Case Studies Details

The following are just a few of the many case studies that produced specific, tangible and strong bottom-line results for our clients.

Regardless if your business is either online or offline or operates in both worlds, Evenson & Associates' (E&A) high-powered marketing services are designed specifically for your unique situation.

As these case studies demonstrate, E&A can help your business achieve seriously higher sales, cash flow and profit levels through our advanced and high-powered marketing systems.

To help you to get the maximum benefit out of the information that follows, it's best for you to read each of the case study's explanations below, to learn how E&A actually helped these companies grow, while also discovering how we can best help your business reach it's unique growth goals.

Here are a few of our many case studies, which produced specific, tangible and bottom-line results (just click on the case study for details):

• Case Study: Top Advertising Agency Increases 8-Figure Income Within 12 Months After Losing Biggest Client!
  
  
• Case Study: Major Video Production and Distribution Organization Grows Sales by 667%!
  
  
• Case Study: Contact Management Software Company Doubles Sales!
  
  
• Case Study: Small Music and Video Production and Trade Distribution Company Increases ROI More Than 500%!
  
  
• Case Study: Small Retail Store Chain Increases Sales By 46% While Lowering Advertising Spending At Same Time
  
  
• Case Study: Non-Profit Organization Goes Online and Increases Annual Income
  
  
• Case Study: Regional Household Appliance Distributor Increases Sales by 48% Even When New Competitors Enter Field
  
  
• Case Study: Small Distributor of Sports and Comic Art Collectibles Makes 230% Return On New Product Launch!

Case Study: Top Advertising Agency Increases 8-Figure Income Within 12 Months After Losing Biggest Client

This top advertising and marketing agency generates more than $1 million a day, every day, 365 days out of the year for their clients.

Basic Background:

The agency's largest client group division (34% of agency's annual 8-figure income) had recently lost their biggest client, who represented more than 20% of this entire group's sales. Additionally, the agency's parent company required this division to grow by a minimum of 15% above their prior year sales level (before largest client left).

Additional facts:

• This division's marketplace was not growing through the addition of new clients in their marketplace.
• Their division's overall market was in a mature market phase.

Primary Marketing Goal:

Was brought in to restore the lost sales (after their biggest client left), plus to increase their annual sales a minimum of 15% above their prior years revenue (before their largest client left). Prior year revenues were at an 8-figure level.

Final Results Achieved:

Successfully replaced the lost income (caused when biggest client left) and increased this division's multi-million dollar revenue above prior year's level.

Implemented new marketing strategies which produced a 24% net profit on their multi-million dollar revenue, plus initial tests revealed a 6% increase revenue level above and beyond the required minimum 15% increase of their next fiscal year revenue target, without additional capital investment.

How We Did It:

After analyzing their market, product line and their key competitors marketing and sales processes, determined that there were two primary growth strategies possible:

1. attract key prospective clients away from competitive agencies (usually a long-term and expensive process), and/or
2. grow the income volume (market share) with their current agency clients.

Employed a basic four-track growth approach:

1. Work smarter and harder to keep existing clients so we didn't have to continually replace them
2. Develop and use best methods to grow existing clients
3. Find and add highest profit and growth potential new clients
4. Develop and successfully implement profitable new strategies/products to add sales volume with existing clients

Methods Used to Keep Existing Clients:

• Conducted client surveys to identify key client needs, what they valued most and what new services they wanted.
• Performed Strategic Marketing Planning sessions with key clients to begin education on how to best grow their business.
• Reassigned Biz Develop staff to turn current half-service clients into full service clients.
• Established new product volume pricing levels, which gave strong incentives for greater quantity purchase usage by key clients and kept them loyal to agency.
• Created new product line per current client survey input
• Intentionally refocused agency marketplace positioning to better distinguish agency from competitors.

Methods Used to Grow Existing Clients:

• Had Client Services teams re-forecast moderate increase of all of their business per client and provide viable plans to achieve these increases.
• Established new product volume purchasing pricing levels, which gave strong incentives for greater quantity purchase usage by key clients and kept them loyal to agency. Projected this would generate between $175,000 to $225,000 new gross income during current fiscal year.
• Educated all clients about their overall marketing needs and opportunities by performing general Strategic Development Planning (SDP) sessions by senior Client Service staff. For smaller market potential clients, then performed situation analysis/audit reviews portion of (SDP).
• Began building a strategic development plan for clients to fund that vision by expanding their partnership with this agency.
• Reassigned key Biz Dev. part-time clients between the Client Service teams to turn them into full service clients. Projected this would generate between $625,000 to $700,000 new gross income during current fiscal year.
• Introduced their new Alliance Partners Program (a strategic marketing partnership program). Projected this would generate between $525,000 to $640,000 new gross income during next fiscal year. Projected that within 3 to 5 years, this program had serious potential to increase this division's income by 50% up to 100%.
• Created a basic Internet / e-marketing/promotional income generation package for their clients. Projected this would produce between $175,000 to $225,000 new gross income during current fiscal year.
• Developed their new Radio infomerical program for key clients. Projected this would generate between $185,000 to $220,000 new gross income during current fiscal year.
• Created a basic Internet website creation package for clients. Projected this would generate between $35,000 to $50,000 new gross income during current fiscal year.

Methods Used to Add High Profit and Growth Potential New Clients:

• Determined which new clients qualified as the highest profit and best growth potential targets:
• Identified top 15 key markets to locate best prospective new clients. Determined this by evaluating top 120 US markets through our "best growth potential and most profitable target analysis" studies to find top candidates.
• Shifted Biz Dev. Team's efforts towards exclusively finding and adding new targeted clients by offering them custom versions of our new products/programs listed in above sections.
• Also produced new Alternative Low-Cost Direct Response Media program to attract new key targeted potential clients.
• Implemented the new basic vs. premium products pricing program to encourage greater usage by prospective higher volume targeted clients.

Review of Results Achieved:

• Successfully replaced the lost income (when biggest client left) and increased this division's multi-million dollar revenue by more than 23% within 12 months after lost income from biggest client leaving.
• Identified emerging technologies, implemented new marketing strategies and structured new client relationships.
• These combined initiatives produced a 24% net profit on their multi-million dollar revenue, plus initial tests revealed a 6% increase in revenue above and beyond the required minimum 15% increase for next fiscal year revenue, without additional capital investment.

Case Study: Major Religious Video Production and Distribution Organization Grows Sales by 667%

This is U.S.’s largest non-profit religious organization, with over $360 million annual revenue.

Basic Background:

This 50-year old religious organization had a 5-year old video production and national distribution division. The largest quantity of units they ever sold in a single year was 272 thousand units.

Primary Marketing Goal:

Client now desired to dramatically increase their total video unit sales during the next three to five years by at least 10 million units cumulatively within the USA, even though they had never sold at least one million units all together, during their entire existence.

Additional Background Facts:

• This division’s unit sales were not growing. The last two years unit sales levels had actually decreased each year from prior years.
• Their marketplace’s primary distribution channel was a very fractured, unorganized distribution system. However, parent organization required this division to not use alternative distribution channels.
• Because this division was restricted to only sell into this particular marketplace (a market that only consisted of unique wholesale/distributor buyers) and whose entire universe of possible customers was less than 280 thousand maximum, they had sold just 4,600 customers during their entire 5-year history.
• This division only had production and marketing rights to out-dated products.
• The market itself was in a mature market phase.
• Division did not have an existing successful marketing and sales system.
• Division never had a positive net income fiscal year.
• Parent organization now required the division to generate positive net income each fiscal year forward or it would be closed down.

Final Results Achieved:

By exclusively using our marketing and sales systems, this division reached their parent company’s goal of 10 million unit sales within 4 years from when we started helping them.

How We Did It:

Began evaluating their market situation by conducting several studies:

1. Market Maturity end-user saturation analysis,
2. Future Profit: Lifecycles evaluation,
3. Market Opportunity: Prospects per Competitor vs. Net Income evaluation,
4. Marketing Opportunity: Cost of Sales analysis,
5. Cash Flow – Excessive Donation Cost Capitalization Risk due to Donation Generation Cycle Time analysis,

Results from these studies provided key information about: 1) their previous marketing and sales systems used, 2) their distribution channel’s sales operations and processes, 3) the overall competitive environment, 4) their average cost per sale and 5) allowable sales investment to acquire new customers.

Next, tested a select few marketing and sales campaigns to determine what this division’s realistic marketing cost per sale level was per product sold by each marketing campaign.

In order to achieve vast sales increases, when you’re restricted to only using your organization’s existing cash flow to capitalize such growth, it’s very important to create the proper balance between the "ease of finding" new customers, versus the "cost of finding" these very same customers. The easier it is to find new customers, while having as low of cost as possible in finding them, then the better it will be for you to achieve your business’ growth objectives. You’ll benefit because you’ll then be able to create a stronger cash flow level, which you can then reinvest into growing your company’s sales.

From the results of the above analysis, developed the division’s short and long term strategic marketing plans.

Review of Results Achieved:

We worked for this client during all of 1997 and 1998. During that time we created and implemented several key marketing programs, which dramatically increased unit sales, revenues and new customer acquisitions, plus established this division’s new on-going sales programs.

As a result, this division experienced a 667% cumulative revenue increase (more than $11.5 million), more than a 2,900% cumulative unit sales increase (over 3.25 million units) and more than a 980% cumulative increase in new customer acquisitions (more than 17,000 new wholesale/distributor customers!) within a 2 year period.

Exclusively using our marketing and sales systems, this division reached their parent company’s 10 million unit sales goal within 4 years.

To produce the vast increase in new customer acquisitions, in early ’97, after analyzing their market place and current client database, we created and implemented a powerful direct mail lead-generation system, which realized an average response rate of 9%, when the industry average was between 0.6% to 2% maximum.

During the same year, to solidify our new customer acquisition program, developed a special outbound Tele-sales program and hired the division’s 23 outbound Tele-sales team to handle all outbound sales and service calls. This group used the sales leads that were produced from our direct-mail lead-generation system. Special training and sales scripts were used. This group achieved a closing rate of 87% on these qualified leads, when the industry average was between 26% up to 40%.

The following (used with permission) is a summary of the organization’s performance since we were brought in, at the beginning of 1997, and their results three years prior:

Primary strategies and tactics used to create these dramatic results were:

1. Refocused their main product's market positioning to better distinguish it from competitors.
2. Redesigned and rewrote all of their marketing communication pieces (brochures, sales letters, sales videos, magazine and newspaper ads, PR kits, flyers, Welcome New Client kits, training manuals, etc.) to clearly articulate their Competitive Advantage Distinction over all competitors.
3. Reorganized their entire internal sales operations to emphasize real customer service care with all clients.
4. Developed strong direct mail lead-generation system that dramatically lowered cost per lead and cost per sale, while increasing the quality and quantity of leads produced. Generated over 17,000 new wholesale clients (up from 4,600 originally) in 2-year period!
5. Used specially trained tele-sales team to follow-up on all leads and to close all new clients. Special training tripled closing rate over this division's prior levels and industry averages.
6. Created special trade show/event marketing lead-generation program that generated more than two thousand qualified new leads.
7. Developed space media campaign, which increased distribution channel's top-of-mind brand-name awareness of main product by 60%.
8. Developed payment terms program to help small and middle-sized clients better afford products, thereby increasing order size and ability to gain more new clients.

Case Study: Contact Management Software Company Doubles Sales

A four-year-old "contact management" software company with prior sales of $6.4 million.

Basic Background:

This software company desired to grow their annual sales and net profits by at least 20% in the next fiscal year. Company sold primarily B2B and had a modest amount of retail mail order sales.

Previous year sales level was flat and several new competitors had entered the marketplace during past 20 months.

Additional facts:

• Their primary B2B sales method used both their own company sales personnel plus several independent sales representatives.
• The market itself was at the end of the growth market phase.

Primary Marketing Goal:

Basic marketing and sales goal was to reverse flat sales levels experienced during prior year and to grow revenues by at least 20% in next 12 months without increasing their annual marketing and advertising budget.

Final Results Achieved:

Within 18 months, more than doubled their sales, while reducing their advertising expenditures by 34%. Revised their direct mail B2B sales program which led to an increased mailing closing ratio of 64% and a direct sales closing ratio increase of 38%.

How We Did It:

Began by thoroughly evaluating: 1) their previous marketing and sales systems used, 2) their internal sales operations and processes, 3) the sales systems used by their key competitors, 4) their average cost per sale per product and 5) what sales investment level/budget to acquire new customers was possible.

In evaluating all of these aspects, determined that they needed to have both their corporate and their key product lines strategic market positions (SMP) and their competitive advantage distinctions (CAD) significantly adjusted.

Next, after studying what specific sales models and systems were working the best for their key competitors and analyzing our client's own sales system and the cost per sale of their products, we determined that their sales system needed to be significantly revamped.

After this, tested three marketing and sales campaigns to determine what the optimum cost per sale was for each of their key products sold by each marketing campaign within their cash flow limitations.

Found that they needed to retrain their top sales personnel and to rehire several company and independent sales representatives.

Also found that they needed to find and sell to higher quality prospective new customers. Performed a SIC penetration analysis of their database which refocused their sales force and their sales mailings to the higher-profit market segments.

Primary strategies and tactics used to create these results were:

1. Refocused their key product's strategic market positioning (SMP) to better distinguish them from competitor products.
2. Redesigned and rewrote several of their marketing communication pieces (catalog, sales letters, magazine and newspaper ads, and direct mail flyers) to clearly articulate their Competitive Advantage Distinction against competitors.
3. Developed new direct mail lead-generation system that lowered cost per lead and cost per sale, while increasing the quality and quantity of leads produced. (Generated over 2,000 new clients in 2 year period)
4. Retrained their inside tele-sales and outside sales personnel to follow-up on new leads and how to better close new clients. Special training increased their closing rate by 38% over previous levels.

Review of Key Results Achieved:

As a result of our implemented sales and marketing programs, within 18 months, had more than doubled their sales, while reducing advertising expenditures by 34%. Direct mail B2B sales now represented 47% of total volume. Achieved this with a SIC penetration analysis of their database and refocusing their mailings and direct sales to the higher-profit market segments. This led to an increased mailing closing ratio of 64% and a direct sales closing ratio increase of 38%.

Case Study: Non-Profit Organization Goes Online and Increases Annual Income

Basic Background:

This non-profit organization desired to find the best program and methods to raise new funds online, which would service their entire 40+ independent chapters across the country. Organization's independent chapters primarily solicited consumers and select businesses.

Additional facts:

• A few chapters had attempted online fund raising web sites, yet these consisted mainly of brochure-ware approaches.
• The market itself was at the beginning of the growth market phase.
• Most of the executives of their independent chapters were resistant to new fund raising techniques.

Primary Marketing Goal:

Basic marketing goal was to develop an integrated online fund-raising program that could service all local chapters online, while also increasing their annual donation income.

Final Results Achieved:

Developed their online fund-raising marketing program, which within 12 months, resulted in overall organizational income increasing by 23% and their offline mailing closing ratio increased by 37%.

How We Did It:

Began by evaluating market situation by conducting several studies:

1. Market Maturity end-user saturation analysis,
2. Future Donation Income: Lifecycles evaluation,
3. Market Opportunity: Prospects per Competitor vs. Net Income evaluation,
4. Long Term Strength of Opportunity study,
5. Marketing Opportunity: Cost of Donation analysis,
6. Cash Flow - Excessive Donation Cost Capitalization Risk due to Donation Generation Cycle Time analysis,
7. Expected Value vs. Donor Behavior analysis, and a
8. Demand/Urgency evaluation

Results from these studies provided important information about: 1) the overall competitive marketing and sales systems used, 2) client's internal fund raising operations and efficiencies, 3) their key competitors online fund-raising systems, 4) the average cost to produce each dollar raised and 5) what was allowable dollar investment level to acquire new donors.

After studying what specific fund-raising models were working the best for their key competitors both offline and online, plus analyzing this client's internal fund-raising system and the cost per dollar raised, we determined several key ingredients were needed in order to properly create their master online fund raising program.

• Created an integrated, basic Internet / e-marketing fund-raising package for their independent chapters. Several acquisition and cultivation offer options were made available, including email solicitations, banner ad solicitations, e-zine ad media placement and PR components.
• Created a basic Internet website package so each of their independent chapters could have their own local website that was both distinctive looking for each chapter, yet contained unifying elements for the organization at large.

Developed and tested six separate online acquisition fund-raising campaigns for new prospective donors and three online cultivation offers to existing donors to determine what the optimum cost per dollar raised was for each campaign.

Also found that they needed to find and solicit donations from higher quality prospective new donors, as well as existing donors. Performed density income penetration analysis of their database which refocused their offline donation offer mailings to the higher-profit market segments.

As a result of our online fund-raising marketing program, within 12 months, overall organization income increased by 23%. The density income penetration analysis of their offline database led to an increased mailing closing ratio by 37%.

Primary strategies and tactics used to create these results were:

1. Developed their organization's new strategic market positioning (SMP) to better distinguish them from competitive organizations.
2. Redesigned and rewrote several of their marketing communication pieces (donation solicitation letters, magazine ads, website home pages, donation offer web pages, direct e-mail solicitations and banner ads) to clearly articulate their Competitive Advantage Distinction against competitors.
3. Developed six separate online acquisition fund-raising campaigns for new prospective donors and three online cultivation offers to existing donors, which lead to a 23% income increase.
4. Retrained their inside telephone reps how to better service donor inquiries, and how to better solicit donations from inbound callers. Special training increased their closing rate by 21% over prior levels.

Case Study: Regional Household Appliance Distributor Increases Sales by 48% Even When New Competitors Enter Field

A regional household appliance distributor serving the southeastern US states.

Basic Background:

This 27-year old regional household appliance distribution company desired to grow their annual sales and net profits by at least 10% to 15% in the next 12 month period. They had a single retail store and a larger sized wholesale division.

Previous three-year sales levels were relatively flat and two new aggressive competitors had recently entered the marketplace.

Additional facts:

• Their marketplace's primary distribution channel was weak and disorganized.
• The market itself was in a mature market phase.
• Company no longer had a profitable marketing and sales system.

Primary Marketing Goal:

Basic marketing and sales goal was to reverse flat sales levels experienced during prior three years and to grow revenues by at least 10% to 15%

Final Results Achieved:

As a result of our implemented marketing programs, the cumulative effect was that in the first 9 months, we increased their retail mail order catalog sales by 62% and distribution sales to wholesale network increased by 48%.

How We Did It:

Began by evaluating: 1) their previous marketing and sales systems used, 2) their distribution outlets sales operations, 3) their key competitors sales systems and 4) their cost per sale per key products.

In evaluating all of these aspects, determined that they needed to have both their corporate and their key product lines strategic market positions (SMP) and their competitive advantage distinctions (CAD) significantly adjusted.

Next, after studying what specific sales models and systems were working the best for their key competitors and analyzing our client's own sales system and the cost per sale of their key products, we determined that their sales system needed to be revamped.

After this, tested a few select marketing and sales campaigns to determine what the optimum cost per sale was for each of their key products sold by each marketing campaign within their cash flow limitations.

To achieve strong sales increases, while being restricted to only using an organizations existing cash flow to capitalize such growth, it's very important to determine the "ease of finding" new customers versus the "cost of finding" these very same customers. The easier it is while at the same time being at as low of a cost level as possible, is ideal. The benefit is you'll then be able to create a stronger cash flow level, which you can then reinvest into growing your company's sales.

Review of Results Achieved:

As a result of our implemented marketing programs, the cumulative effect was that in the first 9 months, we increased their retail mail order catalog sales by 62% and distribution sales to wholesale network increased by 48%.

Primary strategies and tactics used to create these results were:

1. Refocused their key product's strategic market positioning (SMP) and their company's overall competitive advantage distinctions (CAD),.to better distinguish them from competitors and their products.
2. Redesigned and rewrote several of their marketing communication pieces (catalog, sales letters, magazine and newspaper ads, and direct mail flyers) to clearly articulate their Competitive Advantage Distinction over all competitors.
3. Developed new direct mail lead-generation system that lowered cost per lead and cost per sale, while increasing the quality and quantity of leads produced. (Generated over 400 new clients in 9-month period!)
4. Retrained their inside tele-sales team to follow-up on all leads and how to better close new clients. Special training increased their closing rate by more than 30% over prior levels.
5. Found and developed two strategic alliance sales partners. Created and implemented new lead-generation and sales program that generated more than 700 new leads and grow wholesale sales volume by 41% in first year.

Case Study: Music and Video Production and Trade Distribution Company Increases ROI More Than 500%

A six-year-old music and video producer and trade distribution company with prior annual sales of $1.2 million.

Basic Background:

This small music and video producer and trade distribution company desired to turn around their declining annual sales and net profits levels and grow the company by a minimum of 20% during next fiscal year. Company sold primarily B2B and had a minor level of retail mail order sales.

Previous two-year sales levels were declining each year and several new competitors had entered the marketplace.

Additional facts:

• Their primary B2B sales method used both their own company tele-sales personnel plus a few independent sales representatives.
• This company had not produced any new products in last 2 years.
• Marketplace was limited to less than 2000 viable resale retailers/outlets.
• The market itself was in a mature market phase.
• Company did not have an existing successful marketing and sales system.
• Owners required the company to generate positive net income each fiscal year or it would be closed.

Primary Marketing Goal:

Basic marketing and sales goal was to grow their annual sales and net profits by a minimum of 20% in next fiscal year.

Final Results Achieved:

As a result of our combined sales and marketing plus new product development programs, increased their annual ROI over 500%, from 6% to 31% within 3 years. Grew sales to over $2.5 million within 3 years.

How We Did It:

Began by thoroughly evaluating: 1) their previous marketing and sales systems used, 2) their internal and external sales operations, 3) their key competitors sales systems, 4) their average cost per sale per product, 5) their product mix and 6) their product development costs.

Next, after studying the above, determined that their sales system and product development program needed to be significantly revamped.

Initially, tested four separate marketing and sales campaigns to determine what the optimum cost per sale was for each of their key products sold by each marketing campaign.

Found that they needed to retrain their top two tele-sales personnel and to rehire the remaining inside company and independent sales representatives.

After performing: 1) a Competitive Analysis: Profit-cycle study, 2) a Competitive Analysis: Industry/Company Sales Mix evaluation, and 3) a Long Term Strength of Opportunity study, determined how to best refocused their sales force, their sales offers and their B2B direct mailings to the higher-profit market segments.

Also determined that they needed to develop new products but only through strategic alliances rather than from their limited resources.

Additionally, developed their E-Commerce web site using direct e-mail campaigns, banner ads and e-zine programs.

Review of Results Achieved:

Helped client reduce their primary reliance on low-profit new product development investments, and instead replaced these with high-profit premium products from outside alliance partners, while also increasing their trade distribution sales.

Developed their E-Commerce web site using direct e-mail campaigns, banner ads and e-zine programs that increased revenues more than 60%.

As a result of our implemented sales and marketing programs plus new product development program, increased their annual ROI over 500%, from 6% to 31% within 3 years. Grew sales to over $2.5 million within 3 years.

Primary strategies and tactics used to create these results were:

1. Emphasized selling only their key high-demand and high-profit products versus their complete line.
2. Redesigned and rewrote their entire marketing communication pieces (catalogs, sales letters, brochures, magazine ads and direct mail flyers) to clearly articulate their Competitive Advantage Distinction against competitors and competitive products.
3. Added and developed new retail, direct mail sales system that created new distribution channels and new sales income.
4. Developed their retail E-Commerce web site plus created direct email campaigns, banner ads, media placement, branding and e-zine programs that increased revenues more than 60%.
5. Help locate and evaluate new product additions from outside alliance partners.
6. Retrained their inside tele-sales and outside sales personnel to follow-up on new leads and how to better close new clients. Special training increased their closing rate by 29% over prior levels.

Case Study: Retail Store Chain Increases Sales By 46% While Lowering Advertising Spending At Same Time

A nine-year-old retail chain of 11 stores wanted to increase their local and regional retail sales.

Basic Background:

This small retail chain desired to grow their annual sales and net profits by at least 10% in the next fiscal year. Company sold directly to consumers and had a modest amount of retail mail order sales.

Previous year sales level were flat and three new competitors had recently entered their marketplace.

Additional facts:

• Their primary new customer acquisition methods were via newspaper ads, direct mail, outside and in-store signage and community fair events.
• The market itself was at the end of the growth market phase.

Primary Marketing Goal:

Basic marketing and sales goal was to grow their retail annual sales and net profits by a minimum of 10% in next fiscal year without raising their annual marketing and advertising budget.

Final Results Achieved:

As a result of our combined implemented sales and marketing programs, increased their monthly sales by 27% during the first 3 months and by 46% cumulatively during next 12 months, while lowering their annual advertising expenditures by 23%.

How We Did It:

Started off by evaluating their market situation by conducting several studies:

1. Market Maturity end-user saturation analysis,
2. Market Opportunity: Prospects per Competitor vs. Markups evaluation,
3. Marketing Opportunity: Cost of Sale analysis,
4. Cash Flow - Excessive Sales Cost Capitalization Risk due to Sales Cycle Time analysis, and a
5. Knockoff Probability study

After evaluating all of these key areas, determined that they needed to have their retail store strategic market position (SMP) and their competitive advantage distinction (CAD) significantly upgraded.

Next, after studying what specific sales models and systems were working the best for their key competitors and analyzing our client's own sales system and the cost per sale of their products, we determined that their sales system needed to be significantly revamped.

After this, tested three new marketing campaigns and two sales lead generation campaigns to determine what the optimum average cost per sale per new customer by each marketing campaign.

Determined that they needed to retrain their top sales personnel and to rehire several in-store sales representatives.

Also, found that they needed to find and sell to higher quality prospective new customers. Performed a density income penetration analysis of their database which refocused their sales offer mailings to the higher-profit market segments.

Review of Results Achieved:

As a result of our various sales and marketing programs, increased their monthly sales by 27% during the first 3 months and by 46% cumulatively during next 12 months, while lowering their annual advertising expenditures by 23%.

Primary strategies and tactics used to create these results were:

1. Refocused their retail stores strategic market positioning (SMP) to better distinguish them from competitors.
2. Rewrote and redesigned several of their marketing communication pieces (catalog, radio ads, sales letters, newspaper ads, in-store signage and direct mail flyers) to clearly articulate their Competitive Advantage Distinction against competitors.
3. Developed a new formal/structured customer acquisition referral program. (Generated over 900 new customers in 12 month period)
4. Found and developed three strategic alliance sales partners. Created and implemented new lead-generation and sales program that generated more than 400 new prospective customers.
5. Retrained their inside sales personnel about how to better close new customers. Special training increased their closing rate by 24% over prior levels.

Case Study: Small Marketer and Distributor of Sports and Comic Art Collectibles Makes 230% Return On New Product Launch

This client is a small marketer and national distributor of sports and comic art collectibles who desired to launch a national investor newsletter.

Basic Background:

This small marketer and distributor of sports and comic art collectibles desired to grow their annual sales and cash flow by at least 20% in the next fiscal year. Company sold both B2C and B2B primarily through mail order and regional trade show events.

Several large and small new competitors had recently entered the marketplace.

Additional facts:

• Vast majority of previously sports and comic art investment newsletters had failed during previous 20 years.
• The marketplace itself was at the end of the growth market phase.

Primary Marketing Goal:

Basic marketing and sales goal was to successfully launch a new national sports and comic art collectibles investor newsletter, which would at least break-even after first 12 months.

Final Results Achieved:

Produced a low cost lead generation campaign that generated a 39% order response and within first 4 months all development and marketing test costs were fully recovered. Our marketing program produced the first and only successful sports and comic art collectable investment newsletter launched during the previous three years.

How We Did It:

After helping the company to establish their newsletter's agenda, studied: 1) their key competitors marketing and sales systems and their investment newsletters.

In evaluating these aspects, determined that they needed to create a very strong investment newsletter strategic market position (SMP) and a very strong competitive advantage distinction (CAD) contrasted against other similar topic investment newsletters.

Because there are no existing database lists of sports and comic art collectible newsletter subscribers, we had to develop and initiate a low-budget lead-generation campaign to locate interested new prospective customers.

Then tested three new low-cost lead generation campaigns to determine what the optimum cost per sale was for each marketing campaign within our client's cash flow limitations.

Developed innovative follow-up sales letter that functioned primarily as a 10 page introductory investment report with our sales offer only on the last two pages. Developed several key bonus reports given to each new subscriber.

Review of Results Achieved:

Our low cost lead generation campaign produced to a 39% order response and within first 4 months all development and marketing test costs were fully recovered.

This led to developing and producing a "How to" investment video for beginners that realized a 230% return after all advertising and fulfillment costs. This marketing program produced the first and only successful sports and comic art collectable investment newsletter launched during the previous three years.

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