Behind every successful organisation, there’s often a story of renewal and rejuvenation with an eye on the future. After 28 years of providing advice and support to intenders, startups and established businesses in the Sutherland Shire and Canterbury Bankstown area, the BEC Southern Sydney has recently re-branded as Realise Business.
In business, a decision to re-brand isn’t something that’s taken lightly, but it’s often a necessity due to marketplace pressures or when the image, name and the way that the organisation is perceived is out of step with what’s actually going on or where it’s headed.
Jacqui Attard, CEO of Realise Business points to several things that became a catalyst for the change within the organisation she leads: ‘First, over the past few months we’ve spoken with our clients and they helped guide us as to what would be more relevant to them as an organisation. We were also losing market share and knew we had to innovate to stay relevant in the marketplace’.
‘Second, we had support and guidance from our Board who worked alongside us to steer that change, which involved planning and market research to get our messaging and value proposition right.
Finally, the decision was reinforced when the organisation won a competitive tender to provide business advisory services for the NSW Government’s Business Connect program to an extended area which is now known as the Eastern Sydney region,’ Attard said.
Realise Business will now offer advisory services, workshops, seminars and networking opportunities to the 300,000 registered businesses across the local government areas of the Sutherland Shire, City of Sydney, Randwick City, Waverly and Woollahra, Canterbury Bankstown, Georges River, Burwood, Canada Bay and Strathfield, Mosman, North Sydney and Willoughby City, Northern Beaches Council, as well as Hornsby Shire and Ku-ring-gai councils.
Experienced and qualified business advisors, who have all run their own small businesses, will be based across various suburbs and also offer mobile advisory services, visiting business owners on site and at a time that works for them.
Over the past few months the Board, staff and external suppliers have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure that the brand’s development and product offering reflected the organisation’s experience, diversity and innovative spirit.
Pip Hooper, Board member and Director of Stable Research said that market research was a key element to determining the brand’s value proposition stating ‘it was important to conduct market research with the relevant audiences to obtain their opinion and perceptions about the brand. Testing core brand messages with the audience helped the organisation to understand if they were effectively articulating the “promise” the brand is to deliver’.
As a result of the research and strategy, the main themes of CONNECT, ENERGISE and GROW will now guide the organisation’s direction and future scope.
The rebrand and wider remit will prove to be a boon for Realise Business members and businesses by allowing them to showcase their business on the new website, form trusted relationships with a broader number of businesses, learn and grow through leading-edge expert business and specialist advice, motivation and accountability.
Attard believes that the re-brand ‘will energise the organisation as it builds on its existing strengths, in the provision of unparalleled business advisory services and networking opportunities across Sydney’.
The January launch of the new website www.realise.business and messaging is the initial step in ensuring that the 28-year-old organisation draws on its knowledge and experience to remain top of mind for businesses and startups looking for professional and cost effective advisory services and assistance to keep them on the right track to growth and success. It’s a win win for all.
