By Sylvia Montgomery
Not often does a city have an opportunity to brand itself as something different. Having grown up in Orlando, I’ve only known it as the land of Mickey Mouse. This week, I am making my annual trek to visit mom and dad. As I read the Orlando Sentinel, a story catches my eye. On Monday, August 3rd, the University of Central Florida opened the doors to its new medical school.
On another day in Orlando — October 1, 1971 — Disney World opened its doors to the public. With this event came an air of anticipation, innovation, celebration and economic benefits. Over the years, the Disney brand came to dominate the Orlando area. Although the region’s brand did not necessarily undergo an image crisis, it did suffer from stereotypes — as a city focused on having fun in the sun.
Fast forward 38 years to this week and the official welcome of UCF’s Medical School Charter Class. The Orlando area is undergoing a major rebranding from the land of Mickey to “the medical city.”
At a macro level, I wonder about the perils this rebranding process will bring to the local professional services community. Does Central Florida have the depth and breadth of services to cater to this new medical community? Information technology, accounting and finance and management consulting providers will all be needed to support the influx of professionals.
Will the locals hold on to their first mover advantage, or will they lose out to slick, new competitors from out of town? As local firms face new competitors migrating to the area, will they be equipped to clearly articulate their relevancy? Will local firms remember to cultivate their clients for referrals? Will they market themselves the way their clients (and prospects) wish they would?
I don’t know. But I do know that professional services firms in Central Florida need to understand how buyers of professional services make purchasing decisions. There is no “one size fits all” approach to growing a business.
A recent study conducted by Hinge revealed this insight: if you were to list your competitors, then asked your clients to list your competitors, fewer than 1 in 5 companies would appear on both lists. Ignoring new competition will not be the answer. But by understanding all of the players, old and new, and the value proposition offered by each, local firms will be better prepared to develop a strategy to stand out and be noticed.
This weekend I will make my trek back home to Northern Virginia, a bit more rested and relaxed. During that 13-hour drive I will be wondering, “what would Walt Disney say of his new neighbors”?
Filed under: Branding, Marketing, Positioning, Professional Services | 1 Comment
Tags: brand relevenacy, Disney World, marketing to physicians, Orlando
couldnt agree more