mesis!

Networking

• Plan it– What do you want to achieve?– Who would benefit from by business?– Where could I meet prospects?– How do I establish my image?

• Target your audience• Event etiquette• Meeting tips

Public RelationsIf you’ve done it, it ain’t braggin.

Dizzy Dean, baseball player

The following all contribute to your public relations:• Press releases• Self promotion• Employees’ manner, attire, attitude• Kudos file• Publicity

Social Awareness

Become active in an organization or association that interests you. The benefits include:– Feel good about yourself– Meet additional people– Gain more exposure– Enhance your reputation– Build credentials

MOLLY BISH FOUNDATION• MOLLY BISH CASE

– 2004 – PARTNERSHIP OF MOLLY BISH FOUNDATION & PIS (MA, NH, ME, RI)

– COLD CASE TRAINING FOR PIS (2004 & 2005)

– PRO BONO INVESTIGATIVE ASSISTANCE FOR COLD CASES

Unsolved MurdersUnresolved Missing Persons

Molly Ann Bish

NCMEC RESOURCES:INVESTIGATIVE ASSISTANCE

PROJECT ALERT SERVICES PROVIDED:

• IMMEDIATE ONSITE ASSISTANCE• LONG TERM CASE REVIEW• SURVEILLANCE• STATE TO STATE FOLLOW-UP ON

LEADS• WITNESS INTERVIEW ASSISTANCE• PUBLIC SPEAKERS AND ROLL CALL

TRAINERS

Become an Expert

Free speech can translate into free advertising.

Write an Article1. Define your audience2. Select your magazine3. Prepare your queries4. Write the article5. Recycle the content

Purpose of Print Advertising

• Attract attention• Appeal to reader’s self interest• Announce news• Communicate unique advantage• Prove an advantage• Motivate the reader to take action

Types of Print Advertising• Newspapers• Magazines• Brochures• Newsletters• Flyers• Circulars• Postcards

Promote your Brand with an Online Presence

• Blog• Linkedin• Facebook (Friend local & national reporters)• Twitter (Follow & be followed by media)• Google Page (Generate business leads)• Yodel (New ad platform for phones & iPads)

If you don’t TOOT your own horn, don’t complain that there is no music!

PARTNERING WITH THE MEDIA

• Cultivate a relationship with reporters – print, television, and radio…

• Invite reporters to speak at your state PI association meeting

• Seek opportunities to be a guest on radio, local cable access, main stream TV news, national cable news shows, and reality shows

• Be proactive not reactive • Tweet with ideas, thoughts, and suggestions

Pitch your cases to local media for tips, leads, and resolution

Local Cases Go National

Local Cases Go National

– 20/20, 48 HOURS, DATELINE, CNN HLN NANCY GRACE, JANE VELEZ-MITHCELL, FOX NEWS – GERALDO RIVERA, GRETA VAN SUSTEREN

Media Exposure = $Brand Enhancement & Recognition

Free Advertising!

GUIDELINES FOR DEALING WITH REPORTERS

• RULE # 1 – Don’t Get Burned!

• Know who you are dealing with (rookie vs a pro)

• “Off the record” statements/disclosures

• Don’t let them put words in your mouth, or jeopardize your standing in the community (i.e. no bad mouthing cops, politicians, celebrities, etc.) Control the message

• Breaking news….local and national incidents such as campus and workplace shootings, high profile missing persons cases, murders

• Boston Fox 25, CBS/WBZ, Boston Herald, Boston Globe

• HLN• CNN• Tweet • Studio vs. phoner

QUESTIONS?

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