Home on the range: a customer-relevant ag promotion with beefy results
Improving Results. A Case Study:
Keeping Marketing and Sales in Step
The Client:
While working at a prior agency, we were fortunate to be involved with the Animal Health division of a large global pharmaceutical company, which offered an extensive line of livestock pharma and product packages to meet the specific needs of customers across diverse regions in North America.
The Opportunity:
Given the uniqueness of their customers and their needs, Territory Managers would often “market” these products themselves through local advertising, resulting in dramatic brand inconsistencies and a breakdown of overall product positioning and messaging. While a “one-size-fits-all” approach would be ineffective in addressing the different needs of ranchers and large animal veterinarians, we had to find a better way to reach every customer.
The Assignment:
First: increase awareness of the program among the target audience while maintaining overall brand control – while allowing Territory Managers to customize the program campaign materials to fit specific needs and geographies.
Second: increase and maintain enrollment in the program to a level of at least 60%.
The Campaign:
- On the front end, the agency created a powerful new online interface. Under the new program, sales reps could log on to the site, select the products they want to promote in their area and customize individual campaign pieces so that they would totally resonate with the recipient. Reps could also choose from a variety of images to personalize the materials to their target customers, as well as select publications, mailing lists, and dates for ad runs or mail drops.
- The entire program was conceived, executed and “went live” in just five short, intensive weeks.
- The agency was responsible for all of the following creative elements: Brand development, protocol messaging, creative for all direct mail kits, all print advertising, website and all web tools and formats, as well as development for all sales kits and program collateral.
The Results:
- The campaign was an extraordinary success, with enrollment surpassing an astounding 95% participation rate (over 50% higher than the target) and attrition rates close to zero.
- Anecdotally, the field sales team was universally excited about the program and the relationship between sales and marketing has never been stronger or more productive.
- The key to this success? All of the communications options were created and controlled at the corporate marketing level to ensure brand integrity and consistency of messaging across all marketing materials, while providing maximum flexibility for the regional reps.
Beefy results? You bet!