From humble beginnings, Be Seen More has created hundreds of new business strategies for some of the biggest brands in both the region and the country. CEO Todd Starr says their ‘out of the box’ thinking and robust methodology gives his business the ability to stay one step ahead of the game. Be Seen More has worked with a range of different business including Hybrid Bikes, Cawthron Institute, Sports Tasman, Auckland University, Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce and Proper Crisps - from ambitious startups to large enterprises.
No matter the size of a business or their location, the principles of visibility, strategy, and effective execution remain universal, says Todd. “I want customers to say good things behind my back. If a customer is asked who or what was the single biggest positive impact or influence on your business, I want my name to come up before they have even had a chance to think, that’s the type of work I want to do.
Our commitment is to ensure that every business we work with can amplify their message, reach their target audience effectively, and achieve the growth they’re aiming for. From the inception of Be Seen More my journey has been driven by a lifelong passion for strategic innovation and creative problem-solving.”
Be Seen More is special because they see things differently Todd explains. “I am dyslexic and while this was painful in school and early adulthood, it's my secret weapon in business. It helps me spot patterns in behaviour and systems that others miss.
The real challenge with business and marketing strategy is that you have to be patient with your customers, you have to peel away the layers of misunderstanding of psychological biases, their filters, their fears and their expectations of how they think their business should be.”
Be Seen More have developed hundreds of strategies and made over 5,000 videos for hundreds of organisations. “We are known for thinking differently. In all my years of doing this nobody has ever bought a strategy, they never buy a video... they buy a different future, they buy an outcome, they wanted to go through a process of change.”
Utilising the tools of Be Seen More takes out the guesswork and guides people through a transformative process from where they are to where they want to be, says Todd. “We recognise that most founders are exceptional at what they do but can often miss what I call, ‘the single point of failure’. It creates the ripples, and the ripples can be obvious, but often the real reason behind them is overlooked or deliberately ignored. It is hard to effectively display the value you offer and the problems you solve for your ideal customer, but that is why we exist.”
Todd has found that his client’s biggest frustration is not being heard, feeling felt, or being misunderstood. “what I do is help companies get very clear about where they want to go and then I work with them to ensure that we can answer three fundamental questions. How big do you want to get? How soon do you want to get there? How committed are you to achieving it? We sell our services in a very honest and genuine way and I think that is why we are so in demand.”
How would you best sum up the role of Be Seen More?
The pathway we design for clients accelerates the transition from where they are to where they want to be. From feeling overlooked, overwhelmed, and ineffective, to being recognised, in control, and in demand.
How can proper marketing help a business to achieve?
I know many businesses post things on social media and then say that their ‘marketing is done’! But that isn’t worth anything if it doesn’t help your ideal customer to find you, then motivate them to buy your stuff. I believe that what is even bigger than content marketing is the immediate need for most businesses to build the personal brand of its founder or C.E.O online and offline. If I say peanut butter you think of Pic and his dog, if i say Summit Real Estate you think of Glyn. If Kim Kardashian moved to New Zealand and opened a real estate agency - even if it was a terrible service and more expensive than anyone else - people would line up to do business with her because of her personal brand. There are Youtubers like Mr. Beast totally taking over the chocolate industry, Logan Paul and K.S.I dominated Gatorade in one year with their drink Prime. Not because of the quality of the product or service but because of the personal brand involved.
What continues to drive your passion for what you do?
The belief that the best way to predict the future is to play a role in creating it. Therefore, I'm always looking for new ways to innovate and improve, ensuring that our client remains at the forefront of their industry. Our journey has been turbulent and challenging but also incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. I have an innate passion for solving problems so the harder things are, or the bigger the challenge, the more energised and passionate I become.
Tell us about some of the processes you use?
The clue is in the name... our unique method helps businesses to stand out, save time, and be seen more. There are five core capabilities that we offer. Firstly, a free 30-minute consultation to learn about the business challenges, if we think we can help we will work with the client on a strategy. This will help us to understand where they are, why they exist, what problems they solve for their customers, and
where they want to go. Then we offer a range of services to create a path of least resistance from where they are to where they want to be.
How does the future look for your industry?
Our future will be completely disrupted by A.I. It's not a case of ‘if’ - it’s already happening, but some businesses are just not aware of it yet. I have several clients who tell me they feel like their competition has their hands tied behind their back in the fight for new customers and they don't even know it. The businesses we work with are already moving quickly.
