Sample Engagement: Sales & Marketing

Client Business Challenge

With an exciting new product under development, a distance learning company specializing in high-quality business courseware needed help to roll out its latest offering. The company turned to M² for top-level talent to develop marketing strategies that could help to ensure a successful launch and achieve market-share targets.

M² Approach

Within our proprietary consultant community, M2 identified several candidates with deep experience developing product-driven marketing strategies in the education sector. As part of our matching process, we take extra care to suggest consultants who closely mesh with the client's culture and people. This effort resulted in the selection of two candidates who had all of the required professional experience as well as the "soft skills" to succeed in the client's environment. Within five days of calling M², the client interviewed both candidates and selected one who previously had directed product marketing campaigns for two Fortune 500 companies and worked for several years as the head of marketing for an online training company.

Deliverables

Phase 1: Market Research

  • Assess market size, market segments, key motivators, existing communication channels, and their effectiveness.
  • Understand the segment dynamics, needs, and economics and the key value drivers.
  • Develop a competitive analysis to determine the optimal sales and marketing opportunities for the product.

Phase 2: Strategy Development

  • Define the unique selling proposition.
  • Identify target markets and communication methods.
  • Develop creative messaging.
  • Recommend tactics and implementation, including media methods, direct marketing, print, advertising, affinity marketing, conferences, and events.

Results

Leveraging his years of product marketing experience, the M² consultant began to add value on the very first day of the engagement. At the completion of both project phases, the client had a complete marketing roadmap for the courseware launch, which the consultant guided an internal team in successfully executing. It was the most sophisticated marketing strategy the company had ever developed.