Business Development Case Studies

CASE STUDY:              Crane Productions, Inc.
                                Creators of the Monster Magnet

                                    Advertising and Direct Mail Services
                                    New Business Development

Crane Productions, a Louisville-based advertising and direct mail service and production company engaged the services of Executive Communications to identify potential new clients for their specialty direct mail advertising product which is the only self-mailer with an exposed, detachable magnet that has been approved for mailing by and through the US Postal Service.

Executive Communications designed and managed a lead generation and appointment setting program for the sales associates at Crane which opened new doors to them in a number of new industries in cities all across the United States.

The program conducted for Crane began with a “brainstorming session” led by Executive Communications principals and including a cross-functional team from Crane to uncover potential new applications for this magnetic self-mailer which had previously been used predominantly in the fast food industry.

Through a two-day process of idea generation, concept development and implementation planning, a number of new [potential applications for the Monster Magnet were discussed.

Executive Communications acquired lists of companies within the newly targeted industries and began calling to establish who the decision-makers are and to sensitize them to the idea by asking them to watch for a mailing we were going to send them.

The mail piece used for this program was a Monster Magnet with a personalized message to the decision-maker hand written on the face of the mailer.

Upon receipt of this mailer, Executive Communications called each decision-maker to follow-up, measure interest and set appointments where appropriate.

The program has been an on-going success, setting appointments for Cranes’ associates with companies including State Farm Insurance, Gatorade Worldwide, Peoples Energy, Helene Curtis, Diners Club, the Chicago Bulls, the Illinois Lottery, the Boston Celtics, Six Flags Over Georgia, the Atlanta Falcons, Pony Express Delivery, the Ritz Carlton, BellSouth Mobility, the Great American Cookie Company, the Bartell Drug Company, American Thermoplastic, Calgon Corporation, Bayer Corporation, Sheridan Broadcasting, Fingerhut, Norwest Corporation, the Minnesota Twins, Carlson, the Multiple Sclerosis Association, Kohl’s Department Stores, Neiman Marcus, the Dallas Mavericks, JC Penney Company, 7-Eleven Stores, and the Dallas Cowboys, among others.

 
CASE STUDY:         Principal Health Care of Georgia

                                Managed Care Insurance Provider
                                Data Base Development and Appointment Setting

Principal Health Care of Georgia was challenged with putting together a marketing and sales program that would effectively keep their sales team of three working efficiently.  Their goal was to be in front of and presenting to the right decision-makers at the optimum time in companies who provide health insurance for 100 or more lives.  Their territory covers the greater Atlanta area and all surrounding counties.

Executive Communications began by securing a list of employers in the region with 100 or more employees.  After matching it against PHCG’s current client base, we called on the others with a questionnaire designed to:

·                     Determine the decision maker

·                     Establish what health plan(s) are currently being offered

·                     Establish the effective (renewal) date of the current plan(s)

·                     Determine the level of satisfaction with the current plans

Approximately 90 days prior to an organization’s renewal date, an information packet was mailed out or dropped off to the decision-maker.  The packet contained information on PHCG’s latest plans and benefits as well as a copy of a news article expressing their advantages over other current health plan offerings. 

Upon receipt of the packet, we called each decision-maker to schedule an appointment with the sales rep from PHCG to meet with them.

We often found that decisions for health plans for larger employers were made at corporate headquarters or offices in other locations.  This information was appended to the database and supplied to our client.  They were able, then, to make a determination to send a representative from the Atlanta office to meet with someone in another part of the country, or whether it may be appropriate to pass the information along to another one of Principal’s offices in that other area.

Once a database such as this is developed, careful attention must be paid to keeping the data file current.  Decision-makers often change, as do opportunities to get in front of those decision-makers to pitch the right people at the right time.

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