This case study pertains to a SaaS company, Company C, where we provided side-by-side support throughout the development and execution of a marketing plan at the time when a new marketing manager was appointed.
We built a strong relationship of trust by working together with the person in charge to recognize the issues they were facing while deepening our understanding of the company and by exploring viable plans. This involved not only proposing stand-alone initiatives, but also considering what comes before and after each of such initiatives as well as each term and the year as a whole.
Alignment of Strategic Policies and Changing Course
The first thing on the agenda for Ms. A and ENJIN was to review Company C’s products and services, past performance, policies, strategies, and targets. Through this process, we were able to grasp an overall picture of Company C, which lay the foundation for our marketing strategy.
Specifically, Ms. A gave an orientation regarding the company to ENJIN, ENJIN provided feedback on the target image of Company C as it perceived from the content of the orientation, and we closed the gap between the target image that had been set and the orientation content. This helped Ms. A to clearly envision the target image, and ENJIN to deepen its understanding of the client.
Until then, Company C had considered itself as having a high affinity with system engineers in IT companies and designers in creative companies, and at the time of Ms. A’s appointment, its marketing strategy was also being guided to target the same industries and occupations. However, after coming to an agreement on the strategy, it was decided to change course and newly target an additional segment.
Planning and Implementation of Initiatives
from Conception to Execution
The next step was to examine specific marketing initiatives. First, we divided the overall strategy into “lead generation” and “awareness” and redistributed the annual budget for each quarter. We then conducted research on possible initiatives and on sponsored events in the first half of the term, set a flagship event for the end of the term, and incorporated lead generation and content planning into the strategy for the flagship event around the same time.
As for B2B lead generation measures, once the communication channels for making contact with segments classified by criteria such as industry and occupation were determined, it became possible to identify the target audience. This allowed, for example, in the case of media, the assumption of media with a database including the target audience. From there, we worked with the relevant media to incorporate sponsored events and advertising campaigns as part of media planning into the overall strategy, taking into consideration the timing, theme, and targets.
The important point here was that each measure should also conform to a consistent theme for the flagship event that was ultimately set for the end of the term. While media planning was important, it was also necessary that all media had a correct understanding of Company C’s targets and strategy, and that proposals based on this understanding were obtained. This is where the internal orientation conducted as the first step became relevant.
As for awareness, because Company C’s products and services advocated a new concept, efforts to establish and gain market recognition were also incorporated into the strategy. When launching a product or service with a new concept as in the case of Company C, or when the product or service is new to the Japanese market, it is necessary to first make potential customers aware of the concept and category.
For example, in drafting white papers, a place for editors and writers to input service/product summaries and appeal points in the planning stage is essential. This is not a heavy burden for a small number of initiatives, but when it is an integrated campaign that uses a variety of content and advertising media simultaneously, it requires multiple inputs from numerous partners.
In Company C’s case, ENJIN stepped in to provide input to these partners, carefully matching the market background, the target image, and appeal points related to the service category. Then, in the latter half of the term, ENJIN took over the process of developing the structure, and Company C’s checks were limited to the final approval.
Negative Effects of Organizational Structure and Overcoming Them
At first glance, the marketing activities at Company C appeared to be proceeding smoothly, but they were not entirely without stumbling blocks.
Because of the unique characteristics of the product, Company C had an Acquisition Team in charge of individual accounts, separate from the Marketing Team in charge of corporate accounts, and within the Acquisition Team there was a person in charge of SEO and digital advertising. Although the categories to be promoted in marketing should have been unified for the entire company, the SEO manager belonged to a team different from the Marketing Team, which created a coordination problem.
Specifically, a KPI for the Acquisition Team was to acquire trial accounts for the product on an individual level, and the SEO manager which was part of this team was primarily responsible for promoting trial accounts in known categories. The new product and service category that the Marketing Team was trying to establish had not yet gained sufficient recognition at the time, and due to the difficulty in addressing this, the SEO manager was reluctant to take specific actions.
However, as marketing initiatives began to take off and the category began to gain recognition through multifaceted promotions, competitors began to use keywords from the new category on their own sites as well. This helped the Acquisition Team recognize the need for measures in the new category and resulted in the development of consistent promotions throughout the company.
Behind the Scenes of Implementation :
Meetings and Progress Management
At ENJIN, we choose tools and methods that are already in use in our clients’ operations so that they do not need to increase their lines of communication. Company C utilized three communication lines: a project management tool for detailed discussions required during the implementation phase of each initiative, a communication tool for ad hoc confirmation items that did not require later checking, and a regular weekly meeting for everything else.
At the regular meetings, numerous subjects were discussed including major topics such as company-wide policy and structural changes, as well as topics that were also educational for ENJIN, such as the sharing of marketing tips. At the kickoff timing of each term, we also involved partner companies and outside media in our regular meetings, serving as a forum for overall consensus on the goals and roles of each. The purpose of this was not only to ensure that all parties involved had a common understanding in reaching a consensus on important matters, but also to prevent the creation of indirect tasks, such as the relaying of information, and to avoid gaps in understanding that may arise due to such passing of information.
The same applied to Company C’s internal stakeholders, who were also involved in communications with the Sales and Technical Teams when they participated in marketing initiatives in the form of lectures and interviews. This clarified what ENJIN needed to confirm with the Marketing Team, establishing a system for mediating and leading communication with members of other department involved in marketing.
Path to Success : ENJIN’s Approach
Behind Company C’s marketing success story is the accumulation of a wide range of efforts, including clarification of targets, planning and execution of specific initiatives, and overcoming challenges in its organizational structure. In this case study, we showed how we built a strong relationship of trust with the marketing manager by working side-by-side with the client to recognize the issues they were facing while deepening our understanding of the company and by exploring viable plans. This involved not only proposing stand-alone initiatives, but also considering what comes before and after each of such initiatives as well as each term and the year as a whole.
At ENJIN, our mission is to continue to provide the best possible support for our clients’ issues and to serve as a partner that grows together with them.
