Integrated marketing campaign: Operation Searchlight

Client Needs

Our client was faced with poor branding within consistent and reactive marketing strategies. A revitalised strategic plan was developed to help increase sales and encourage staff to become proactive in re-engaging with existing customers and capturing prospective ones.

Key Issues

Pricing
Previous advertising from the client had focused on pricing and price discounting. This approach was seen as a reactive strategy aimed to counteract declining sales and market competition.

Advertising
Inconsistent advertising activities within each branch across different states created mass confusion among staff and customers towards the client’s brand name. In addition, there was no outbound marketing activity to existing customers or prospects.

BlueFrog Solution

Marketing Plan
In response to increased competition and tough market conditions, BlueFrog Marketing launched a marketing campaign in 2008. As part of the marketing plan, a complete brand audit was conducted based on the rural market assessment. In addition, a formal corporate style guide and advertising concept was developed across the business.

Based on the strategic plan, the new advertising style focused on providing incentives for purchase rather than price or discounting. Other activities included in the plan, were in-store promotions and sales support. Importantly, the integrated approach to marketing enabled considerable cost-saving for the overall marketing budget.

Sales Staff Involvement
To encourage proactive sales and customer engagement, a consumer needs-survey was developed for each branch to undertake outbound telemarketing activities. A direct mail program was developed in conjunction with the launch of the campaign, which is aimed at communicating to existing and lapsed customers. This included a new target audience, dynamic farmers and prospects to reconnect with the brand and business.

Customer Loyalty
BlueFrog Marketing recommended to increase brand awareness and customer loyalty program and launched the Steel Club. The aim of the Steel Club was to develop a database of contacts and prospective clients for direct marketing and communication purposes.

Results

With the help of favourable market conditions, the five month campaign exceeded all expectations:

Over 2,000 customers signed up to become members of Steel Club;
810 new B2B customer accounts were created;
Sales of more than $12 million contributed over $2 million to bottom line; and
15% increase in the daily average sales of steel over the course of the campaign.