Marketing and business development should go hand in hand. Once spelled out, the statement seems deceptively simple – even obvious – but when Kathryn Bistacchi and Kirsty Forman spotted this gap in the market, it quickly became clear that someone had yet to put the idea into practice and combine the two to help drive ambitious businesses forward.
They went on to start Definition Consulting – a Manchester-based marketing and business development agency founded by Kathryn and Kirsty that works closely with small and medium sized enterprises.
Kathryn explains, “We’ve never come across an agency like ours that brings business development techniques together with a strategic marketing approach – yet it is a fact that this combination dramatically improves effectiveness and outcomes, ultimately benefiting the company. What makes Definition Consulting unique is our integrated approach which ensures that marketing and business development activities are complimentary and effective,” she explains.
“We truly get under our client’s skin – not in the sense that we annoy them, but in the sense that we seek to understand exactly what their business objectives are for the short and long term! This way, we can plan and implement combined Marketing and Business Development activity to help them get there, deciding what tools we should use, and when we should use them. Most times, what our clients are after is either lead generation and brand awareness, or both – and every objective is achieved.”
While starting a new business from scratch always has its challenges, Definition Consulting can now count on an experienced team of people who, in most cases, have been at the company for over five years – with some recently promoted as managers. Despite some difficulties finding high calibre team members who share their values, the firm is now on an upward swing.
“We thrive on the success of our clients and their results; three clients successfully sold their businesses in the past three years, including during the worst months of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we are very proud of the fact that all three new owners kept us on as their supplier. That on its own says a lot about how much value we deliver to our clients!” Kathryn says.
Just as they seek clarity on their clients’ objectives, Definition Consulting’s own goals are clear: they aim to become a £2m award-winning Marketing and Business Development consultancy with 25 people in the team by 2028. The business is currently growing rapidly, so this objective is well within their reach.
“I am certain we can achieve this goal,” Kathryn says. “I learned a lot since co-founding Definition Consulting. It is important to hold your nerve, always do the right thing – even if it means walking away from clients – and to keep focused on the end goal. Of course, you must also look after the people around you – my business partner, our team, the clients. It’s a team that must work together, just as marketing and business development need to go hand in hand.”
To find out more about Definition Consulting, visit: https://definitionconsulting.co.uk
