Success Story
How We Helped a Retail Tech Supply Chain Company Win More Business
We Helped Our Client Win
Our client won these customers while working with Creative Stream.
About the Client
The client is a supply chain tech solutions and services company serving retailers and c-store chains in the United States and Mexico. It helps businesses manage inventory as an investment by optimizing supply chain inventory from the distribution center through individual SKUs at the store level, whether for brick and mortar or eCommerce retailers.
The company developed a proprietary algorithm to ensure the right products were available at the right time and right location without overstocking. The solutions included core inventory management functions vital to retail profit. These are Demand Planning, Replenishment, Assortment, Allocation, and Markdown.
Creative Stream Team + Client Team
The client’s marketing team included the VP of Sales and Marketing. After partnering with Creative Stream for three years, the client hired an internal marketing administrator to help manage the numerous marketing projects on the client side.
Partnering with Creative Stream enabled the client to leverage necessary marketing, creative and technical expertise while minimizing the need to hire and manage multiple team members.
The roles Creative Stream fulfilled for the client are below.
Marketing & Branding Strategist
Email Marketing Specialist
Creative Director
Marketing Project Manager
Graphic Designer
Marketing Campaign Manager
Web Designer & Developer
Marketing Admin
Content Writer & Editor
Event Marketer
Instead of a solution named Demand Planning, the solution name and menu name would be something like DP Max Optimizer. Of course, prospects weren’t searching for that solution, they were searching for demand planning solutions.
Marketing Prior to Creative Stream
Approach
The client’s founders came from Ivy League and business leadership backgrounds. These were true experts in supply chain and inventory management. That expertise didn’t translate into persuasive campaigns that compelled prospects to take action. The marketing was factual but didn’t make the connection to how this information could help a retailer optimize its supply chain.
Website
Prior to partnering with Creative Stream, the client had an outdated website that posed several problems.
First, the design looked old and unappealing. It presented more like an outdated company than a high-tech, cutting-edge solution. From the image selection to the layout, the website didn’t have a compelling message that persuaded visitors to continue discovering how the company could help.
Secondly, the solutions listed in the navigational menu were not common industry terms, but proprietary, trademarked names no one would understand. For example, instead of a solution named Demand Planning, the solution name and menu name would be something like DP Max Optimizer. Of course, prospects weren’t searching for that solution, they were searching for demand planning solutions. These proprietary names for solutions required website visitors to know and understand information only staff members knew. It meant visitors would need to click multiple pages and skim them just to understand what the company offered and determine if the company would be able to help them.
Finally, the content on the website was written in a very academic style. It was a backward way of showing expertise, and even the most educated reader would need to have coffee ready before diving in. While some of the content was educational and helpful, there was very little persuasion included.
Driven by Events & Paid Placement
Before partnering with Creative Stream, much of the client’s marketing relied on industry events and paid placement of content in publications. Of course, events can help any company grow, but outside of events, there was very little marketing activity. There were occasional social posts, but no email marketing and no consistency in blog content.
The client had both articles and interviews published in magazines that essentially sold these as ad space. The content appeared to be expert advice but was really soft promotional material by the client. The ROI for these paid articles was negligible, other than having content to share with prospects.
Services Delivered
Creative Stream delivered the following services to the client for 8+ years
- Blog Posts
- Brand messaging
- Brand positioning
- Brand strategy
- Campaign distribution and tracking
- Content development
- Creative Leadership
- Email Marketing
- Event Marketing: Booth, booth space, & presentation design
- Event pre- and post-show marketing
- Graphic design for website, marketing collateral, anything digital or printed
- Marketing Collateral Design and Content
- Marketing strategy
- Press Releases
- Social media marketing
- Video scripts
- Web Page Content
- Website Design, Development
- Website Performance and Security Management
Results
We increased the client’s brand awareness as a formidable competitor in the supply chain technology space. During the relationship, we helped the client gain the results below.
