Sarasota Small Business of the Year Awards: Digital Image Business Solutions

As a new business just starting its third year of operation, Gregg Anderson, business manager of Digital Image Business Solutions, is honored the company’s nomination as a finalist for the Technology and Innovation category is a validation of its business model being embraced and accepted by the community.

“There are three core components to any business model,” Anderson said. “Customer profile, company profile and product profile. Because today’s economy is shifting so quickly, the concept of drawing up a one-time business plan isn’t practical anymore. We help clients adapt their profiles on an ongoing basis and integrate those changes back into their existing business model.”

The company has worked aggressively through the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce to target companies with 50 or fewer employees that don’t have enough critical mass to house their own marketing departments — DIBS comes in as a contract marketing department to maintain the company’s image and build the corporate brand within the local marketplace and adapt the marketing strategy to meet local needs.

“Technology is really identified by the individual,” Anderson said. “It has had an impact on the traditional marketplace and we have been able to use it in a fashion to help clients adapt, rather than working on a traditional advertising strategy.”

Anderson notes that the communications industry is no longer a traditional format, but a dynamic environment in which marketing has changed from print media to an electronic media format. The company’s future endeavor will be to move into a business development and presentation strategy through new seminars and programs.

“It’s not about selling the client a product or service, it’s asking ‘How can we help you be successful?’”
Anderson said. “It’s a great honor to be recognized by the client base as a relatively new business and on the premise that we’ve been able to help our clients get repositioned during an economic timeframe where change has now become the norm.”

AT A GLANCE

Address: 7216 21st St. E.
Start date: 2007
Employees when started: Seven
Employees now: Five
Biggest challenge: As a new business, surviving in an unprecedented economic situation as it relates to our lifetime.
Advice: Because today’s economy is shifting so quickly, the concept of doing a one-time business plan probably isn’t practical anymore. Be adaptable and integrate those changes back to the existing business model and how you communicate with your clients.
Where you see your business a year from now: The plan is to expand from a local and state basis to a regional basis and progress onto a national level.