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WHAT MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING SERVICES DO WE PROVIDE?
Click on the headings for a brief description of the service:

MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Strategic and Business Planning:
Having a plan is essential to the success of any business.  While you certainly can facilitate the planning process “in-house”, we strongly recommend that you consider using an outside facilitator to lead the discussions, ask thought provoking questions and document your objectives.  Keep in mind that it's best to contact us 3 - 6 months before you want to hold the session(s) so we can determine what preliminary work will make the best use of the participants' time.
Financial Services:

If your business is for-profit, one important measure of your success is your financial performance.  If your business is not-for-profit, you still must pay very close attention to your financial situation if you are to continue in your mission.  Identifying the financial strengths and opportunities in a business can be a tough job – we can help. 

In the unfortunate case that you are the victim of embezzlement, we can help with forensic accounting: the process of finding out how money was stolen and how much they took.  We will then work with your accountant to recreate financial statements and tax returns.  Finally, we'll show you how to read your financial statements and put safeguards in place to minimize the chances of future theft.

Leadership Development and Executive Coaching :

Leaders are not born…they are made. Managing and leading are two very different skills sets and our leadership development programs will help any executive or manager develop the skills he or she needs to effectively lead others.

Sometimes the best way to learn about a new area of business, or simply improve on a skill you already have, is through one-on-one executive coaching. Having someone to talk to about new business ideas, management strategies, employee hurdles or any other topic that can affect the quality of your leadership is a smart move. Big corporations use executive coaches to mentor and develop their up-and-coming managers for the future. Top athletes have personal trainers to ensure they operate at peak performance. If you want to be on top of your game, call today to learn more about executive coaching.

Executive Benefits:
When properly deployed, executive benefits help you recruit, retain, and reward your most valued executives.  By sponsoring programs such as deferred compensation, salary continuation and corporate owned life insurance, you provide benefits to top employees that will provide stability to them and their family through most any event.
Internal Communications and Public Relations:

Whether you have something important and delicate to convey and want assistance crafting the message or you simply want to communicate more effectively with your team, we can help make sure that your message isn’t misunderstood or overlooked. 

Don't overlook those outside your organization:  your customers, the media and the general public.  Whether you are communicating positive news or need to manage your message in terms of a crisis, we can help you enhance or maintain your image.

Interim Management:
There ar a veriety of reasons companies need interim management in place for a few weeks or several months.  When a leader suddenly passes away or leaves the organization, someone needs to step in quickly and keep things running.  When there is a crisis or a need for sweeping change, it might make sense to have an interim management team facilitate the shift.  We are utility players and can adapt our business skills to most industries.
Merger and Acquisition Guidance:
If you are considering buying or selling a business, there are several points you must consider.  We can help you from concept to close to integration.  This may involve helping you find a buyer or seller or by assisting with any legal and/or regulatory aspects of the deal and even the integration and internal/external communications.
Employee Recruitment and Retention
Whether you need to find that perfect person, or just keep the ones you have happy and productive, Hendrickson Business Advisors can help you maintain the most valuable part of your business:  your employees.
Team Building and Group Dynamics
A stronger, more cohesive team is a more productive team.  Whether at a corporate retreat or an afternoon session, we can help your group identify and build on each other’s strengths and respect each other’s differences through personality assessments, situational games, and just plain fun.
Business Valuation and Brokerage:  

If you're ready to sell your business, we can help you find a buyer. The first step is to value the business so we can tell you what you can expect in the market.  We use a multiple test approach, not a "rule of thumb" approach like many financial professionals that are unqualified in valuation techniques. 

The next step is to promote the business to individuals and companies that are in the market to buy. We maintain a pool of interested parties and can confidentially shop your business to the right people.  

Venture Capital, Angel Investors and Alternate Financing
You have a unique business concept, you have a strong management team, you've been in business a little while now...and you still can't seem to get the money to help you expand and grow. It's not your fault and it's not the bank's fault - you may have just been looking in the wrong place! Hendrickson Business Advisors matches businesses who need capital with investors who are willing (and able) to absorb more risk than banks are able to take. With access to over 3,000 investor groups and individual families, we will help you develop a request to secure the capital you need to realize your business goals. Call today for a free consultation and see if your business might be a good candidate for venture capital, angel investing or alternate financing.

MARKETING SERVICES

Marketing Planning and Implementation
Marketing is more than just sales and advertising, and those who engage in effective marketing are better positioned to be the leaders in their field.  To many business owners, marketing remains an expensive process of trial and error.  The experienced professionals at Hendrickson Business Advisors utilize others who represent the best in market research, graphic design, printing, fulfillment, etc.  With these resources, we can put together the right team for your business needs at a much more reasonable cost than a typical ad agency.
Branding Initiatives
Successfully branded products:  Xerox and Kleenex.  Successfully branded services:  Starbucks and XM Radio.  What do these products and services have in common?  They are recognized as leaders by virtually every person in their target market.  Branding can be done locally regionally, or nationally, but it takes a carefully crafted message and consistency to achieve success.
Advertising Campaigns:
If you’re advertising “a little here and a little there” without real results, consider a well designed, targeted advertising campaign.  An advertising campaign is only one component of a comprehensive marketing plan; however, we can help ensure that you don’t spend more dollars in advertising than you’ll receive in new business.  After all, it’s not how much you spend, it’s how much return you receive on that investment.
Market Research
Do you know exactly how your customers feel about your product or service?  Market research is an important tool in understanding your customers’ wants and needs.  Once those needs are understood, your business is better positioned to deliver exactly what the customer is looking for.  We offer annual surveys, ongoing feedback programs, blind focus groups, personal interviews and more.
Sales Training and Development:
Whether in person or over the phone, each person with customer contact in your organization needs periodic sales training and development.  Your salespeople may know everything about your product or service, but if they don’t understand the intricacies of the sales process and what makes customers want to buy, then you lose effectiveness.  Sales training also ensures that all of your marketing channels work together to support one another resulting in message consistency each time your customer deals with any part of your organization.
Incentive Program Design:
One difference between many top performing companies and those that seem to plateau early is a well-designed incentive plan that is part of the business culture.  Incentive plans reward desired results and behaviors and recognize success while sharing the wealth with those who helped create it.
Competitive Market Analysis
Do you know where your business stands in relation to the competition?  Market Analysis helps you understand your strengths and your weaknesses so that you can capitalize on your greatest potential and improve what may be lacking.  Have us complete a competitive market analysis every one to two years to provide much-needed insight that will be valuable in strategic planning and in setting long range goals.
Website Development:
No matter what product or service you sell, to succeed in today’s wired world, you need a professional website.  Many customers will visit your website before making their initial contact, and a professional webpage can show them exactly what to expect from your business.  Let our team design a site for your business that will encourage your potential customer to take that next step.
Image Advising and Faith Perceptions
Do you know what kind of experience indivdiuals are having when they call or visit your business or church? Image Advising (also known as Mystery/Secret Shopping) will provide you with qualitative and quantitative information to help you make better decisions and improve customer service.  Our Faith Perceptions program helps church leaders better understand what a first time visitor experiences when visiting your church for the first time.  Call a Project Specialist today to learn more.

 


WHEN IS IT APPROPRIATE TO ENGAGE A MANAGEMENT OR MARKETING CONSULTANT?
If you have a project where you know you will need professional assistance; for example:

 

Your business is a not-for-profit and you have just committed to launching a capital campaign to raise money for your cause.  Contact us as soon as you make that decision so we can help you formulate your ideas.

 

Your business has decided to commit a certain amount of money to an advertising campaign, but you need help designing and implementing.  Contact us as soon as your budget is established.

 

You realize that your business needs a new (or redesigned) website.  Contact us as soon as you have a budget established and we can begin talking with you about your needs.

If you are having problems in an area, but you’re not sure why; for example:

 

Morale is low, employees are leaving and you’re not sure why.  Contact us as soon as you notice a problem so we can begin interviewing your employees to help determine the cause of the problem.

 

You feel like you should be making more money than you are, but you’re not sure whether the problems are on the revenue side or the expense side.  We can perform a financial analysis to help you correct the problem right away.

If you are planning a major change and need help managing the process; for example:

 

You want to grow through acquisition, but you’re not sure which companies would be the best targets or how to handle the whole process.  The time to contact us is while you are still in the idea stage so we can help you formulate your strategy, find a buyer, secure a fair price and properly integrate them into your company.

 

You want to take your company public, but you’re not sure what needs to be done.  Contact us when you first have the idea, even if it is a few years away, as you may be able to achieve greater value by making some changes that will increase both your attractiveness and your price per share.

The bottom line is this:  if you’re in need of professional management and/or marketing assistance, you need to CONTACT US as soon as possible so we can help design a plan based on your needs.

 


WHERE DO WE DO BUSINESS?
Hendrickson Business Advisors is located in Cape Girardeau, Missouri which is approximately 100 miles south of St. Louis on the Mississippi River.  Cape is the largest city in Southeast Missouri and serves as the regional hub between St. Louis and Memphis.  Learn more at www.visitcape.com

 

Primary Market:  150 mile radius from Cape Girardeau, Missouri

 

Secondary Market:  Central Midwest including St. Louis, Memphis, Springfield, Kansas City and others.

 

Tertiary Market:  The remainder of the continental United States and beyond.  Modern technology makes it quite simple to consult with clients all over the world and Hendrickson Business Advisors is prepared to travel wherever we are needed.  If you are a business outside the US Central Standard time zone, please indicate which when you CONTACT US.


WHY IS ENGAGING A CONSULTANT MORE ADVANTAGEOUS THAN HIRING ANOTHER EMPLOYEE?
All business share one goal:  growing the business and improving the bottom line.  If your business is for-profit, you do this to increase earnings and shareholder value.  If your business is not-for-profit, you do this to expand your services and increase your impact.  Businesses that stagnate or operate in the red don’t last very long.

Hendrickson Business Advisors was formed to help you grow your business and improve your bottom line.  If you are undecided about whether you should engage a management and marketing consulting firm, consider the advantages:

 

Gain a fresh perspective on your business from an outside source who can independently evaluate your market position.

 

Pay only for the expertise you need, when you need it.  No overhead expense and no benefits to pay.

 

Time is money.  Stay focused on your business while your consultant stays focused on other opportunities that might benefit you without becoming bogged down in day-to-day tasks.

 

Gain a competitive advantage.  A consultant can bring experience and expertise from other industries and give you ideas you may not have thought about.

 

If it’s a project you need help completing, by hiring a consultant you won’t have to find another place for (or terminate) an employee at conclusion.

 


HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE, BILL AND WORK WITH CLIENTS TO MAXIMIZE THEIR RETURN ON INVESTMENT?
Think of consulting as “renting” an employee rather than “owning” one.  You only pay for the consultant’s time when they are working for you. 

Hendrickson Business Advisors will work with each individual client to come up with a program that will be most beneficial and cost effective for them.  Some typical arrangements are as follows:

 

Hourly:  If you only need a few hours of time, the hourly option might be best for you.  This is a great option for small projects or those times when you just want to bounce an idea off of someone who will give you honest, constructive feedback.  Most attorneys bill their time this way.

 

Project: When you have a project that is more time consuming (usually 40+ hours), it may be more beneficial to obtain a proposal so you will know how much the entire project will cost.  Payment is usually structured with a portion due upon acceptance of the agreement and a portion due at completion.  This helps clients stay within budget on a particular project as we will not go over the quoted amount without prior written consent from all parties.

 

Retainer: Some clients decide they want a consultant to be a part of their management team on an ongoing basis and a set monthly retainer might make the most sense.  This arrangement would be the ideal option for a business seeking the services of a project manager or business coach but that cannot justify hiring an individual full-time.  The fees may also be reduced in a retainer environment which makes it more affordable and easier to budget. 

 


 

 

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