"Els is someone who opens doors for us."
A proactive marketing approach makes Consultes more visible in the market
Professionalism, both in terms of service and appearance, has been a key factor for Consultes since its inception. However, a recent leap in growth also called for a more proactive and professional marketing approach. “We wanted to be more visible as a company, and Els took care of that. When we go somewhere now, people know us,” say Pascal Herman and Peggy Clerick.
Griet Buyck started in 2007 as an independent environmental sustainability consultant after 15 years in the sector. "Because a number of customers were experiencing a strong growth, she decided to grow along," says Pascal. "Consultes soon employed a number of expert employees and a branding agency ensured that everything looked professional." As an architectural engineer, Peggy had specialised in risk prevention and the environmental challenges in the corporate world. “As Consultes received more and more questions about risk prevention, we joined forces from 2011. In this way, we can offer our customers a wide range of services, from advice on specific support to training. Today we work with 25 employees from Zwevegem, Ghent and Antwerp. Due to this rapid growth, I partially cut down my activities as a structural engineer in an architectural firm to take on the finances, HR and marketing of Consultes. Griet and Peggy are responsible for the operational management of environmental sustainability on the one hand and risk prevention on the other.”
Improving marketing and sales
“I have known Els for over 10 years. With her commercial flair, her exuberant personality and her networking capabilities, she is completely what we are not.” (laughs) “We engaged her to become commercially stronger and gain more visibility. In 2018, we drew up a marketing plan that continues to grow and that we implement consistently, from participating to trade fairs to a strong social media presence.” "Consultes is rather specific in that we have to convince our customers with our vast knowledge, not with just commercial talk," Peggy adds. “But Els ensures that companies know about us and this opens doors. At fairs, for example, she has no qualms about spontaneously addressing people and introducing them to our stand, after which we can take over and go into further detail. She asks questions which we would never have asked ourselves because we are too technical. She engages with people in a personal and individual way, whilst maintaining a professional level of conduct.”
Pascal: “She also builds bridges with introverted customers. If I went on a customer visit by myself, I would be leaving the building after 10 minutes. With Els by my side, the conversation quickly takes up an hour. The customer remembers a positive chat and we maintain a good rapport with them. She also keeps in touch with "dormant" customers and ensures a proactive follow-up of our quotations so that orders come in more rapidly. She also takes care of our newsletter mailings, comes up with gadgets and New Year's gifts and sets up marketing campaigns. These are all small things that make a big difference all put together.”
Broad view - great flexibility
“We don't have a full-time job for someone like Els, but that is exactly where the win-win lies. Because she comes into contact with a huge number of entrepreneurs, she has a very broad view of entrepreneurship and offers us much more than just commercial activities. We can also contact her for advice on staff matters and she helped us to get an innovation grant. Additionally, she also has a huge professional network in which she can launch questions or test the waters. She is extremely flexible. You can always count on her.”
“The people we work with must fit well in our group. Els is really considered one of us here, even though she's only here a few half days a week. It is very pleasant to have her in the team. Moreover, she has a certain flair that also creates a pleasant atmosphere in the office. Our employees are mainly technically trained people who are not really commercially oriented. Els can literally be heard walking around by the sound of her clicking heels.” (laughs) “That makes it fun. She is a serious asset for us on all levels.
Consultes – Pascal Herman + Peggy Clerick