SERVICES
Business Development, Marketing, and Sales
The Challenge
It's always challenging to enter a new market, industry, or regulatory environment. Identifying your target customers, crafting an effective message, and delivering that message require a deep understanding of the target audience. You need to know:
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Who are the opinion leaders and decision makers?
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How do they consume media?
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What are their goals, concerns, and priorities?
Our Service
S4 Group has a deep understanding of the key players in the healthcare, education, nonprofit, and government arenas. In the long-term care industry in particular S4 has advised dozens clients operating dozens of facilities across a multitude of states. We know what considerations drive their decision making and how they will respond to various types of message.
We will develop a marketing and sales plan that includes whom to target, what message to send, and how to deliver that message. We will tailor the plan to your business' development goals, products, strengths, and resources.
We provide strategic guidance throughout the sales process and introductions to prospects, both through hosting events and direct referrals.
Business Strategy
The Challenge
Companies are constantly adapting to new market realities or seeking to take advantage of new opportunities. Both require a clear vision for your company, a clear understanding of the market, and careful consideration of all the risks and opportunities. A sound business strategy is vital both for success, and communicating this business strategy is necessary for securing investors.
Even the best business strategy must be updated constantly as they are implemented. These updates range from minor tweaks to a complete rewrite.
Our Service
S4's team includes serial entrepreneurs who have guided multiple startup nonprofits and businesses to into successful, stable enterprises.
S4 Group will help you first refine your goals and vision, and then develop a strategy for re-positioning your business in a new market or based on new market realities. We will help you chart a path to success focused on your objectives that leverages your core competencies. We will identify any risks or weaknesses and suggest ways to address them.
S4 will maintain close contact as your implement your business strategy. We will help make updates as new challenges, opportunities, and realities arise, and anticipate future developments based on current trends.
Government Affairs
The Challenge
The United States is the most heavily regulated society in the world, with some studies placing the cost of regulation at nearly $10,000 per employee and $15,000 per family. Regulatory changes at the federal, state, and local levels can have far-reaching consequences for businesses operates - and even determine whether your basic business plan is viable. No business is immune to governmental oversight, especially businesses in the long-term care and healthcare industries.
The challenge of complying with and influencing government policy are compounded by the language barriers between business owners on the one hand and legislators and regulators on the other. Whereas businesspeople speak in terms of profit and loss, legislators and regulators speak in terms of political will and public interest. As a result, many business owners are surprised when their arguments fall upon deaf ears.
Our Service
The S4 Group has 20+ years of experience helping businesses operate in the regulatory world. We speak both the language of business and the language of government, and we will be your translator.
We will help you create relationships with the right people in your legislature and regulatory agencies. We will craft your communications strategy to ensure they understand your concerns and the potential impacts of proposed regulations. We identify, reach out and connect with foundations and other organizations that are interested in providing financial backing for your regulatory efforts. S4 can also arrange a multitude of events including panel discussions and seminars to bring together stakeholders and interest groups at the local, state, and federal levels to raise awareness of issues that are important to you.
Although it is possible to create relationships on an as-needed basis, treating government agents as a true partner by involving them as early as possible is the most effective method to build strong relationships.
With experienced staff who have existing contacts with both state and federal legislators and regulators, we can help you develop and execute a government affairs strategy that achieves your goals. We have experience helping firms both before and after regulatory problems arise.
Issue Advocacy
The Challenge
Businesses, nonprofits, and communities are heavily impacted by legislative decisions. Cuts to program funding levels can mean fewer services for vulnerable groups and less business for the companies that provide those service. For-profit companies and nonprofits alike can be impacted by changes to program eligibility rules, new statutory requirements, and eliminating existing legal protections.
Tracking, understanding, and influencing these legislative decisions requires expertise not possessed by most organizations.
Our Service
We will help you evaluate your organization's risks and opportunities from the legislative process. We will help track important legislative developments and develop a strategy for influencing legislative decisions. When appropriate, we will help you testify at committee meetings, set up meetings with legislators, and build a coalition to defend your interests.
We will help you decide whether a grassroots advocacy approach is best for you. If so, we will develop a grassroots advocacy strategy tailored to your organization's policy goals, resources, and the political environment.