Forget glass ceilings. Today’s most successful businesswomen are building empires and redefining what it means to lead. Whether they’re championing sustainability, pioneering in tech, or simply reimagining entire industries, these inspiring figures are paving the way for a brighter future. Dannet Botkin (CEO and Owner, Designs Group Consulting) is one of the “Most Successful Businesswomen To Follow in 2024”. She aims to build self-confidence and self-worth in all – her team and her clients – to stimulate, motivate, teach, and encourage.
A Hands-On Approach to Business Success
Throughout her career, Dannet has observed smaller businesses being held hostage by lengthy contracts, website hosting packages, high rates, hidden fees, and more. These small businesses often did not fully comprehend what they were purchasing or agreeing to, nor the complexity of the marketing or business products, including the terminology, technology, and how everything interconnected. Consequently, she decided to establish a Business & Marketing Consulting company to help small businesses thrive. Designs Group Consulting offers a hands-on approach: they explain, teach, and assist their clients every step of the way.
Launching a company in a small community presented its own challenges, from pricing structures to finding qualified staff. Designs Group Consulting overcame these obstacles by hiring across the USA, operating as a remote company long before COVID made it popular, and by offering sponsored pricing for local businesses that could not afford the national average per service. Over the past nine years, they have also sponsored over $50,000 in design and consulting services to support nonprofits and organizations that could not afford marketing services, as a way of giving back to their home community.
Building Confidence and Worth
The principles and values that guide Dannet Botkin’s leadership style include creating a legacy that inspires others to create more, dream more, learn more, and be more. Designs Group Consulting maintains a no-drama culture. They listen to each other and avoid conflict. They encourage one another, rather than putting each other down. They work together as a team, not for each other. The team always aspires to help others, not merely focusing on profit. Designs Group Consulting’s motto is “We succeed if you succeed” – and they live by this principle.
Transforming Visions into Reality
Designs Group Consulting is a full-service design firm dedicated to transforming ideas into tangible results that exceed expectations, where vision meets innovation, creativity, and precision.Whether clients are revitalising a brand, launching a new product, opening a new company, or aiming to enhance their business, the team is equipped to bring concepts to life with clarity and style.
At Designs Group Consulting, a national design firm, the belief is that great design transcends aesthetics—it solves problems, communicates values, and connects with audiences. Their approach combines strategic thinking with creative flair, ensuring that every project is not only visually compelling but also strategically sound. The team serves as a go-to resource for marketing and advertising, as well as a business consulting and coaching firm. Their goal is to combine over 70 years of experience to help companies thrive. They believe that when clients succeed, they succeed. The company is an all-in-one team of designers, marketers, coaches, and consultants.
Why Choose Designs Group Consulting?
- Expert Team: The designers, strategists, and project managers at Designs Group Consulting are leaders in their fields, bringing a wealth of experience and fresh perspectives to every project.
- Customised Solutions: Designs Group Consulting understands that each client is unique. They tailor their services to match specific requirements and budgets.
- Commitment to Excellence: Quality is at the heart of everything Designs Group Consulting does. They strive for perfection in every aspect of their process, ensuring that they deliver only the best.
Commitment to Client Understanding
Dannet, as the CEO of DGC, emphasises a personalised approach to client interactions. This includes ensuring every client feels like they are the only one, achieved through quick response times, one-on-one meetings, reliability, and effective deliverables. This focused attention leads to consistently successful outcomes.
A distinguishing feature of Designs Group Consulting is their dedication to assisting local professional seniors who may struggle with technology. Dannet Botkin and her team simplify complexities by educating clients on the ‘how, whys, and whats’ of their services, ensuring clarity and understanding in the digital business and marketing realms.
Expertise in Action
Dannet’s commitment to transparency and education has been pivotal in establishing the company’s success. By prioritising client understanding and support, Designs Group Consulting has earned a reputation for reliability and effectiveness within the industry.
“It’s crucial to grasp each company’s unique goals,” Dannet Botkin asserts. This personalised approach guarantees that each project receives undivided attention, resulting in successful business and marketing strategies. Furthermore, Designs Group Consulting remains at the forefront of technological advancements, continuously refining their service offerings to provide the most efficient and cost-effective solutions.
Dannet aims for expanded presence across the US, establishing the firm as the premier virtual business and marketing consulting company. The team at Designs Group Consulting is passionate about helping others, designing, business, marketing, and witnessing the success of their clients. Dannet Botkin intends to leverage over 70 years of combined expert-level skills and knowledge to benefit every small business that seeks their assistance.
Additionally, Dannet has aspirations to author a series of inspiring ‘how-to’ small business and marketing book guides in the coming years.
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The Premier Virtual Marketing Team
Designs Group Consulting consistently challenges the status quo within the industry. The firm distinguishes itself by providing flexible payment options, including payment plans, affordable retainer rates, and a unique policy of refusing commissions on media buys. DGC prioritises its clients’ success above all else. Cost savings on media buys translate directly to client savings, and the firm consistently chooses deeper discounts over commissions that might benefit the agency.
Dannet Botkin envisioned DGC as a virtual business and marketing firm well before the widespread adoption of remote work and video conferencing platforms. This forward-thinking approach not only minimised operational costs, leading to highly competitive service pricing, but also empowered DGC to recruit top talent from across the United States. Today, Designs Group Consulting stands as a leading virtual marketing team and a prominent force in the virtual business consulting landscape.
Shaping Industry Standards
Dannet fosters a culture of continuous learning and innovation. The team dedicates itself to researching and implementing cutting-edge technologies that benefit both their clients and the company itself. Streamlining processes, cost-saving solutions, and technological integrations are core values at Designs Group Consulting.
Beyond technology, Dannet Botkin ensures the team remains at the forefront of industry trends. They diligently monitor their clients’ competitors, photography advancements, media developments for conceptualization, advertising strategies for comparative analysis, emerging technologies for innovation, and even fashion trends to fuel avant-garde inspiration. This dedication extends to social media, where the team actively participates in A/B testing and closely observes influencer marketing trends. The goal is not merely to stay on top of trends, but to actively set them.
DGC prides itself on its authentic design philosophy. The company boldly tests new ideas publicly to gauge audience reception, measure excitement levels, and analyze potential interest. They embrace thought stimulation through unconventional, cutting-edge experimentation. If an idea falls short, it’s promptly discontinued. If it resonates, the team refines and customizes it to seamlessly integrate into their clients’ marketing strategies.
New Coaching Programs & Tools
Designs Group Consulting (DGC) has recently expanded its service portfolio with the launch of four new offerings: digital audits, business coaching, marketing coaching, and “learn-to-do” programs.
Leveraging a decade of experience guiding clients in both business management and marketing, DGC recognized the symbiotic relationship between the two disciplines. They believe that successful marketing strategies must be intricately woven into broader business operations, while overall business missions, goals, and products/services need to be central to all marketing efforts.
“Marketing requires an emotional engagement and a rapport with the brand, thus the combination of professional and authentic content on a brand’s social media is necessary.”- Dannet Botkin
To cater to this holistic approach, DGC now provides both virtual and in-person business and marketing coaching, further empowering small businesses to flourish.
The Strategic Playbook
Another noteworthy addition is DGC’s “learn-to-do” social media program. This program equips small business owners with the tools and know-how to manage their social media presence professionally, efficiently, and effectively.
Recognizing the growing importance of authenticity in today’s social media landscape, DGC emphasizes the need for business owners to actively participate in content creation. The program incorporates the “20-30-50 marketing rule” to ensure a balanced social media strategy. This rule suggests a content mix of 50% engaging posts, 30% informational posts, and 20% promotional posts. DGC recommends that business owners focus on creating engaging and informative content, alongside lighthearted anecdotes and “behind-the-scenes” glimpses. Her marketing firm, on the other hand, can specialize in crafting promotional content that adheres to brand identity, incorporates SEO best practices, and utilizes visually appealing graphics or informative videos.
In essence, the “learn-to-do” program allows business owners to share personal stories and customer testimonials, fostering connection and engagement, while delegating brand-focused promotional content and in-depth informational pieces to marketing specialists.
Dannet Botkin adheres to three fundamental principles in business:
Understanding the company thoroughly is key. This involves yearly analysis of the business plan, marketing strategies, products, services, operational procedures, team dynamics, customer service, and more. Dannet advocates for a comprehensive overhaul, including the mission and brand itself, to ensure relevance in a dynamic market.
Hiring exceptional staff and freelancers and treating them with utmost respect is crucial. Dannet believes that motivated, self-starting employees are instrumental in driving the company towards success. She emphasises creating an appreciative, positive, and respectful work environment, asserting that a happy team is the company’s most valuable asset, while negativity can breed stress and discord.
Dannet advises not hesitating to part ways with clients who do not align with the company’s values. If a customer shows disrespect, abuses time, lacks appreciation, exhibits abrasive behaviour, demands constant immediate attention, or fails to fit the company’s mission, Dannet recommends walking away confidently, ensuring the business remains focused and productive.