Always on the lookout for new business and proud of its custom-engineered solutions, DCS tasked Marketwave with creating a direct mailer campaign to help it get the attention of more decision makers that fit its ideal client profile and to position it as a leader in technology solutions that ensure data centers reach their maximum performance levels.
Goals & Objectives: The key to jumpstarting a sales conversation is to appeal to a business decision makers, going upstream to a senior executive with oversight of IT decisions but also perspective on the core business drivers. Research told us that DCS’ targeted customers tend to be middle-aged, affluent and competitive. With that in mind, our agency brainstormed direct mail concepts that would spark interest among potential clients yet also serve as a useful tool in day-to-day life – keeping DCS top of mind long after the decision makers received their mailer.
Actions: I was heavily involved in the brainstorm, logistics and research phase. We came up with at least a dozen different ideas backed by research that could serve as the compelling and memorable direct mail campaign’s piece. The first drop was to be sports-related but smaller in scale, so we decided to pair ping pong paddles with golf balls. It spoke to our message of needing the right equipment for optimal performance and set us up for our second drop. For the second, we opted to go with a TaylorMade Odyssey golf putter that could help us carry the performance message and tie back to the golf balls sent previously. The Odyssey putter is known as one of the best on the market and effectively makes up for small aiming mistakes as the golfer addresses the hole – it essentially helps golfers get the most out of their performance just as DCS’ product offerings do for data centers.
Work Created: We worked to wrap the putter from its grip all the way down to its head to stand out. We wanted a putter that had DCS branding on it as well as the colors of red and black – the colors that are most frequently associated with performance sports and colors tied to DCS branding. The other challenge we needed to address was shipping the putters to destinations across the country. Most golf club purchases occur off a store’s rack and immediately go into a golf bag, but we needed to design a branded container for the putter’s unique form and also not immediately give away the idea inside. We designed our very own golf putter box with custom coloring, foam fittings and cutouts to house the putter. A third key was crafting messaging that correlated the putter’s performance with DCS’ data center capabilities to maximize a strong call to action, which you can read in our attached photos and graphics.
Results & Outcomes: Ten putters were sent to decision makers at some of the nation’s most powerful companies and were very well received. While the data center industry’s sales cycle is long, DCS was able to secure three meetings in a matter of weeks – versus the typical three to six months – after the mailers dropped and begin the process of sales engagement. Our client also got messages and thank you notes from other decision makers stating that they did not have any current needs but would be sure to get in contact with DCS when needs arose. Achieving a 30 percent success rate, well over the industry average of two percent for similar efforts, was viewed as a win by our clients and the select target list added prospects to the client’s sales pipeline for further nurturing. For those reasons, DCS chose to create an overall “Performance Campaign” that is now being deployed through other communications channels.
First Drop
Second Drop
