A unique marketing communications firm offering excellent end-to-end solutions for companies to reach their target customers: GLG Communications

Marketing and communication go hand-in-hand by delivering creative strategies, tactics and methodologies to companies for conveying their message in a unique and creative way. In the highly competitive world we live in, companies are frantically looking for new opportunities. Effective marketing and communication strategies provide business leaders a strategic vision to overcome uncertainties and promote their offerings to customers. To make sure that a marketing campaign is successful, the leader must rely on sound management decisions in regards to the elements that are added to the promotional mix. Experts suggest businesses hire marketing firms to help them navigate through complex marketing channels and reach customers at a different level.

Globally there are various firms specializing in delivering excellent marketing and communication services, but GLG Communications stands out from the rest. GLG is a full-service communications company offering end-to-end solutions to Fortune 500 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies around the globe. GLG has a comprehensive offering that can be customized to give clients all the services they need and only the services they need. By being flexible, GLG can tailor-make an offering to exactly fit any project, irrespective of size. To meet constantly evolving marketing and communication challenges in any marketing domain, GLG has all the disciplines necessary to deliver on clients’ most ambitious business goals – and all in-house at the fingertips of their clientele.

In conversation with Sharon Gallant, Founder and Owner of GLG Communications

Q. How do you maintain the balance of exclusivity and attainability of goals for the brands through your strategies?

For us, differentiation or exclusivity is never enough. Not by a long shot. We work to ensure that our brands are not just different, but are perceived as superior to their competitors. Often, in the categories we work in, there is a parity perception in the marketplace. We work to find a difference -- or we manufacture one. The difference could be something concrete, like efficacy, or safety for example. Or, it could be a more ephemeral quality. For smaller brands, differentiation provides a competitive advantage in a market dominated by larger ones. For larger brands, differentiation maintains their leadership and their edge. Moreover, a differentiation strategy that doesn’t guarantee attainability isn’t really a strategy at all. It’s a novel idea, perhaps, but it’s not a strategy. For us, a strategy is, by definition, an attainable winning proposition.

Q. A well-strategized marketing strategy will help the company build trust with consumers, potential clients and customers. How do you create a roadmap/campaign that will meet the clients’ demand?

We use a step-wise approach in the creation of a strategic roadmap. It is based entirely upon Stanley Pollitt’s approach. We obtain first-hand information from various stakeholders and carefully evaluate how they think and act. We then go through a thorough SWOT, develop critical success factors, craft strategic imperatives and strategies, and then drill down to a full tactical plan. Beyond that, a brand story with a full message platform is written, and a brandscape is conceived and executed. It’s a long and arduous process, but we love it…because it works! It ensures that clients receive an air-tight roadmap to deliver success.

Q. Tell us about your content development. What are the factors that will contribute to the engagement level?

Engagement comes from creating advertising and promotion that is highly compelling. At GLG, we follow the principle that content that is compelling checks all (not just some) of these imperatives; it must always be:

• Persuasive
• Targeted
• Unique
• Creative
• Consistent

Q. How do you understand the culture of the company before devising a marketing campaign?

We conduct in-depth research on corporate culture. It’s an absolute necessity. Often, corporate culture is implied, not expressly defined, and develops gradually and organically over time, from the cumulative traits of the people the company hires and by how those people behave. Only first-hand research can shed light on this.

Q. Marketing is highly effective when it is targeted and tailored toward an individual. How flexible are your services for customization?

Our approach at GLG is entirely bespoke and tailored. Customization begets success. We have a set of very discerning clients. They expect and receive nothing less.

Q. There are other reputed players in the market providing the same services. What makes you a better service provider?

Our people make the difference. It’s that simple. We are a team of ambitiously-minded people who seek to collaborate with ambitiously-minded clients. People make the difference between an average experience with an agency and a truly great one. We believe in diversity, and our hiring practices reflect that. During client evaluations, we hear every year that our world-class team is what elevates us and what sets us far apart.

Q. Staying ahead of trends is something today’s marketing firms must do. How do you manage to stay ahead of the competition?

In total honesty, we manage to stay ahead by concentrating solely on our clients – never our competition. We’ve found that our time and effort are much better used listening to and over-delivering for our clients versus worrying about what others are doing. Any focus placed on a competitor is a focus taken away from creating and innovating for our clients. There are only so many hours in a day (and we’re busy!). So, we never turn our attention to our competition. We just concentrate all of our passion and effort on our clients instead. Clients have a problem they want us to solve. We were hired to create unique and innovative solutions for them. Because we can do that better than anyone else, those clients keep choosing us, year after year, as their partner.

Q. Do you have any new services ready to be launched?

We have been entrusted with a huge amount of Investor Relations work in the last two years. Now that we have so many successes under our belts, we are undertaking a formal service offering within this growing domain. It is something we do well and something we find clients need and are asking for more and more.

Q. What does the future hold for your company and its customers? Are exciting things on the way?

We have used the last year to learn, hone and grow our skills and offerings. We have gone far outside the usual “comfort zone” of pharmaceutical ad agencies. In doing so, we have truly been a team of trailblazers. We have launched award-winning proprietary digital programs that are purpose-built for the needs of our clients. That will continue. Moving forward, we will continue to do what we always do – look at needs and gaps and ambitiously and courageously fill them. Our amazing team will continue to thrive by taking on the challenges that are daunting to other firms – and we will continue to proudly do so without ever flinching.

Meet the leader behind the success of GLG Communications

Sharon Gallant, Founder and Owner of GLG Communications, began her career in scientific research. Having completed a Master’s of Science degree, and working in research, she decided that her passion was ignited by being a “communicator”, and she accepted a role at a prominent global marketing and advertising firm. She later went on to join Publicis, where she stayed for over 7 years as Director General. In 2004, Sharon could no longer quell her entrepreneurial spirit, and left Publicis to launch her own independent agency, GLG Communications. The rest, as they say, is history. Her multi award-winning agency now services a global clientele within the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

“Staffed with long-standing healthcare industry experts, GLG applies a blend of marketing, medical, and scientific knowledge together with strategic insight and creative thinking – seamlessly and effectively, across all applications.”