Lesson 25 – Follow the Process

In our agency, we use a strategic insight process we’ve learned and perfected to identify the one key message point that will really stand out and resonate with a target audience. We’ve used it many times and one of the most recent is with our work with the City of Sedalia, Missouri. We’ve been fortunate to be able to maintain a long-standing relationship going back nearly 35 years. In fact, they were our 8th client (and still are).

Over the past couple of years, we were again fortunate to be chosen to work with them on a new community brand to help leverage all the positive things going on in our city and the region. By following our insight process, we dug in and learned the true perspectives of our citizens, visitors, and businesses; we contrasted that with what we learned about our competitive communities and the marketplace; and we identified what it is about Sedalia and its people that make it unique, special and memorable.

In our recent work with the city, we came up with “Let’s Cross Paths,” a shout-out to all the ways we come together to make our community the best it can be to live, work and play. Thanks to the City Council and administration for trusting us with our community brand. It’s been quite an incredible journey and we’re really just getting started.