Elizabeth Kiehner, Chief Strategy Officer at Nortal, on how the company that led Estonia's digital transformation takes its story global, why trust is the primary marketing challenge when you work with governments and Fortune 500s, and what consultative selling looks like when the client is a nation state. Recorded as Chief Growth Officer at Nortal.
"We transformed Estonia into one of the most digitally advanced countries in the world. Now we are taking that credibility global."
How the company behind Estonia's digital transformation markets its capabilities globally when trust is the only currency that matters
Elizabeth Kiehner serves as Chief Strategy Officer at Nortal, the 25-year-old multinational technology company whose global headquarters is in Tallinn, Estonia. Nortal led the digital transformation of Estonia after the country gained independence, helping it become one of the world's most digitally advanced nations. Now it is taking that credibility to governments, healthcare providers, and large enterprises in North America and Latin America.
In this conversation Kiehner explains why trust is the primary marketing challenge when your clients include governments and Fortune 500s, how the Estonia story functions as a marketing asset unlike anything a traditional technology company could create, and what it means to lead growth across marketing, sales, business development, and acquisition simultaneously.
"We solve very big problems. Fundamental problems that can result in the transformation of society. Nortal led the digital transformation for the nation of Estonia after they became free of Russian occupation. Now Estonia is one of the most, if not the most, digitally advanced countries in the world. We are taking that credibility and capability global."
Kiehner opens with the founding story, which is also the central marketing asset. The Estonia transformation is proof at the highest possible level of what Nortal can do.
"For us trust is essential. When you are doing highly sensitive work with governments and Fortune 500s, beyond assuming you have the capabilities, so much of the work requires high trust and high integrity. That has to cut through in our marketing immediately. A prime minister gave Nortal a shout out in her opening remarks at Tallinn Digital Summit. When you have that level of endorsement, you build your marketing around it."
Trust is not a soft value statement for Nortal. It is the primary commercial differentiator.
"Large business problems right now are complex and multidisciplinary. If you have experience across different domains and corporate functions, you can appreciate what different stakeholders are going through. I have worked in advertising, design, IBM, healthcare, transformation strategy. That breadth gives me credibility to discuss the full scope of what clients need."
Kiehner connects her non-linear career to her commercial effectiveness.
"We play a little bit of a David and Goliath story. About 40% of our clients and revenue are on the government or public sector side. Our credibility comes from the Estonia story, from outcomes we have delivered, from referrals and endorsements from clients including governments. We win on trust and credibility, not on scale."
The David and Goliath positioning is a deliberate strategic choice, not a limitation.
"The stories always wrap around the results, the outcome, the business value we were able to achieve for a company, a nation, a government. We go beyond giving a fancy PowerPoint. We deliver real working product and code. We transform financial management systems for countries. That is what we turn into the corporate stories we are able to share."
Outcome-based storytelling is both the marketing approach and the sales approach.
"When you have a prime minister endorse you in her opening remarks at a summit, that is the level of endorsement I try to leverage in our marketing."
Host Tell us about Nortal and why you exist.
Kiehner We solve big, fundamental problems that can result in the transformation of society. Nortal led the digital transformation of Estonia after they became free of Russian occupation. Now Estonia is one of the most digitally advanced countries in the world. 25 years old, 2,300 people, global headquarters in Tallinn.
Host Why is trust your primary marketing challenge?
Kiehner We do highly sensitive work with governments and Fortune 500s. Beyond capabilities and skills, what needs to cut through in our marketing is trust and integrity. When a prime minister endorses you in her opening remarks at a national summit, that is the level of endorsement I try to leverage in our marketing and positioning.
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