‘Community Connect 4 Anywhere’ by RM

RM wanted to successfully launch Community Connect 4 Anywhere by:

1. Cross selling this new tool to 10 per cent of the 1903 existing CC4 customers in 2010 – campaign target of 21 customers in the launch month
2. Upselling to 40.5 per cent of 3913 customers this year, who had CC3 (the previous RM network solution) to move to CC4 – CC4 Anywhere provided them with a great new ‘hook’ to migrate. Campaign target of 176 in launch month
3. To entice 215 new non RM customers, from a prospect audience of 26,683 to engage – the new functionality provided by CC4 Anywhere is exclusive in the education sector and would be of interest to schools who do not currently buy from RM

Target audience:
Difficult to reach technical staff (e.g. network manager, ICT support) and senior management team (e.g. Head, deputy head) contacts within primary, secondary schools. Users and influencers including teachers and pupils were also illustrated on the microsite, with clear examples of how different people could use the software, whether on the train, at school, at home or in the park:

Business challenges and strategy:
Research revealed a number of challenges prior to launch:
Remote access is a new concept for the education sector, so not only did we have to sell the benefits of the software, but also clearly explain why schools would want it and how they could use it. Research showed we needed to demonstrate the value of being able to access your network from anywhere was worth the price.

One of the biggest challenges was that customers and prospects needed to buy a CC4 network (at least £6000 and a massive upheaval for a school) before they bought CC4 Anywhere.

This required a change in thought process – network managers are used to only having managed devices on their networks, but with CC4 Anywhere, pupils can connect to the network with any device of their own which could be perceived as problematic / more work for the network manager. Concerns included – would the usual online security measures be sufficient to deal with remote pupil access?

To overcome these challenges:
We used a clear proposition, in an integrated campaign with relevant messages to the different members of the decision making unit:

• CC4 Anywhere – “Anytime, anywhere network access, even from an iPhone”
• Segment and target groups of customers according to previous product purchases and institution type (secondary and primary schools) and ensure examples of use were relevant to them
• Consistent imagery and messaging across all media
• Use of peer testimonials (other teachers, education ICT advisors) to endorse the software

Campaign ran from March 1st to 31st March 2010

Creative and Media:
Microsite www.rm.com/cc4anywhere

Shows the benefits of CC4 Anywhere through a number of scenarios, for example, a teacher connecting to the network from the train, or a pupil connecting from her house.

Calls to action included request a demo, enter a competition to win an iPod touch (highly desirable within this relatively low paid sector) and visit our web site.

Results:

• 2963 visits to the site and 45 demo requests received so far
• 1613 visits have been generated from the microsite to the product page in RM.com generating additional £25,000 revenue 
• 264 visits to the microsite were made by new customers.

Email

2,318 emails sent to primary school and secondary school CC3/4 customers (14 per cent open) and also 22,827 non customers (7 per cent open) driving 394 visits to the microsite. Creative mirrored the microsite, using simple imagery reflecting their world. In addition, prospects were invited to fill out a questionnaire to further qualify leads either by a call back, or onsite demo and again the iPod touch competition was offered as an incentive. 

DM

Direct mail campaign was targeted at 5,000 existing customers only and generated 264 visits to the microsite. Execution was a simple 4 colour leaflet, but produced in the round to stand out and represent the concept of a CC4 Anywhere World – where staff and pupils had access to their network regardless of where they were – in the park, bedroom, on the train. Mailed out in a blue envelope personalised using a handwritten font. Education influencer testimonials were used to endorse the software.

Advertising

Ads on audience relevant 3rd party sites including Edugeek and ICTZine (an e-newsletter to schools), drove 55 visits to the microsite, delivering 8 new customers.

Ads on the www.RM.com home page generated 1645 visits to the site and £6000 revenue

Results

• Cross selling this new tool – target of 10 per cent of the 1903 existing CC4 customers in 2010 – ahead of campaign target in launch month with 23 customers against target of 21
• Upselling target of 40.5 per cent of 3913 customers in 2010 who had CC3 to migrate to CC4, under campaign target with 103 v 176 in launch month; but since April have had a further 95 orders so back on track to achieve year
• Target to acquire 215 new non RM customers, from a prospect audience of 26,683, achieved 264. The lifetime value of these customers is worth a minimum of £7.2 million (calculated over 3 years)

In addition a further £25K of revenue was generated from add on sales from customer visits from the microsite to the main RM site.

Over target ROI by over 65 per cent, delivering over £353,000 in revenue, since launch in March 2010 and with a further £505,000 qualified leads in the pipeline.

Client testimonial
“This has been the first time we have run an entire campaign internally from creative through to execution and believe that the results from a £4000 spend make this campaign and the hardworking marcom manager and designer worthy winners of the low budget category.”