B2B Full Service Market Research Agency – London UK:
Marketing positioning and business development strategy and execution
The Situation:
In order to achieve planned growth, the top team of this clever and successful medium size agency wanted to increase their share of corporate account business. Each with a background in tier-one agencies, the management believed their combined personal reputation positioned the business with the tier-one players.
To take on the top end of town, the company needed to clearly understand its core strengths and positioning in order to pitch for business and win. It came as a surprise to the team that they were one of dozens of agencies of a similar size (FTE and revenue) across the country as illustrated by desk research, offering similar services and claiming experience across the same sectors. The business did not have dedicated marketing resource, instead resorting to ad-hoc activity that was not producing results.
The Goal:
Identify areas for growth opportunity across the business and market, and develop and execute a strategy and marketing plan for growth.
The Action:
Nicky conducted a review of the business activity in line with the company’s objectives, resource and capabilities. This included service review, client review, pitch review, resource capacity (telephone centers) and appropriate marketing collateral and communications for prospects. Further research with non-client corporate research and marketing teams concluded little or nothing was known about this business. The business did not have a clear position in the market despite the perceptions of the director. A lively workshop with the team established a strong position and market proposition, core values and ethics and energised the team to look at opportunities from a fresh perspective. This work instigated new marketing initiatives and collateral which drove the acquisition of new corporate business.
Nicky created and executed a marketing communication plan and channel strategy targeted at research buyers and marketing managers that demonstrated value-add, credibility and competency with corporate business and ability in large scale projects and, challenging and complex environments. It was important to generalise the messages, therefore addressing client service need versus a sector specific need.
The telephone centers were typically working at 40%-50% capacity 70% of the time – a costly resource to sustain for the few 100% capacity projects. A gap existed in the market for a basic cost-effective, packaged telephone research with optional reporting levels – successful development and launch of this service then followed.
Risks & critical success factors:
- Despite the capability of senior individuals, the business, as an entity had, to clearly demonstrate its ability and capability to work with very large corporate business and high volume, complex projects and focus on its core areas of strength.
- Commitment to the changes agreed by the top team and communicated across the business.
- Commitment to ongoing marketing and lead generation.
