LEVERAGING YOUR BUDGET IN A DOWN ECONOMY

When recession hits, the immediate instinct is to cut costs wherever possible – not only in terms of internal operational decisions, but in terms of external communications. As a result, advertising budgets are shrinking. However, progressive B2B companies like Nortel, Carrasco, Viacom, Intel and AspenTech are investing in brand-building interactive marketing – once again. Only this time, the approach to Web marketing isn’t supplemental. It’s fundamental. The notion of I-commerce, the dispersing of in-depth information to customers and prospects via the Web, has proven to be an invaluable tool for the B2B sector. The primary reasons for this renewed interest are twofold: First, the Internet is an extremely resource-efficient vehicle for reinforcing ties with customers, prospects and shareholders. Even large-scale Web sites generally consume less time and dollars than do traditional ad vehicles such as print or TV, and communicate much more in the way of quality information. Second, the Web is, by nature, a better mechanism for fostering and sustaining long-term relationships. As demands and decision-making processes have grown more complex, the Web has become a primary means for gathering intelligence. Smart companies are quickly realizing that the more they supply in the way of meaningful information, the more engaged their customers and prospects become, the more they interact with the company, the more companies learn about them through these interactions, and so on. The cycle of customer-brand relationships can at last become a truly interactive and real-time two way street. At Polese Clancy, we build strategic I-commerce solutions that are true to business missions, goals and visions for the future – and responsive to customers’ desires and expectations. To us, leveraging the Web’s ability to engage users, disseminate and capture information, activate and track direct response is just one critical piece of a larger puzzle. Our integrated I-commerce solutions are comprised of multiple, interrelated touch points – including print advertising, specialized Web pages, e-mail, direct mail and interactive forms – that work together in a synchronous 360 degree brand experience complete with interactivity, product details and the opportunity to customize communications. We use as many opportunities and channels as possible in order to activate the information exchange – and we blend each piece into a seamless, ongoing conversation. The kind of conversation that keeps customers, prospects and stakeholders actively engaged. As one of our clients, AspenTech, recently discovered, a well-designed I-commerce campaign can solve big business objectives with big budget savings. An I-Commerce Case Study Snapshot: Like many companies in the B2B space in the third quarter of 2001, AspenTech was facing the dual challenge of meeting worldwide sales goals while cutting budgets. Needing to build global brand awareness and inform its executive target audience about its newest value chain solutions, the company required a smart alternative to a costly advertising campaign. Polese Clancy responded with a multi-channel, I-commerce program that leveraged the highest level of value for AspenTech. The integrated program utilized a combination of postcards, HTML e-mail letters, a sweepstakes promotion, leaflets, posters, banner ads, a multi-sensory toolbox – as well as a personalized, informational “mini” Web site complete with back-end analytic, tracking and data warehousing capabilities. All of the above worked together cohesively and interdependently; all contained a motivating call to action; and all were simultaneously language and content-translated for such diverse markets as the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the USA. Click here to learn how the program works The result? A marketing mission accomplished globally, successfully, on time, on budget and on brand. Just weeks after the campaign launch, AspenTech measured an astounding 30% increase in awareness, with a steady stream of leads from hard-to-reach “C” level execs requesting a custom presentation. Aspen Technology, Inc. is a leading supplier of integrated software and solutions to the process industries. The company’s solutions are currently deployed by 46 of the top 50 chemical companies, 23 of the top 25 petrochemical/refining companies and 18 of the top 20 pharmaceutical companies worldwide. For more information about Polese Clancy’s integrated I-commerce solutions, call Christine Arena at (617) 423-3800 or e-mail her at carena@poleseclancy.com