Maintaining Brand in a Recession:

How Your Talent Distinguishes the Customers' Experience

February 24, 2009

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In their stories, schools, and website, the talent at EMS are referred to as “guides” because of their credible, knowledgeable expertise about the outdoors. A company headquarters, called “base camp” in Peterborough, New Hampshire, might be seen as a recruiter’s nightmare for some businesses, but for EMS whose talent strategy is to attract talent “on brand” who are outdoors enthusiasts, it became a competitive advantage.

Outdoor enthusiasts understand why hanging from a cliff by their fingernails is fun. The mindset that people like fun even more in a demanding circumstances, became part of EMS’ brand strategy and culture. Every metaphor at EMS reinforces their brand… for example, instead of an “elevator speech” to convey their culture, EMS adopted “the lifeboat speech” meaning-- “Would you take me into your lifeboat if you had choices?” Every guide at EMS knows that customers have choices and love to be served by people who, as Colleen Clark described, “can make the hard stuff fun.”

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