IMJustice Marketing Case Studies
What I want to get across here with these IMJustice Marketing Case Studies, is the fact
that although my case studies may be a bit flat and boring. These are from real businesses
and real people who have actually implemented the information I shared with them during
my Coaching sessions. These are real people with real lives and real problems. As my
disclaimer though, I did have some help from more accomplished Coaches and Experts
at times. I am not a know-it-all! And want to provide the best to others when possible.
Besides talking to Small Business Owners every day, once in a while, I get lucky to work
on a project (for decent pay too), that is a bit more complex … And at times, unorthodox …
But, I am always humbled by the fact that I am asked to help … There have been times
where I could not, and found someone that could, or eventually just walked away …
So, I hope these are interesting to you … I never give names because I am against
that for several reasons … But I remember these through the years to try an offer my
versatility and competence … Also, on my Strategic Marketing website, I have 7 different
Case Studies there, if you might be interested in reading more … Thanks for visiting!
IMJustice Marketing Case Studies:
A Product Launch A.I. Generated Funnel
One of my A.I. funnel-creating software’s made this company a whopping
$325,000 in revenue for their New Product Launch! Amazing!
They created a very good and powerful product for their industry that promised to
transform the way a business would handle their inventory. They were planning to
launch this revolutionary product but was not sure how to do this without failing.
I recommended the use of a product launch sales funnel instead of creating a
traditional product website, like most are accustomed to. The reason was simple…
The website would have too many exit points, internal navigation and distractions.
That would lead to users bouncing from one page to other internal pages, and
ultimately leading to poor conversions. (They actually had experienced this
similar situation for other products of theirs.)
And that’s why I thought of using a product launch sales funnel, where I’d take
their prospects from a series of choices in the product launch, with highlighting
all of the many benefits, and then offering some upgrades (Up-Selling) …
I decided to use a separate sales page with no navigation/exit points but only
product details, an explainer sales video and a high-converting sales page copy
targeted to solve the exact pain points of our prospects. (hot buttons) …
In only 7 days of product launching our this sales funnel, they were able to
(hold your breath) generate a whopping $325,000+ in revenues …
What did we learn from this?
A perfect product launch sales funnel converts 4X more than a traditional
corporate website. And how did a funnel help in multiplying their profits? Because
we were able to take their prospects from a specific sales journey where we
showed them a series of product launch offers catering to their needs … Plus,
we restricted their attention to the pain points they were facing and the solution
that was going to solve their problems … Very cool!
IMJustice Marketing Case Studies:
Critical Sales Performance Indicators
This particular client only hired me for a 2-month period … But, I thought it was
worthy of discussing because of the content and relevance to performance …
The Situation
A Technology Training Company was getting ready to do an IPO in a fairly warm market.
Growth and market positions were right where they wanted to be. The IPO got delayed,
however, and the company’s revenues started to slip. Then, they were referred to me.
Analysis
The problem the company didn’t recognize was that an IPO takes a lot of time and energy
away from the normal routine of running a business. In addition, they were not looking at
their early sales performance indicators, which would had identified a decline in sales
early enough to take corrective action with little or no negative consequences.
Changes Made
Unfortunately, the CEO had asked other Business Coaches for only a little Consulting in
his early IPO preparation days and had not used any on an ongoing basis. At the early
stage, he had help to define some early sales performance indicators. But the CEO had
a sales VP who chose to ignore the advice, and the CEO failed to hold the sales VP
accountable. If he had, the CEO would have spotted the problem months in advance!
The Conclusion
The IPO was delayed, the company’s revenues dropped significantly, which now made
an IPO impossible. Not surprisingly, the IPO never happened. Instead, the company
went bankrupt and was dissolved a short time later. I offered to help!
To help illustrate this, think of a dashboard in an airplane cockpit. The pilot in the cockpit
must always look at all the different gauges and make constant adjustments to reach the
airplane’s destination. If this happens in business, you won’t know you have a problem for
four months, and then it will take another six months to ramp back up. That is like waiting
for your car to run out of gas before doing anything about it.
IMJustice Marketing Case Studies:
Little Guy vs. Big Guy
The Situation
A small software company was selling to a large international prospect that was covered
by a team of 40 IBM sales reps. The small company’s CEO knew that they had better
products and could turn this into a lucrative account if they could get to the right people
and make an initial sale. And yet they asked me!
Analysis
The company had the right talent and mindset. The company did have better products and
a powerful implementation process – but no name recognition – so it was going to take some
hard work to get in, let alone land a deal. But they had good testimonials and some impressive
accounts already. If they were willing to be patient and work smart, they could get it done.
Changes Made
The first thing I did was a little homework to determine where IBM’s weaknesses were
and how the company’s strengths compared. Next, I identified the people and positions
at the prospect where I thought they could have the most impact. We devised a plan of
action to reach out to them and request a meeting or a video chat …
The Result
It took 9 months, but the company was able to land a first, small deal with the prospect.
The project finished ahead of schedule and was the smoothest project in the international
company’s history. It went so well that the value expectation was exceeded, and the
company was given another small deal. And others followed …
The Common Mistake
Most companies focus on the transactions, instead of client value. Not every company
can do what this company did. But because they had a good product, a great strategy,
a fantastic implementation process, and with being open-minded, they were able to slay
the goliath IBM!
IMJustice Marketing Case Studies:
Promoting Top Rep to Sales Manager
The Situation
A software company was experiencing eroding market share, tougher competition,
and a slipping value proposition. The company had invested heavily in different kinds
of sales training, including sales tactics, major account planning, and how to talk with
“C”-level executives. However, 75% of the salespeople were missing their quotas
and sales were flat. The Sales VP was looking for a way to boost their numbers.
Analysis
I conducted an evaluation of the sales management team, focusing on their sales process,
sales activity, pipeline, accountability, coaching, and sales management skills. I discovered
that most of the sales managers had been top-performing reps who were promoted into
sales management. They had never been given the skills, tools, or clear expectations of
what was necessary to do their job.
Changes Made
I suggested a custom sales training program to teach the science of sales. The philosophy
behind this is that sales are like a factory with consistent predictable results when run
properly. We installed a program to get the sales team to step up or be weeded out.
The Conclusion
Within thirty days, the weak performers did weed themselves out, as expected. The others
stepped up in varying degrees, with about 5% doing exceptionally well. In the next 6 months,
overall sales went up 27%. One of the two most costly mistakes a company can make is to
promote its top sales rep to sales management. Statistics show that 82% of top producers
who are promoted into sales management go back into sales at another company within
18 months. This is like taking your top-scoring basketball player at the height of the season
and making them the team coach.
IMJustice Marketing Case Studies:
Best Practices
The Situation
A technology company with worldwide offices was seeing the size of its average deal
slip. Also, its enterprise-wide licenses worth $1,000,000 or more had all gone away.
Company morale was dropping and senior reps were starting to leave. The Sales VP
knew the situation had to change or the company would need to downsize.
Analysis
I sought some assistance with this one from a couple of experts I know, and we took
a close look at the company’s value proposition, target audience, competition, sales
process, and pricing strategy. The company had a best practices group that had put
some tools together but had not rolled them out yet.
Changes Made
Working with the best practices group, my little Mastermind Group put together a 3-day
training workshop, which was to be delivered throughout North America. The focus was
on how to talk with an executive and how to determine the value proposition and pricing
effectiveness. The workshop was rolled out in two phases, with sales managers going
through the training first and the sales reps next.
The Conclusion
The company’s average deal-size went up an additional 15% as a result of selling a total
solution-combining technology, professional services, and training. The number of enterprise-
wide deals worth $1,000,000 or more went from zero to sixteen in 12 months. Very impressive!
And when learning from the world’s most successful Business Coaches and Marketing Experts,
I am in great hands! The company had a well-trained senior sales force, but they had gotten
away from the fundamentals and it reflected in their top line. We fixed that.
IMJustice Marketing Case Studies:
Not Selling the Whole Solution
The Situation
A medical-equipment company with a good product was thriving. The company was
#1 in the market, but its service revenues were down because its reps were selling only
the equipment and initial training. Their service revenues were the most profitable aspect
of the business and they couldn’t afford to let the trend continue. The problem was
compounded by a 3rd-party service company making a play for their customer base.
Analysis
The company had provided additional training to educate its reps on why selling service
was so important. Also, they had instituted a bonus program to encourage more service
sales. They weren’t seeing an increase in service sales quickly enough, however.
Changes Made
What the company really needed to do was make a change in sales culture and
replace under-performing sales reps. There were too many of them, however,
and time was short. So, what we agreed on was to put in a team of what I called
“quality control managers”. Their job was to follow up on equipment orders within
two days of the order by contacting the client directly. They asked the typical
quality-control questions, but also asked the clients why they had not purchased
the service package. In addition, they educated the clients on why the service
package was so critical and gave them an incentive to purchase it as an add-on.
(Up-Selling, Cross-Selling, Down-Selling) … I discuss this until I am blue in the face.
The Result
In the following 12 months, they sold an additional 57% in five-year service agreements.
Some under-performing sales reps with minimal impact on revenues were replaced.
Many companies don’t define the responsibilities of sales reps or hold them accountable.
IMJustice Marketing Case Studies:
More Funding for a Portfolio Company
The Situation
A Venture Capital firm had a portfolio company requesting another round of funding.
The company’s results to-date had fallen short of expectations. They were wondering
if they should put more money into the business and what would need to happen in
order to achieve the expected ROI.
Analysis
I performed an Audit that focused on the company’s history, market, product/services,
business-capture process and sticking points, sales indicators, pipeline and forecast
reports, specific deals, and people. It was clear that some issues existed, but the company
had a sales manager who was simply very good at what he did … I was impressed …
Changes Made
I provided them with a standard report so that everyone knew where the business stood.
Also, I suggested that the Board leverage their contacts, when appropriate, to expand the
business and help close larger deals. I recommended against changing any of their sales
force for 6 months because the salespeople were doing all the right things. They changed
their sales practice to tighten each step of the process and used presentations to move
the sales forward instead of just educate the client. I taught them how to “ask for the order”.
The Conclusion
Today, the company is number one in its market with over two hundred Fortune 500 clients.
They also are exceeding their business plan. It took a bit longer, but it was very rewarding.
When sales organizations miss their projections, the inclination is to make changes. But
70% of all CEOs lack any sales experience so they don’t know if they have the right people
doing the right things or what changes to make. The question becomes: What are the right
changes to make for maximum results? In this case, an outside opinion was the answer.
