Developing a GTM Strategy for a Sole Proprietorship
Assisted a new business owner in identifying an ideal target demographic and digital strategy for his consulting service geared at individuals nearing retirement.
Boston, Massachusetts
2021
Consulting
Challenge
As a successful business entrepreneur who had successfully run multiple retail franchises, his goal was to be able to provide retirement readiness consulting to people in need within the local geographic area.
This venture into a personal brand is net new turf for the owner as in his previous engagement he had an army of corporate branding strategists at his disposal.
Of particular note is that in his previous effort to establish a foundational business presence, through collaboration with a friend, it led to locking down the original domain name such that it could not be registered as part of his Google Workspace account.
Results
It took an immense and coordinated effort between myself, the business owner, and Google, to investigate the root cause of the original domain ownership being inaccessible. I took the creative option of registering a second domain similar to the first using a different domain provider in order to get the GW account established, was able to setup the business emails, and then worked with Google to resolve the final outstanding issues. This effort yielded the ability for me to publish his Google work calendar on his site so that his existing and potential new customers could schedule meetings interactively through the shareable calendar on his website.
It is too early to measure results by the numbers yet however, the anecdotal sentiment shared by many is that the site is not only aesthetically pleasing but highly functional, captivating, and easy to read and know what next steps the visitor should take.
Process
Research & Analysis: I conducted numerous interviews with the business owner to understand his demographic audience, contextual background, and analyzed in-app analytics to understand the pain points and user needs. We also studied competitor apps and industry trends to gather insights
Information Architecture: Based on the research findings, we structured the app's navigation and content, prioritizing features and information according to user needs.
Wireframing & Prototyping: We designed low-fidelity wireframes to visualize the layouts and navigation, iteratively refining them based on user feedback, roadmap priorities, and engineering feasibility. Afterward, we built high-fidelity, interactive prototypes to share and test the designs with stakeholders and prospects.
Usability Testing: We conducted usability tests with a diverse group of users to validate the design and identify areas for improvement. Based on the feedback, we made necessary adjustments to the design.
Visual Design & Style Guide: We developed a cohesive visual language resulting in a branded design system based off of Material UI. This includes color schemes, typography, and iconography, ensuring consistency throughout the app. We also created a style guide to maintain design consistency in future updates.
“ Reimagining and redesigning the process for requesting and receiving data on the Akoya network adds value across the entire ecosystem. ”
Ryan Magalhaes
Product Designer | Akoya
Conclusion
The modernization of the consumer financial data access platform successfully addressed the core issues within the industry and improved the overall user experience. By focusing on providing an API-based network with intuitive developer portals and optimal workflows, Akoya was able to create a more efficient and streamlined platform for fintech users and financial institutions. The continued adoption of the Akoya network is proof that user engagement and satisfaction are improving with each release as the company matures and achieves business success.