1. Marshall
How to Create a Valuable Company
The impact of identity on the bottom line
Marshall Strategy
October 2013
info@marshallstrategy.com
www.marshallstrategy.com

2. About Marshall Strategy
Marshall Strategy is a privately owned, professional consulting firm, staffed
by senior people with multi-industry expertise. Our services are aimed
at one simple goal – improving corporate and brand value.
We develop and implement strategies that increase appreciation and
enthusiasm for our client, companies and brands through strategic
positioning, naming and design.
369 Pine St., Penthouse
San Francisco, CA 94104
415.677.9525
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info@marshallstrategy.com
www.marshallstrategy.com
@MarshallStrat
© Marshall Strategy 2013
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3. Introduction
During private interviews with some of Wall Street’s most influential
analysts, we’ve been able to ask several questions to gain insight into how
companies are valued. Here’s what we asked of them:
• What makes a company valuable?
• Why are some companies considered to be worth more than
companies of similar size, in the same industry?
• Since past performance does not guarantee future performance, how
can you tell which companies will deliver superior future performance,
making their stock more valuable?
We were told that investors reward companies that have two seemingly
conflicting sets of qualities:
Solid & reliable
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Dynamic & innovative
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4. Solid & reliable
Dynamic & innovative
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Excellent management
Strong financials
Positive history
Industry leadership
Proven capabilities
Brand strength
Growing revenues
Expanding market share
Entering new markets
Innovative products
Leveraging technology
Planning forward
Developing leaders
Being only solid & reliable will not convey industry-leading growth.
Being only dynamic & innovative will not convey reliability.
Companies that convey both sets of qualities can be reasonably
expected to reliably deliver superior results over the long term
and are given higher valuation by investors.
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5. Identity Strategy
Your identity strategy has the potential to engage and
motivate employees as well as capture the attention of
customers, shareholders and funders. An identity
strategy can help a company achieve and convey both
reliable and dynamic qualities.
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6. Case Study: GE
When Jack Welch took the helm at GE in 1981, the company
was known as solid and reliable, but not dynamic or
innovative. Jack's goal was to make GE the most valuable
company in the world. The task required reliable performance
and increased awareness of GE's innovation.
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The identity system we recommended
retained the GE Monogram to convey
historic performance and added
asymmetrical graphic elements to
convey dynamism.
Within two years, Jack's dynamic
leadership, reflected by GE's new
identity, resulted in GE becoming
the world's most valuable company.
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7. Conclusion
The financial benefits of a strong identity strategy can have a huge positive
impact on your organization:
• Fewer redundant efforts due to more coherent communications
• Greater efficiency in producing materials
• Enhanced morale, energy and direction
• Increased sales from greater awareness, consideration, appeal
• Increased margins by commanding a premium or creating a preference
• Increased profitability from all of above
• Increased market value
For more information
www.marshallstrategy.com
© Marshall Strategy 2013
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