Consulting Services

What’s the plan? Defining your strategy is a multi-step process that requires continuous refinement and adjustment. Strategy needs to be set for all aspects of the business, from an overall plan to specific strategies for each business segment and for every product.

45 North will break the process down into separate components including:

• Goal Setting

• Defining Success

• Strategic Components

• Implementation

• Metrics and Analysis

We’ll work with the key players at each stage to make sure all are only engaged and take ownership in the process.

Product is King. Defining what separates your product from the competitors and leveraging those strengths is the first step in a successful product strategy. When it comes to finding enhanced value in an organization, product is a great place to look. Here are ways 45 North can help:

• Competitor Analysis

• Detail Line Review and SWOT Analysis

• Product Roadmap Development

• Sku Reduction

• Pricing and Margin Analysis

We can also provide full service product development from concept through prototype and spec pack for production working with our network of freelance product designers and engineers.

Your sales operation should be under constant review and refinement. Small tweaks can result in major enhancements to both top and bottom line. It’s also an area of particular expertise of 45 North.

For small companies, working with independent reps will provide horsepower without increasing payroll but require guidance and motivation. For more mature companies, sales teams need continuous development and occasional adjustment. Data can provide a portion of the picture while relationships fill it in.

45 North can provide:

• A Complete Sales Management Solution

• Sales Force Evaluation

• Hiring/Contracting Sales Reps

• Sales Development and Training

• Complete Sales Analysis

• Sales Programs Development & Review

• B2B Platform Selection & Implementation

• DTC E-Commerce site selection, performance review,

Where to sell? That question has become more complex as both the types and number of channels continues to escalate. Many factors play into the distribution strategy and we’ll help sort through the options.

• DTC vs. B2B

• Specialty vs. Big Box

• Amazon or Other Marketplace

• International Opportunities

With a strategy established other elements come into play including:

• Dealer Agreements

• MAP Policy

• Channel Conflict

How does your brand voice get heard clearly in a large, crowded room when everyone else is screaming at the same time? That is today’s marketing challenge.

For smaller brands this is an exceptional challenge. Step one is to make sure your product both fills a market need and is clearly differentiated from the competition. With that in hand, a clear marketing strategy is essential. There are multiple marketing choices to sort many of which can be filtered easily based on the marketing budget leaving some still difficult decisions to where to best invest your limited resources. 45 North can assist by:

• Define or review/update the brand style guide

• Build or update the overall marketing plan

• Identifying the best options based on impact and budget

• Source creative needed for selected opportunities

• Develop marketing metrics to track performance

Using both in-house and third party resources, 45 North can provide complete creative solutions for all marketing needs including:

• Product Photography

• Lifestyle Photography

• Video Production

• Graphic Design

• Packaging Design

• Social Content

• Creative writing

• Website Development

• PR Content and Distribution

45 North can help you beat the 50/50 odds of failing by the 5th year through:

• Business Plan Development

• Realistic Financial Plans

• Pitch Development

• Funding Options