We can lend wings to your marketing, and spurs to your sales.

Are you
having
lead flow
problems?

The 90-Day Blitz offers
a solution to such problems as branding weakness, inadequate lead flow, poor market visibility, the challenge of meeting quarterly numbers, a need to unify sales and marketing into speaking with one voice, and an ability to eliminate the inefficiency of the random task–
or fragmented media approach–
to media planning … for which Keith Bates developed his Marcom Engine process more than ten years ago.

Solutions

The 90-Day Blitz

For Sales and Marketing execs we offer a solution to the twin problems of low market awareness and inadequate lead flow. It is typically used to sustain a viral marketing/influencer-based product launch.

WHAT IS A 90 DAY BLITZ?
The 90 Day Blitz is a multimedia, lead generation activity based on response compression techniques. It is a fully integrated 3 month program that combines traditional media (print, direct mail, telemarketing, etc.) with electronic media (broadcast fax, email, websites, SEO, blogging, etc.) to create a sense of event, which in turn produces a substantial flow of leads in a very short time with minimal commitment of financial resources. Typically it uses 3 to 5 media vehicles to present your message to prospects over a week to ten day period at the beginning of each of three months.

THE SOURCE --- AND RATIONALE
Why response compression? To quote Ernan Roman, author of Integrated Direct Marketing, "We have found that the traditional sequencing of media does not create the maximum synergy from the media being employed. Specifically, the impressions are conveyed over too long a time period, diluting the impact to a significant degree ... we create a sequence of ongoing contacts, using a variety of media. These are deployed with short, carefully orchestrated intervals between contacts so that we gain a disproportionate share of the prospect's attention. A sense of event is generated -- a feeling that something important is going on. It would be far more difficult, if not impossible to achieve this effect through isolated media. We call this tighter time-frame approach “response compression”. By deploying media in an abbreviated time frame, we create an intensified synergy between media that generates much higher response rates."

TYPICAL COMPONENTS
Direct mail (letters, postcards), industry-specific response-oriented publications, email supported by microsites, telemarketing, occasionally teleconferencing. Broadcast fax may be considered. Also available are voice mail broadcasting, webinars, weblogs, and both search engine optimization as well as search engine marketing. Trade show support is included if one falls within the time frame. Plus the viral marketing, influencer relationship marketing and PR which precedes the process.

BLITZ GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

• Goals include sales acceleration, increased market awareness
• Objectives focus on rapid generation of quality leads, improved cycle time
• The challenge is to do this quickly, and within a reasonable budget.

HOW IT WORKS

• LAUNCH: Typical blitz deployment starts with print advertising or phase one of a mailing.
• Within 2 to 3 days phase two mail is sent, or possibly broadcast fax.
• Within 2 to 3 days of snail mail effort an email program is launched.
• And within a couple of days of that telemarketing begins.
• PR should have been launched 60 days prior to print ads.
• Teleconference support can be scheduled if appropriate.
• If the 90 days brackets a trade show a seminar may be added

PROCEDURES ON BUILDING A 90 DAY BLITZ

• Audit of competitive ads, internal collateral available
• Positioning strategies reviewed relative to the TALC (Technology Adoption Life Cycle -Crossing the Chasm)
• Audience analysis performed for desired targets
• The marketing database is reviewed for appropriate selections.
• A list is generated, or purchased (w/phones, faxes and emails)
• Short marketing strategy documented
• 7 Step communications strategy developed
• Plan and budget prepared
• Creative launched, production follows. Blitz deployed.

SALES/MARKETING PROBLEMS THAT OFTEN PROMPT
THE BLITZ STRATEGY

• Poor response levels to marketing communications efforts
• Return on investment of marketing dollars poor, or not measurable
• Cost of sales too high caused by ineffective media strategies
• Long cycle times due to low market awareness, bad positioning
• Too slow to market with marketing messages
• Quarterly, annual sales goals not being met

COMMON MISTAKES THAT LEAD TO THESE PROBLEMS

• Using a Random Task Approach; standalone ads, mail, PR, etc.
• Searching for a painless solution--Silver Bullet doesn’t exist.
• Engineering-driven cultures rather than Customer-driven.
• Inability to speak with a Single Voice; result is garbled message.
• Impatience/Lack of Testing/ Poor Accountability Procedures
• Attitude that sales generates dollars, marketing consumes them.
• Failure to find a Lightning Bolt ... or Big Idea that reaches the "feeling" side of your prospects. Selling the steak, not the sizzle (selling features not benefits)

AND A FEW MORE

• Failure to know your market/competition
• Slow launches ... caused by failure to run marcom process concurrent with beta
• Weak responses to competitors attacks
• Inability to accurately target your audiences.
• Failure to understand your markets positioning environment.
• Failure to build cross-functional teams to manage marcom as advocated by Business Process Reengineering.
• Failure to employ an Opportunity Management System (SFA).