15 award-winning tech companies reveal
6 best ways to generate leads.
What makes good marketing great? Here, we identify trends and techniques from 15 winners of the 3rd annual Microsoft Distinction in Marketing Awards where it was not unusual for our winners to see 30 or even 40 percent of their targeted prospects become leads. These 6 disciplines made the difference between a typical 1-3% response rate and one that can change your business. Each of these activities is achievable at a low to moderate cost, so what works for them may work for you!
NOTE: Many of the examples below are from technology providers since that's where we tend to do most of our work.
1. Good Targeting: Award-winners carefully chose the characteristics of the prospects likely to respond to what they offered. And, while their company’s capabilities may extend well beyond what is conveyed in the campaign, they know that targeting does not limit them into only one serving one type of customer; it simply enables their target message to be more relevant. Their list sources tend to be a combination of new and existing customers and tend to have some additional attribute that helps them personalize (such as a vertical market industry or association) since the more personalized the message, the more likely a response.
Award-Winning Example: Targeting
AFV Consulting targeted their postcard mailings to build on the 3 projects they had just completed for the Pennsylvania School District and mailed it repeatedly to the remaining 500 Pennsylvania School Business Managers.
The headline of the first postcard read:
“(Join the club) Own J. Roberts… Hazleton Area… Pottsgrove… These Pennsylvania school districts all chose Microsoft Dynamics NAV as their complete financial management solution. Find out how the experts at AVF Consulting can provide your school district with the superior technology of Microsoft Dynamics NAV.
Targeting exercise: If you were to invest in growing within just 2 industries and 2 job role targets, which best suits your business? The list below is a sample of the type of list you would use and “work” over time:
Industry:
__Manufacturing
__Professional services
__Healthcare
__Government
__Education
__Food & Beverage
__Distribution
__Financial Services
__Other
Job Role: Non-Technical:
__Business owner
__Manager
__Chief Financial Officer
Job Role: Technical:
__IT Manager (Big IT)
__Technologist (Some IT)
__Acting technologist (No IT)
Other characteristics:
__Size of company
__Type of company activities
__Location
__IT Infrastructure: Basic, Rationalized, Strategic, Dynamic
__ Existing or New customers?
2. Value proposition that address everyday pains of your target: Award-winners identify, connect with and then clearly communicate the pains that their company addresses. Ideally, their targets share the same pain so the message is relevant to that target.
Award-Winning Example:
AccuNet, Inc. addressed the issue of maintaining FDA compliance to the CFO and COO in the Life-Sciences industry by mailing whitepapers titled: FDA Compliance for Life Sciences: Trends, Issues and Analysis and Proven Solutions for R&D, Biotech and Life Sciences companies. Each mailing was following up with a telesales call to follow-up within the week of receiving the paper. Each prospect received 6 weekly mailers and 9 monthly mailers as well as 6 telemarketing calls. 36 qualified opportunities were generated from 623 prospects on their target list with a campaign cost of only $10,800 and AccuNet was viewed as an expert in the Life Sciences industry.
Value proposition exercise: Get a head start in defining your unique value by completing the following:
Our experience in ____(e.g. life sciences)_________________(target) enables us to address the unique needs around _ (e.g. compliance)_____________ (pain). Then, prove your expertise with information (like a whitepaper), references or language that demonstrates it.
3. Promotional incentives and offers to drive action. Award-winning marketers always include a clear call-to-action with something they want the prospect to do immediately upon receiving the message; something that will bring the prospect one step closer to explore their company’s capabilities.
Award-Winning Example:
Iteration2 targeted HVAC and Repair Service Companies by sending an initial invitation business decision makers. Tying to their theme, they attached a heavy tool unique to Field Service workers: A “Linesman Pliers” with the headline: “The right tool can make you more productive, the right software can make you more profitable.” The call to action was to call for a one-hour assessment. Iteration2 achieved a 21% response rate from CXOs willing to give them a meeting to learn about their solution.
Promotional incentive exercise: What type of promotional offer would your prospects value that is best suit your business? Here are some ideas to get you started:
__Expert whitepaper, report or book
__Physical deliverable that ties to your theme (like the Linesman Pliers)
__Quiz or assessment tool
__Chance to win a giveaway (e.g. Zune)
__Free initial services: (e.g. assessments)
__Invitation to special event or training
__Discount or rebate
__Trial or Evaluation
__Financing options
__Guarantee
4. Repeated communication: Award-winners all have one trait in common: They persistently “work” a list to touch their prospects repeatedly, typically using a variety of media. Even average marketing can perform well if it is repeated. Combine repetition with a targeted message that addresses a specific pain and repeated touches can attain response rates upward of 20 or 30% over the course of your communications.
Award-Winning Example:
Maximum Data positioned itself as the pioneer of a mysterious winning “secret formula” to maximize the critical components of manufacturers and warehouse troubles. They consistently applied the mystery theme: RFID+MD=C3 to a multitude of media from Print Ads, Conferences, Webinars, Email, Direct Mail, sponsorships and even created a 2-minute audio parody of a Willy Wonka song and generated a 30% response rate with 300 qualified leads (and counting) in just 6 months. Total cost for their campaign was $175,000, and with an average sale of $50,000 per project, generated $2.7M in revenue.
Repeated communications planning exercise: Use the following graph example to help map out your media to ensure a persistent communication with your prospects over time.
Target 1: CEO, 200+ employees, Big IT
Create a table and mark which media is present in which month
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
DM
Invitation
Event
OB Phone
Nurture email
Sponsorships
Target 2: Business Manager, 50-200 employees, Some IT
Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
OB Phone
Whitepaper email
Referral program
5. Date or Event-centered marketing: Many of our award-winners used events as a rallying point to bring customers together in person to learn more about their capabilities. Events help drive urgency to act and even if a prospect does not attend the event, they receive repeated messages leading up to and following the event. Several used Microsoft’s Click-to-Attend tool to manage their event invitations and gain exposure on www.microsoft.com
Award-winning Example:
Synergy Business Solutions combined postcard, dimensional mailing (where something substantive like a book is sent inside a package), phone call and email follow up surrounding an event. Following the event, they nurtured the attendees through e-Newsletters and sales follow up. In keeping with the wine-tasting theme, Synergy used “preferred tastes” from the attendees throughout the evening to ultimately recommend a wine that suited their taste. This solution utilized technology that Synergy commonly delivered to their clients on their web sites and showcased their capabilities. (check with Lori/Angie)
Event-centered marketing exercise: Use the following checklist to ensure that you’ve maximized your event.
__Secure desirable venue: (easy access, inherently interesting (such as the Microsoft Technology Center or local museum or gallery)
__Line up desirable agenda and speaker that appeals to your target market
__Deliver invitation via email and/or mail
__Follow-up with alternative medium for your invitation (phone and/or email)
__Send reminder mail
__Prepare materials for event along with giveaways
__Plan follow-up with those who cannot attend (weekly updates? Opportunity for alternative engagement such as web site. “If you couldn’t make it, you can also access a recorded session at …”.
__Host the event & request evaluations.
__Follow-up with attendees on a regular basis
6. Co-Marketing to offset resources: Collaboration on campaign can split the logistics, lists and leads between complimentary businesses. And, many vendors (such as Microsoft) can contribute funding to your events (what you can expect).
Award-Winning Example:
Sentri and Altico collaborated to split the cost and workload to address a shared target audience. Sentri received CRM/IT/VoIP and Financial management related leads and ERP leads went to Altico. They collaborated using Microsoft MDF to host events to cover cross-national connectivity called “A Tale of Two Cities: Connected Workers, Connected Systems”. (Not a PowerPoint, not a lecture, but a live enactment of a connectivity story between Boston & San Francisco) at the Microsoft Technology Center in Waltham, MA. Over 95 leads were generated in a series of 2 events.
Polar Technologies??
Event-centered marketing exercise: Use the following checklist to ensure that you’ve maximized your event.
Recommended Resources:
From Microsoft: Microsoft builds ready-to-go campaigns to help support your campaign.
Microsoft Partner Marketing Center:
o Ready-to-go campaigns: Free templates and copy to appeal to a variety of industries and targets.
o Market analysis for a variety of opportunities
o Promotional offers you can attach to your campaign including assessment tools, financing, whitepapers and more.
Event Management Resources:
o Click to Attend: Automates the process of inviting and tracking attendees. Free to Microsoft partners.
o Quickstart
o Financing Options
From Extra Mile Marketing: If you are a technology partner, Extra Mile Marketing offers marketing strategy, consulting, services & training to grow your business. If you are building a channel, Extra Mile specializes in developing channel marketing programs and services to identify high potential partners to invest in and grow.
Strategy:
__Brainstorming: We’ll help generate new ideas for your business this year.
__Business planning: We’ll help make your plan actionable
Consulting:
__Campaign Makeovers: We’ll suggest ways to fine-tune your message or your media.
__Channel Accelerators: ?
__MDF Review & Optimization: Make sure your biggest investments are going to your highest potential partners.