Unifying Your Brand Starts with Consolidating Systems

Technology often empowers companies with new functionality and operational capacity, but deploying too many solutions can just as easily have the opposite effect. When possible, look for opportunities to consolidate tools to streamline and simplify operations.

Every region competes with others in order to attract new residents, tourists, businesses, jobs and other investments to the area. Economic development councils spearhead these initiatives, putting together campaigns to engage these different audiences and spark interest among targets.

However, for economic development councils, trying to reach such a broad array of audiences is no easy task. It often requires highly specific campaigns designed to engage unique segments—a campaign designed to bring in new corporations is going to be significantly different than a campaign targeting prospective college students. And each of these campaigns has unique stakeholders and teams behind them to ensure the messaging resonates with the target audience.

With all of these different focus points, it's easy to start operating in silos. Each team has a unique goal and audience, which often leads to different ways of tackling objectives—and, in many cases, to teams using different tools and technology to accomplish their goals. What started as a unified system can transform over years into a patchwork mess of different tools, platforms and add-ons that hinders collaboration and creates an inconsistent public-facing brand.

Consolidating to Create a Unified Brand

The Kansas City Area Development Council, a private nonprofit organization that’s responsible for bringing new business to the area, was one of the many companies suffering from disjointed systems. The organization operated five different websites, each managed with multiple systems such as WordPress and Dreamweaver. Anytime KCADC wanted to add a map or do any sort of unique content update, the team needed the help of either the IT department or a third-party development resource—a process that cost both time and money.

This is when KCADC decided to take a look at Progress Sitefinity CMS. With the Sitefinity multisite functionality, KCADC was able to bring all of its digital destinations under the umbrella of a single content management system. KCADC had developed several proprietary systems and databases over the years, including an investor management system, a real estate database and a major employer database. With Sitefinity, KCADC was able to integrate all these systems as well.

Since implementing Sitefinity, the KCADC web team is able to create new content in a timely fashion without outside assistance. Moreover, being able to consolidate technologies has enabled KCADC to improve collaboration since everyone is using the same tools. This is further reflected in the website, which presents a cohesive brand to visitors.

“With Sitefinity CMS, we now have a modern, comprehensive website and a strong online presence that will adapt and grow with us and the changing needs of our audiences,” said Cindy Brittain, Research Director for Business Development, KCADC.

Make Your Technology Work for You, Not Against You

Reining in technology enables businesses to unify their endeavors and improve the user experience, and also ensures that company resources are being used to their fullest. Enterprises need to keep operational efficiency and usability in mind, which may mean consolidating various systems to unlock new opportunities and create a path toward future growth.

Learn More

If you’d like to hear more about KCADC and how the organization used Sitefinity CMS to streamline operations, read the full story. Do you find yourself in a similar situation? Look no further! Just get in touch with us and we would be happy to help you get started.