Objective Manager

Repositioning a SaaS platform for sector expansion

After seven years fine-tuning their software and service for the idiosyncrasies of the legal sector, the Objective Manager team realised that the platform’s features were just as applicable to other Professional Service sectors such as financial services and consulting. Not only that, it was time to reach out with a dedicated US sales team.

A new approach was therefore needed for Objective Manager’s marketing and communications, starting with a new website.

Competitor analysis
Workshops
Positioning

Planning, performance and engagement

Objective Manager’s power lies in its suite of tools that allow a firm’s leadership to set out their strategy, and for the rest of the firm to align personal objectives to these plans. Collaboration tools keep the entire team engaged and aligned to the firm’s strategic goals.

This USP was emphasised by creating three pillars upon which to hang all the product’s features and benefits.

Messaging frameworks
Visual design

Objective Manager’s Planning title card: a headline about strategic plans, in black type on pale mint.

Objective Manager’s planning icon: crossing dark slate grid lines with one mint green stroke, on pale mint.

Objective Manager’s Performance title card: a headline about smarter performance management, on pale blue.

Objective Manager’s performance icon: six rising dark slate bars, the tallest in sky blue, on pale blue.

Objective Manager’s Engagement title card: a headline about purposeful collaboration, on pale lilac.

Objective Manager’s engagement icon: a ring of dark slate rays with one lilac ray, on pale lilac.

Objective Manager’s client plans feature: a dashboard with a pie chart and progress bars, linked to four team members.

Objective Manager’s appraisals feature: firm plan progress bars feeding three staff appraisal cards, with a reviewer.

Objective Manager’s praise feature: a card for crediting a colleague, Trust and Listening ticked, between two people.

Objective Manager’s benefits: four dark slate tiles with line icons for opportunities, development, feedback and priorities.

The platform for Professional Services

Objective Manager may have a unique feature-set but Performance Management software isn’t new. It’s a competitive field ranging from huge stalwarts such as Oracle and SAP, to nimble start-ups like Koan.

Yet Objective Manager’s edge lies in its deep knowledge of the Professional Services sector. The new site needed to help Objective Manager own its niche, and provide a platform to leverage the team’s expertise going forward.

Positioning
Brand and messaging application

Objective Manager’s planning article card: two people looking past a blurred glass object, above a mint title panel.

Objective Manager’s performance video card: an illustration of connected heads holding icons, on dark slate.

Objective Manager’s engagement paper card: rising green, lilac and blue arrows above a lilac title panel.

Buyer personas

The site sets out clear benefits for three key roles and crucially, buyers of the software. Leadership – concerned with establishing clear plans for the firm with its sector and practice specialisms. Business Development – concerned with identifying opportunities across client and practice groups. And finally Human Resources – for managing and monitoring the team’s progress on a regular basis.

UI & UX
Brand and messaging application

Objective Manager’s Human Resources title card: a headline about performance and engagement, on pale grey.

Objective Manager’s website on a phone: the Human Resources page header, with a portrait and colour bars.

Objective Manager’s website on a phone: key features, with an employee survey and a quarterly results chart.

Objective Manager’s website on a phone: latest insights, led by a lilac article card on collaboration.

Objective Manager’s website on a phone: a collaboration article header with the connected-heads illustration, on lilac.

Objective Manager’s website on a phone: article text and a pull quote on collaboration from a Harvard Law School academic.

Objective Manager’s website on a phone: a “Book a demo” call to action above the black footer menu.

Modular flexibility

The site is designed and built around a set of modular branded components, meaning fast iteration of new site content. It forms a malleable framework with which to publish categorised and relevant case studies and thought leadership, as well as create landing pages and gated content with a focus on lead generation through Hubspot CRM.

Development and integrations

Lawyers vs Attorneys

Multisite functionality allows the team to tackle content nuances for customers in the US. It provides a platform for the US Sales team to manage their own content whilst operating from a single (and therefore consistent) code-base.

Development and integrations

Acquisition by Litera

SOLD

Following this successful web and brand project, Objective Manager was acquired by US technology leader, Litera.

As founder of Objective Manager, I can have strong opinions about how we present ourselves. Kohde took the time to really understand our business and its objectives. They have a rare skill to interpret conversations and come back with work that not only nails the brief, but exceeds expectations.

Ray Oldfield

Founder and CEO, Objective Manager

Services

Azur

Founder values as brand values.

Case study

Simmons

Digitally transforming a one hundred and eighty year old business.