CHALLENGE:

The client is a non-profit, collaborative R&D consortium that develops solutions in power generation, delivery and use, and addresses health, safety and environment issues. Its domestic members represent over 90% of the electricity generated in the United States. A large percentage of municipal utilities and rural cooperatives, however, were not participating in the consortium’s program. The segment consisted of thousands of small utilities that could benefit from the results of their research. The client, in turn, was missing out on revenues from this segment, as well as on the perspective this “segment of many” brought to the collaborative forum to shape the content and scope of research projects.

“Growth in our small accounts segment was challenging,” said the former Vice President of Sales and Marketing (now Technical Vice President), “because our product portfolio was not a good fit and our cost of sale was high.” The VP knew he needed a marketing consultant who had direct marketing and partnering experience and selected Celia Lawren to direct the marketing program.

SOLUTION:

Lawren quickly established ties and developed formal agreements with the segment’s strong trade associations. “Celia developed a marketing strategy to partner with the segment’s trade associations, who were potential competitors to us,” continued the VP.

Based on customer research which she managed, Lawren tailored product offerings to fit the needs of small accounts and co-marketed the offerings through the trade associations. The associations served as channel partners and actually managed the membership transaction, reducing the client’s cost of sale.

“These efforts grew segment revenues 35% over a two-year period,” the VP elaborated. “Celia’s ability to forge business partnerships and shape marketing programs relevant to customer needs turned this market segment around,” he continued. “Not only is Celia a creative marketer, but she also drives goals through to completion while maintaining excellent working relationships.”