Challenge
- Focus on reactive selling
- No knowledge of product's end user
- No research
- Flighting of monthly “consumer style” ads in trade journals
- No segmentation of customers
- Customer rating of 1/5 for marketing “Very dissatisfied” customer base
- Very product focused
- Direct sales only
- No sales management function
- High risk as >70% of branch sales in each of the two major branches went through 1 sales rep
- Front counter had no products, and no indication of their range
Solution
- Implementation of database marketing strategy into Africa
- Sourcing of national distributor to carry the client’s products (for the first time)
- New client becomes biggest client within the space of one year
- Implemented monthly customer training (aka relationship building)
- Development of tradeshow strategy to drive Africa sales
- Ongoing customer research to ensure efficient customer engagements
- Development of various social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
- Launch of 2 new value added services
- Creation of industry leading in-house sales frontage
Result
- 87% increase in specific brand requested
- Client rating for “Marketing” up from 1/5 to 4/5 in first year
- Industry recognition for marketing improvement
- 312% more interaction with key client segments
- 47% increase in turnover in key client segments
