Specialist guidance for important business strategic decisions.
Opportunity or challenge? Understand it. Decide the way forward.
When facing strategic choices, the impact on your brand must be considered in your decision-making.
I work with you to shape the essential brand strategy that will guide those choices.
Begin with a strategic insight into your current thinking.
A short set of questions to help identify where your business may need attention.
★★★★★
30 years. 300+ businesses. A methodology refined through practice.
✔ Understand what your customers value and why they choose.
✔ Develop an offer that gives a reason to choose your business.
✔ Make informed strategic decisions about your business.
Specialist strategic consulting.
Drawing on more than 30 years of commercial experience, specialist knowledge of brand strategy and the Strategy. Brand. Asset. methodology.
You may already be working with a business consultant, coach or marketing adviser. Their work may address many aspects of your business, but your particular challenge may also require specialist brand strategy knowledge.
I help you develop and test the decisions your business needs, so you understand the direction and can use it to progress your business planning. You retain ownership of the decisions and how they are applied.
The aim is to have the strategic thinking in place before decisions are passed to marketing, design or creative suppliers.
The role of brand strategy
It can help explain issues that are not resolved by marketing activity or operational changes alone.
Brand strategy is a specialist discipline concerned with how a business creates value for its intended customers, establishes its position in the market and expresses that value through its offer, communication and customer experience.
I use that discipline to examine the questions that matter to your business. The relevant work depends on your circumstances, the decisions ahead and the understanding you need to develop.
Begin with Strategic Insight
Before deciding what to change.
You may recognise that something needs attention without knowing exactly what is causing it or what kind of help would be useful. This complimentary Strategic Insight is a short diagnostic designed to help identify areas where further strategic consideration may be worthwhile.
Your answers provide a starting point for understanding your situation. They are not a complete diagnosis or a substitute for consulting.
This is a short set of Yes, No, and Maybe questions. You will see the areas that may deserve closer attention. I will see whether specialist strategic guidance is likely to be useful to you in deciding what to do next.
Meet Dayne Smith
Business consultant, specialising in strategic brand thinking.
I‘m the founder of Flying Lizard. With more than 35 years’ experience across New Zealand and London. My specialty is strategic brand thinking.
Today, I work directly with business owners, applying commercial experience, specialist knowledge and professional judgement to the questions and decisions they need to address.
A career helping enterprise to individuals:
Ogivly One · EDS · Abbey National · Cato · Harrods Marketing · Mainland Poultry · NHNZ · Waitaki Tourisim · University of Otago · Tai Chi Chuan School · Angow Motors · Rainbow Confectionery · Diamond Fusion · Snowlo
What clients & third-party endorsements say about the work
Clearer direction. Stronger positioning. A better basis for decisions.
★★★★★
Exceptional strategic results that brought innovation and direction
“The results have been exceptional. Dayne brings innovation and clarity to every project.”
Michael Greenslade, Trade Commissioner, NZ Pacific.
★★★★★
Understanding a new business position
“It was a good experience, and the excitement of starting a business becomes even more so, once you see your company brand come to life.“
Liz Williams, Co-Founder, The Pod Rental Company, NZ.
★★★★★
Bringing strategic discipline to the work
“I have worked with Dayne for many years, in my opinion, regardless of size or scope of project, the work is unparalleled.”
Jason Gaskill, Business Advisor, United States.
The examples of work and client feedback provide an indication of the experience, judgement and practical contribution behind the consulting. Each engagement responds to the particular circumstances and questions of that business. The work and outcomes are not assumed to be identical.
Strategy in practice
Strategic thinking applied to business.
My work has involved businesses across tourism, manufacturing, retail, property, technology and professional services. See how strategic thinking has been applied to different business circumstances, including the questions, work and outcomes involved.
Just some of the strategic work from New Zealand, Australia and the UK, click a logo and review.
FAQs, questions Owners often ask
A few practical answers before you take the next step.
What does Flying Lizard do?
Flying Lizard provides specialist strategic consulting to business owners. I apply brand strategy knowledge and commercial experience to help you understand the strategic issues involved in a particular business question, challenge or opportunity.
How will I know whether the consulting has achieved what I need?
We agree on the questions and scope at the outset. The work is complete when those questions have been addressed sufficiently, you understand the relevant strategic issues and their relationship to your business, and you can identify what needs to be considered or done next.
Do you make the decisions for me?
No. I provide specialist knowledge, analysis, questioning and guidance. You develop your understanding and determine how to apply it to your business.
Do I need to know what brand strategy is?
No. You need to have a business question or situation you want to work through. Part of my role is to explain the relevant strategic principles and how they apply to your circumstances.
What happens next?
Begin with my complimentary Strategic Insight. It provides an initial indication of where further strategic consideration may be useful.
Flying Lizard | Dayne Smith | Wellington & online worldwide.