Businesses that need outsourcing tend to hire a marketing agency for advertising and creative strategy, and an IT development firm for technology needs. Atlanta-based Integrative Logic wants to be all things to all customers. Bringing together marketing acumen and tech expertise, the company aims to deliver a nicely complete package for its clients. President John Gardner talks about ROI, filling in gaps, and rapping on blocks of wood.
How did Integrative Logic get started?
Integrative Logic was started because I was frustrated with internal agency obstacles that keep many firms from leveraging tremendous market opportunities. Common agency practice has been to sell a channel--Web sites, TV ads, direct mail, etc.--rather than develop a channel based on the highest potential ROI. For example, an interactive agency will talk about business intelligence, but it will always push clients to a Web strategy. This approach is inherently flawed from our perspective, as the channel should be dictated by what consumers will most respond to. This is the approach upon which Integrative Logic was founded-using business intelligence to drive client strategy.
Why do you think there's a need for your services?
The need for Integrative Logic's approach and delivery is huge and is quickly emerging in the marketplace. CRM failed because it was sold as a business application. Our clients are quickly seeing the value of CRM components, without re-engineering their complete business process. Integrative Logic believes the key is the business intelligence derived from the data, not the application to enter it, so rather than "rip and replace" existing data stores, we integrate it into a composite system. As a result, we fill a niche for organizations looking to drive revenue and ROI.
How is the company unique in the marketplace?
Bridging the gap between IT development and a traditional agency gives us a huge competitive advantage. Many firms offer database development but try to sell it as an application; likewise, traditional agencies use standard marketing research to drive strategy but only scratch the surface. Integrative Logic fills the gaps by offering best-of-class database development to drive client strategy without selling IT services.
How is the company faring in the current economic climate?
Knock on a big block of wood! We are thriving since our founding in January 2001. We have grown exponentially and have had the luxury of partnering with those clients that most match our values and philosophy.
It helps that we can attribute true client ROI directly to our services.
One retail client has achieved a 151 percent return for every dollar spent with Integrative Logic in only 16 months.
What are the largest challenges that you see in providing your service?
Client understanding, existing paradigms, and poor data. By "client understanding," I mean the ability of an organization to grasp the true power of business intelligence-driven marketing and the explosive results it can achieve. Existing paradigms are often difficult to overcome, especially when an organization has a relationship with a traditional agency. Most traditional database-driven agencies talk about database marketing, but deliver only through direct mail. Integrative Logic markets from the database to drive acquisition and growth. The better the data, the better the results.
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