Impact Networking’s Managed Marketing Services Shine as a Diversification Strategy

Managed marketing services are not a conventional offering in a dealer’s managed services portfolio. But then again, nothing about Impact Networking is conventional.

Frank Cucco, co-founder, CEO and partner of Impact Networking, is one of the most aggressive and innovative owners Frank G. Cannata and I have had the opportunity to work closely with in the dealer channel. I first met Cucco 10 years ago, shortly after I joined The Cannata Report. What stood out to me then, as it does now, is that Cucco recognizes the value of marketing and has always emphasized marketing and branding in Impact Networking’s business strategy. Fast forward to today, and Impact’s managed marketing services are a vital part of its managed services portfolio, which also includes cybersecurity, IT & cloud network infrastructure, and digital transformation management.

Cucco entered the managed marketing services arena when he acquired Borchew Design Group Inc. (BDGI) in 2008. Cucco had worked with the firm on startup branding for Impact Networking beginning in 1999. He was impressed with its services and the results it delivered, as were Impact’s customers, many of whom asked Cucco to help them market their own companies, which led him to acquire the company in 2008. BDGI initially maintained its existing client base, handled all of Impact’s marketing, supported sales and marketing for Impact Networking’s clients, and worked on facilities design. The team eventually split into three groups—Impact Networking’s internal marketing operations, Impact Facilities Design, and Managed Marketing Services (for clients).

In 2020, Cucco concluded he needed to change the managed marketing services business model and management team. He felt he needed someone well-versed in selling marketing services but also someone he could trust to oversee the entire division.

“It was really tough in the beginning, and we had a rough go at it,” Cucco said. He reached out to Aaron Dyck, well-known and widely respected for honing his entrepreneurial marketing chops at companies like LMI Solutions and Clover Imaging Group, for his perspective and advice. Cucco was not expecting Dyck to suggest himself, but when he did, Cucco was thrilled. Cucco immediately recognized his good fortune and hired Dyck.

“Aaron is the real deal. He really took the marketing business from a really bad place to a really good place. He is going to get the job done, no doubt,” Cucco said. “I was really excited when he offered to take the role.”

When The Cannata Report launched its Young Influencer editorial franchise 10 years ago, Aaron Dyck was honored for his impact at Clover Imaging. Now as president of managed marketing services at Impact Networking, Dyck reflects on his career and his current role.

CJ: What was your role when you first joined Impact Networking, and how has that role evolved?

AD: We found small and medium-sized businesses were not just looking for a website or how to use social media. They wanted to make an investment in driving brand awareness and new business leads.

Along the way, they wanted to add recruitment and retention. We wanted to take the subjectivity out of marketing. Our approach was simple in that we leveraged data to come up with the strategy and tactics. We have been focused on this approach to ensure we’re industry agnostic. Frank Cucco gave us the resources to build a team where everyone develops solutions by working together on one floor.

CJ: How did you build out the managed marketing services division for Impact Networking, and what type of businesses do you serve?

AD: Most agencies staff to a client. We don’t do that. That’s not something that you see from agencies or marketing service companies. We spent a lot of time and energy to hire and employ some of the best talent. We’ve also been very fortunate in that Impact's managed marketing has experience from small to big brands across many verticals, including manufacturing, medical, hospitality and technology, among others.

CJ: With your primary customers in the SMB space, do you have to do anything unique to help them achieve the results they are looking for?

AD: Here’s how we approach managed marketing services for small businesses. Let’s say we’re looking to drive leads along with recruitment and retention. We needed to become obsessed with who the customers were and where to reach them. We then built a profile of the existing customer, which we use to target new prospects. Most importantly, we figure out the strategy first based on data. Many businesses skip that step and move right into tactics.

We recognized that to become a successful managed marketing services agency we had to tie efforts to results that directly addressed client objectives while also being able to grow with them. We measure our results quarterly and learn what’s working and what isn’t. We have periodic business reviews every six months. Ultimately, we’re looking at the data and what we did, providing data-driven insights, then pivoting, changing, or adjusting accordingly. We call this agile marketing.