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Paul Wilson, Managing Director of Aster Interim Solutions believes that interim management providers
need to work harder on their marketing skills for the sake of their
sector as a whole in order to take full advantage of this expanding
market. He states “I often attend networking events/meetings and
I am regularly asked what my company does. There tends to be a
respectful silence when I state “We provide interim managers”. Indeed
even senior executives of companies ask, “What is interim management”.
I get asked the question so often that it has caused me both
embarrassment and caused me to re-consider our marketing policy and how
best to approach our potential customers. All statistical evidence points at a growing interim market sector where skilled senior interim executives
are making a significant difference to client businesses the length and
breath of our land, yet this growth seems to be coming in spite of the
relevant immaturity of the interim management sector. Imagine what
could be achieved if we were able to get our message across to the
senior executives of the majority of the UK’s companies”. Wilson
continues, “We have cause to re-examine our marketing strategy. However
I believe the onus is on our industry as a whole to make this sector
more ‘visible’ to its potential clients. Some interim
providers/organisations have already shown the way forward with their
award schemes, training courses, strategic alliances with and
sponsorship of trade organisations, but I still believe we need to
‘shout our message’ out louder. We need to connect more with
business at their embryonic stages, make relationships with business
schools and offer the venture capital market place something other than
just a financial skills service. Our own company has partnered with the Cranfield Management Association from the Cranfield School of Management in an effort to increase awareness of interim management
as both a career option and a service. However, this is just the
beginning and we intend to increase brand awareness over the coming
months with a number of marketing initiatives designed to appeal to the
mass market. Watch this space! Paul Wilson
Managing Director
Aster Interim Solutions Ltd
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