Cutting Through The Noise - An Interview with Leor Franks
In the first instalment of EMR’s series of marketing insight into the Professional Services industry, Rhydian Fairfax recently sat down with Leor Franks, Marketing Director of FTI Consulting. We discussed the direction that marketing is travelling in and the marketing strategies he implements in the consultancy sector.
With almost twenty years of experience including Director level positions at EY and Deloitte, Leor is well placed to offer valuable insight into the world of marketing within Professional Services. FTI Consulting offers situationally-specific expert consulting for very challenging scenarios and this provides its own issues from a marketing perspective. I asked Leor a series of questions and his answers are below.
Marketing strategies cover a variety of channels and techniques. What is the main focus in your current marketing strategy?
One tactic we’re typically focused on is content and thought leadership. Direct distribution of that content via e-mail marketing to our relevant client segments, is critical.
We’re very focused on the metrics, in terms of how many people have received it, how many people have opened it, how many people have read it and what’s happened.We’re currently focusing on making sure we do this in compliance with all the new GDPR rules which come into effect in May 2018. This will, I think, fundamentally change the way in which people manage databases of contacts and how marketing material is sent.
GDPR will clearly change the way companies interact with their clients. How do you think firms can embrace this and build better relationships with their customers?
I think it will place the spotlight on account-based marketing and demand that companies are highly targeted in their campaigns, trying to focus on the specific issues that clients are concerned about. This isn’t new – it’s been around for a long time, but I never felt when I was in the Big Four, that it was really everyone’s main focus. Rather that it was one of a number of mantras people used.
At FTI we are far more concerned with the specific needs of our clients and to tailor our content and events to their particular situation, issues and interests.
In some ways it’s more labour-intensive, as there’s more thought given to ensuring we provide what they actually value. It does require more effort on the production side, so we need to focus our marketing mix on giving people material through the channels that they enjoy and consume more regularly.
Having created and delivered marketing strategies throughout your career what would you say are the essential aspects of a successful marketing strategy?
For me, it’s having a tailored mix of what we call the Four Rs. The first R is Recognition: building recognition of the brand and the marketplace. The second R is Reputation: demonstrating the calibre of our people, of our services. The third R is Relationships: maintaining those you already have and also creating new ones. And the fourth R is Revenue marketing: some people call it business development – prepping and planning for meetings, providing the collateral to have those meetings, and so on.
The consultancy industry is growing with new niche consultancies springing up and more well-established firms expanding into new sectors. What are the challenges in the consulting industry from a marketing perspective?
The fact that anyone can produce and disseminate content creates a lot of noise, so cutting through the noise, for me, is a challenge. The FTI Consulting brand is not yet as well-known as the Big Four, so demonstrating the quality of our expertise is a key focus.
We have therefore adopted an approach to be focussed and targeted. The market has changed over the years as more firms have sprung up and, whether in law or digital, there are more players out there and more options for clients. It really comes down to quality, focus and repetition and making sure that we produce sufficient targeted content to stay front of mind.
Marketers in consultancies and professional services firms work closely with partners and fee earners. How closely do you work with the partners at FTI and how have you seen the marketer-partner relationship evolve and influence marketing over your career?
FTI Consulting is a firm of experts. Indeed our tagline is, “Experts with Impact”. Our clients have seen more of our partners and are getting more of our partners’ time, which is the premise of what this firm is all about – high-quality advice, and therefore, it’s right that we take the individuals to market more than in a Big Four firm, where it’s more about the leverage pyramid.
The challenge of that is it’s more labour-intensive and we have to think carefully about each individual. So my team tries to put together tailored marketing plans for each person or practice, and they spend a lot of their time sitting in partners’ offices, building bespoke targeted approaches. In contrast, my previous team at a Big Four firm would deal with groups of say 20 partners at a time with broader brush materials. But I think our approach here is right – clients value relevant, targeted content, more than general high-level material.
Sign up for more insights
Related jobs
Salary
£28000 - £32000 per annum
Location
London
Job Type
Permanent
Discipline
Marketing (general)
Seniority
Assistant
Salary
£30,000 - £44,999
Sector
Leisure Travel & Sport
City
London
Description
Marketing Assistant for luxury yacht brokerage based in South West London. Reporting directly to the Head of Marketing, this is a key role in supporting the growth of the brand.
Reference
TJB/MA_1714056227
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Amy McCrowAuthor
Amy McCrowSalary
Negotiable
Location
West London, London
Job Type
Permanent
Discipline
Marketing (general)
Seniority
Specialist
Salary
£30,000 - £44,999
Sector
Leisure Travel & Sport
City
London
Description
Based in West London and working within one of the most exciting industries within luxury travel, this role will see you joining as their new Marketing Executive.
Reference
PR/132483_1714036218
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Rebekah CrampAuthor
Rebekah CrampSalary
£45000 - £55000 per annum
Location
West London, London
Job Type
Permanent
Discipline
Social Media
Seniority
Manager
Salary
£45,000 - £59,999
Sector
Leisure Travel & Sport
City
London
Description
Based in West London and working within one of the most exciting industries within luxury travel this role will see you reporting to the Marketing Director and join as their new Social Media Manager.
Reference
PR/132482_1713976337
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Rebekah CrampAuthor
Rebekah CrampSalary
£40000 - £50000 per annum
Location
London
Job Type
Permanent
Discipline
Brand Marketing
Marketing (general)
Event Marketing
Work From Home
Work From Home
Seniority
Manager
Salary
£45,000 - £59,999
Sector
Health & Wellbeing
City
London
Description
An established and market-leading talent firm who work within the healthcare industry are seeking a highly skilled Marketing Manager
Reference
PR/132479_1713456470
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Katie Halliday (née Rogers)Author
Katie Halliday (née Rogers)Salary
£35000 - £42000 per annum
Location
City of London, London
Job Type
Permanent
Discipline
Bids & Tenders
Business Development
Marketing (general)
Work From Home
Work From Home
Seniority
Executive
Salary
£30,000 - £44,999
Sector
Business Services
City
London
Description
Our client is a successful, market-leading UK and international law firm who are looking for an ambitious and creative Marketing & Business Development Executive to join the team.
Reference
PR/132480_1713456255
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Katie Halliday (née Rogers)Author
Katie Halliday (née Rogers)Salary
£35000 - £40000 per annum
Location
London
Job Type
Permanent
Discipline
Media Relations & PR
Work From Home
Work From Home
Seniority
Manager
Salary
£30,000 - £44,999
Sector
Financial Services
City
London
Description
PR Manager for Luxury Investment, E-commerce and Retail company based in Central London. Developing and executing PR campaigns that enhance brand visibility and reputation.
Reference
PR/132467_1712670963
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Amy McCrowAuthor
Amy McCrowSalary
£120000 - £150000 per annum + Benefits
Location
City of London, London
Job Type
Fixed Term Contract
Discipline
B2B
Seniority
Director/Chief
Salary
£125,000 +
Sector
Publishing
City
London
Description
CMO - 6-month Contract - Subscription Marketing Experience Needed
Reference
RPT_1712153059
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Ronak PatelAuthor
Ronak PatelSalary
£30000 - £35000 per annum + + Benefits
Location
London
Job Type
Permanent
Discipline
Social Media
Seniority
Manager
Salary
£30,000 - £44,999
Sector
Retail
City
London
Description
Become a Social Media Manager for a luxury assets broker who focuses on helping individuals gain wealth by investing in a number of distinct luxury products.
Reference
PR/ 132438_1712053229
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Shanelle GreenAuthor
Shanelle GreenSalary
£30000 - £40000 per annum
Location
London
Job Type
Permanent
Discipline
Copywriting
Work From Home
Work From Home
Seniority
Manager
Salary
£30,000 - £44,999
Sector
Retail
City
London
Description
Copywriter role for Luxury Investment, E-commerce, and Retail company based in Central London. Help create compelling and engaging content across various channels
Reference
PR/132466_1712052242
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Amy McCrowAuthor
Amy McCrowSalary
£30000 - £40000 per annum
Location
London
Job Type
Permanent
Discipline
Media Relations & PR
Work From Home
Work From Home
Seniority
Manager
Salary
£30,000 - £44,999
Sector
Financial Services
City
London
Description
PR Manager for Luxury Investment, E-commerce and Retail company based in Central London. Developing and executing PR campaigns that enhance brand visibility and reputation.
Reference
PR/132467_1712050342
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Author
Amy McCrowAuthor
Amy McCrowRelated posts
Teaser
Discipline expertiseContent Type
ArticlesPublish date
04/18/2024
Summary
In the wake of the global pandemic, the tech industry has embraced change and innovation in the way it operates and manages its workforce. The shift to remote and hybrid work, the acceleration
Teaser
Case StudiesContent Type
ArticlesPublish date
04/18/2024
Summary
Spotlight: Property GPE is a UK property development and investment company - it mainly owns office buildings, with a smaller amount of retail property. The company invests in and develops cent
by
EMR Recruitment
Teaser
Case StudiesContent Type
ArticlesPublish date
04/18/2024
Summary
Spotlight: B2C Based in Palma, Italy, Barilla is an Italian family-owned food company and the world’s largest pasta producer. Established in 1877, it’s now an international Group present in mor
by
EMR Recruitment
Teaser
Discipline expertiseContent Type
ArticlesPublish date
04/02/2024
Summary
The pandemic has fundamentally changed the way businesses operate and reshaped clients' expectations, emphasising the importance of agility, efficiency, and digital fluency in service delivery. At
Teaser
Discipline expertiseContent Type
ArticlesPublish date
03/08/2024
Summary
Direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands have been at the forefront of digital-first innovation in marketing. Traditionally, these brands relied heavily on third-party retailers and marketplaces to reach consu
by
Rebekah Cramp
Teaser
Career adviceContent Type
ArticlesPublish date
01/17/2024
Summary
Welcome back to EMR's Marketing & Communications Leader Series, where we dive deep into the journeys of exceptional senior marketing and communications practitioners. Join us as we take a closer look
Teaser
Career adviceContent Type
ArticlesPublish date
01/12/2024
Summary
There has never been a better time to launch or boost a career in communications. 2022 was an excellent year to invest in communications, and in 2024, it’s even more vital as people want to feel conn
Teaser
Career adviceContent Type
ArticlesPublish date
01/03/2024
Summary
Welcome back to EMR's Marketing and Communications Leader Series, where we dive deep into the journeys of exceptional senior marketing and communications practitioners. Join us as we explore their pat
Teaser
Career adviceContent Type
ArticlesPublish date
11/28/2023
Summary
Welcome back to EMR's Marketing and Communications Leader Series, where we dive deep into the journeys of exceptional senior marketing and communication practitioners. Join us as we take a closer l
Teaser
Salary & Market Trend GuideContent Type
ArticlesPublish date
11/23/2023
Summary
Our Pay Survey 2024 is your opportunity to share your experience of pay and packages within your current sector and the wider industry and join thousands of professionals who contribute to our researc
Recently viewed jobs