Case Studies
[Market
Audit, Strategy and Marketing Planning] [Marketing
and Communications Audit, Brand Identity]
Market Audit, Strategy And Marketing
Planning
The Background
A leading alternative therapist, operating
from a Harley Street clinic, was looking to expand into the
corporate market as a way of growing in the medium and longer term.
Our client is an established clinical hypnotherapist with a
successful practice covering smoking cessation, personal growth,
emotional well being and stress management.
The Challenge
As a hypnotherapist, our client had excellent
testimonials and exposure to the consumer market. However, the
practice did not generate repeat business, since a
successfully-treated client did not return for any further
treatment. While referrals, conventional pr and advertising ensured
ongoing business, there was a new market opening up within the
corporate sphere. Our client was unsure of how to best tap into this
growing market, while still maintaining his present business. In the
past, he had produced a series of audio-visual aids that he used
during his treatments. He also delivered training seminars within
his profession. At this stage, he turned to us for advice and
consultancy, asking us to define the potential in the market and
propose recommendations for a discussion.
Market Accents Process: Research,
Analysis, Review, Propose
Following an initial consultation during which
we drilled further to understand his thoughts for the new
proposition, we carried out a full competitive review, researching
the market and looking at his strengths and weaknesses, assessing
the opportunities and threats in both the UK and overseas.
We presented our findings and discussed
business opportunities that we had identified as solutions covering
the immediate to the medium and longer term period over five years.
These included a multi-channel and integrated pr/relationship
marketing approach that he could quite happily adopt while still
running his practice successfully, thus maximising his return on
investment.
Recommended Solutions
At this stage, our client had the business
direction but needed the detail. He asked us to carry out a
detailed analysis of the new proposition. This meant sizing the
market potential and fleshing out the plans. Together we developed
the ideas into business plans for him to understand and implement.
These plans involved an interactive web-site and an integrated
offline/online PR campaign that extended to international new
markets. We designed a framework that would allow him to monitor his
progress and have interim reviews to adjust his medium to long term
plans in line with any market movement. We also amended his website
to be aligned to his new direction and allow him to start
implementing his plans.
Results
Through our creative insights and practical,
international experience we were able to arrive at solutions that
were a fit with our client’s requirements. Our extensive market
network meant that we were uniquely placed to identify and assess
the opportunities for him to expand his already successful business.
Together we analysed the pros and cons, having primarily
investigated the potential financial gain at a high level. Our
creative input provided the direction our client needed, while our
consultancy and marketing expertise developed a framework for our
client to implement with our assistance and direction.
Marketing And Communications Audit, Brand
Identity
The Background
A fast growing family oriented web resource
was looking at ways to generate publicity and move onto the next
stage in its long term strategy. Our client had been established
for over three years. In that time the website had expanded rapidly
from a home-grown idea into an established online directory of
services that occupied a gap in the online market for family related
services.
The web site had evolved organically into a
community based forum where families register and advertise for
support services from nannies, au pairs, gardeners, pet carers,
housekeepers and other such family and child carers. The site
simultaneously provided a recruitment opening for these service
providers and matched the wanted adverts with the service providers.
The Challenge
To date, the company had never advertised or
carried out any public relations beyond that generated through
Search Engine Optimisation, links and affiliate programs. Their web
rankings were very high and the hit rate was well in the hundred
thousands, all mostly generated through referrals. The challenge
facing the management team was how to create awareness that would
dramatically attract a larger number of families, thereby enabling
the company to start charging fees for the value added services it
was providing.
Having built such a valuable and loyal
database of families and service providers worldwide, it was
naturally hesitant at embarking on any programme without carefully
thinking through all the implications.
The issues that the site faced were several.
It was considered a major competitor by the “real world” agencies.
The general feeling was that this service, or indeed any web based
service, was not “professional” enough. Also beyond a certain
customer base, it was not known at all. However, first time
visitors were generally successfully converted and signed on.
The client’s question was how to create the
offline pull that would generate visitors online. At this stage,
they turned to us for advice and consultancy, asking us to define
what they should do next and propose recommendations for a
discussion.
Market Accents Process: Research,
Analysis, Review, Propose
Following an initial consultation, during
which we drilled further to understand the competitive environment
and the ensuing issues, we recommended that we carry out a full
marketing and communications audit. We spent time understanding
the market, the values and particular needs of the families and the
service providers. We spoke to present and potential customers and
looked for drivers that could be addressed through careful
positioning and awareness campaigns.
We then presented our findings. These
included a review of the brand, its competitive positioning and an
identification of space which our client could occupy and create
awareness about their particular identity and value. Through this
work we had also identified opportunities for educational and
awareness campaigns that would provide solutions for the immediate
to the medium and longer term period. This took into consideration
the company’s plans to start charging fees and included a
multi-channel, integrated pr/relationship marketing approach that
could easily be adopted across the international markets as part of
a global rollout.
Recommended Solutions
At this stage, our client saw the positioning
space it could occupy but needed guidance and planning to move
forward. They asked us to carry out a detailed Brand Identity and
Positioning Exercise to consolidate their various messages and
create a coherent positioning statement. This was to be used for
all communication on the web site and in the awareness campaigns.
Market Accents drew out the brand personality,
essence, differential values and positioning statement and fleshed a
full marketing and communications plan that included pr visits,
ezines, blogs, social networks both online and offline and the more
conventional pr in the printed press. We designed a framework that
would allow the company to implement the plan in stages and monitor
progress for full control on the PR being created. Interim reviews
were built into the plan to adjust for any movement in the customer
base resulting from the move from free to fee charging. We also
recommended changes to the website to bring it in line with the
brand identity and personality, so that all the navigation and
messages flowed from the agreed positioning.
Results
Through our creative insights and practical,
international experience we were able to arrive at solutions that
were a fit with our client’s requirements. Our extensive market
network meant that we were uniquely placed to identify and assess
marketing and pr opportunities. The client did not lose any
customers but saw a month on month increase in converted families
and a financial improvement from the introduction of the fee
charging services and improved contracts with partners and
affiliates as a result of the dramatic increase in hits and sign
ups.
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