Case Study: Integrated Marketing
The Challenge: Help position a testing laboratory that had a long association with a single industry as a full-service provider of lab and testing services.
The Client: GTI Testing Laboratories, an affiliate of the Gas Technology Institute, has significantly expanded its range of client services and customer base to serve industries including aerospace, appliance, automotive, metal forming, natural gas, power generation and water industries. Its staff of 200+ professionals includes specialists in every area of materials evaluation.
Agency Solution: In the fall of 2000, NM Marketing Communications began planning a comprehensive approach to position GTI Testing Laboratories as a recognized provider of advanced testing solutions for a variety of industries. Research was conducted to identify marketplace needs and understand the business challenges of GTI’s diverse client base. Key strengths of GTI also were identified, including the ability to get test results to the client when needed and interpreting the test results to provide guidance and solutions to clients.
The theme that evolved was “GTI – Your single source for advanced testing.”
Once the theme was established, it was used in a variety of ways to communicate with GTI’s customer base. NM Marketing Communications, Inc. integrated approach included:
- Production of Information Kits
- Creation of an Extensive Direct Mail Campaign
- Development of Press Releases to Supplement GTI’s Internal Staff
- Management of Open Houses and Trade Events
- Production of Trade Advertising
If your company would like to receive the immediate and long-term benefits of working with a suburban Chicago integrated marketing communications agency, call us at 847.657.6011 or send us an e-mail. We look forward to hearing from you.
Case Study: Website Development
The Challenge: Work closely with an established overseas company that needed to effectively integrate its range of industrial pumps and associated applications in North America by using the Internet.
The Client: Tsurumi (America), Inc., located in suburban Chicago, has greatly expanded its North American marketing and sales presence.
The company’s high-performance pump products are widely used in civil engineering, flood control, industrial wastewater, mining, sewage treatment and various construction applications.
The Solution: Work directly with corporate management in mapping out a strategic approach for developing a new Tsurumi (America) website.
The site offers customers and business prospects with the ability to navigate efficiently through the product pages and understand why Tsurumi is a recognized global leader in pump technology.
Site features included:
- Tastefully presented animation and navigation features ensure one’s visual interest is kept, while presenting complex product information clearly and concisely.
- Consistent use of design and color to integrate with Tsurumi (America) online and printed information.
- Enhanced product photography that spotlights varied pumps and usage.
- Special password section for distributors. This is a new online feature which makes communications with Tsurumi America’s distributor much easier and quicker.
If your company would like to receive the immediate and long-term benefits of having your web site development handled by a full-service, integrated marketing communications company, call us at 847.657.6011 or send us an e-mail. We look forward to hearing from you.
Case Study: Public Relations
The Challenge: Create greater awareness of an industry award and the work of the trade group sponsoring it.
The Client: The North American Die Casting Association (NADCA) is the only trade association in North America that represents all major industry segments: custom and captive die casters; suppliers to the die casting industry; and international die casters.
Each year, NADCA sponsors an International Die Casting Competition that evaluates die cast products on the basis of ingenuity, quality, cost savings, and its contribution to expanding the market for castings.
The Solution: To increase awareness beyond simple award announcements, NM Marketing Communications, Inc. worked with NADCA and the award winners to develop case histories about the product or solutions.
Based on our detailed understanding of the industry, NM Marketing Communications, Inc. produced stories that often resulted in multiple placements across different types of trade publications.
For example, a story about one recent award winner, the High-Q-Cast® technology introduced by Alcan Automotive, appeared in three different publications:
- Modern Casting
- Automotive Engineering International
- Modern Metals
If your company would like to receive the immediate and long-term benefits of having your public relations handled by an experienced, integrated marketing communications company, call us at 847.657.6011 or send us an e-mail. We look forward to hearing from you.
Case Study: Technical Editing
The Challenge: Assist an established software development company effectively increase the usability of its printed user documentation.
The Client: Working together as a team of cattle industry experts and information technology specialists, Unlimited Solutions, Inc. (USI) has been delivering business solutions to the cattle industry for over 10 years. Their product line provides comprehensive management of cattle feed yards.
The Solution: The original User Guide was first created as online help and then exported — without further editing — to a Microsoft WORD document. It was reported that this unformatted documentation was not widely used by USI clients, most of whom were not technically inclined. There had been a growing business need to rewrite the documentation so that it had greater appeal to feed yard staff.
Before Technical Editing (Sample Table).
Technical Editor for NM Marketing Communications, Inc. worked with USI subject matter experts to fully understand the product’s functionality and their clients’ needs before converting the manual into a more useful and readable reference tool. The editorial process included:
- Documentation assessment to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement
- Substantive text editing
- Clarification of confusing instructions
- Resolution of content incongruity and elimination of redundancy
- Reorganization of content to simplify information flow
- Consistent use of formatting techniques to create a page layout that was predictable, appealing, and easy-to-follow
- Tasteful insertion of clip art to mark sections
After Technical Editing (Sample Table).
If your company would like to receive the immediate and long-term benefits of having your public relations handled by an experienced, integrated marketing communications company, call us at 847.657.6011 or send us an e-mail. We look forward to hearing from you.
Case Study: Communications Strategy – Collateral
The Challenge: Position a professional services firm with high-level decision makers using collateral materials that could be tailored to effectively portray a range of solutions. The materials needed to immediately create the impression that company was experienced, knowledgeable and capable of working with “Fortune 1000” type clients, while showing new services that had been added since the company’s founding.
The Client: blueStone, LLC provides clients with staff augmentation, professional placement and IT consulting services, including CMMI optimization, IT service management, and program and project management. The company serves domestic and international clients in the insurance, automotive, financial services and manufacturing sectors. Most of the blueStone consultants have experience with world-class global consulting firms and have been responsible for large projects across multiple environments and industries, an advantage that needed to be stressed in the marketing materials.
The Solution: NM Marketing Communications, Inc. created a one-pocket folder with a fold out cover that provided additional space to tell blueStone’s story. Substantial paper stock and deep, rich colors were chosen to covey the solid, reliable nature of the company. Additionally, a separate “Demand Generator” sheet to recruit prospective sales associates was printed at the same time to capitalize on printing efficiencies.
The folder was designed to give readers three levels of information depending upon their interest. The cover panel presents a quick overview of blueStone’s background and capabilities, while the inside section reinforces how the firm adds value for their clients. Individual sales sheets were developed to illustrate each service area, giving blueStone the ability to tailor the packet depending upon the nature of the sales call.
Images representing each service line were used on the inside of the folder, and the appropriate individual image was repeated on the accompanying sales sheet to help reinforce the links between the services. Callout boxes on each of the sales sheets as well as the folder itself listed the full range of blueStone’s services in order to remind current clients and prospects that blueStone had expanded its capabilities.
If your company would like to receive the immediate and long-term benefits of having your communications strategies and/or sales collateral developed by a full-service, integrated marketing communications company, call us at 847.657.6011 or send us an e-mail. We look forward to hearing from you.
Case Study: Hispanic Trade Shows & Special Events
The Challenge: Manage all aspects of an inaugural “Cinco De Mayo” trade show designed to showcase prepared foods, canned goods and a variety of ethnic specialties intended for retail, foodservice, wholesale and distribution buyers serving the growing Hispanic market throughout the Chicago metro area. Create an authentic, festive “market” environment within the client’s 95,000 square foot warehouse.
The Client: Banner Wholesale Grocers provides direct access to the most extensive selection of Hispanic brands and food products. The company is extremely proud of its long-standing reputation serving this market. Its innovative marketing and merchandising programs for independently-owned, neighborhood grocery stores and buyers representing multiple chain operations are highly regarded in the foodservice industry. The company stocks more than 8,000 American products and 3,000 Mexican specialty items.
The Solution: The NM Marketing Communications event team considered all options for how to use the expansive Banner warehouse for this first time event. An attractive exhibit area was only part of the trade show experience for the hundreds of customers and buyers who attended the show. Using a red, white and green color scheme, visitors entered the warehouse facility and then traveled down an attractive red carpet walkway to “Banner Central” and to the other exhibitor booths.
Besides the exhibit area, a Hispanic/Western look was established for other warehouse locations which created a wonderful business environment for meeting and greeting attendees. A stage area served as the focal point for vocalists and Mariachi band. Theme decor was also introduced at various food serving stations replete with traditional Mexican cuisine.
Based on the event’s overall success and resounding sales activity, Banner Wholesale Grocers and NM Marketing Communications are now making plans for its next special event. This includes doubling the number of exhibitor booths and introducing several customized seminars for grocers and buyers..
Banner Wholesale Grocers’ company management and staff gather just prior to the start of the company’s first “Cinco De Mayo” trade show held in Chicago. The program was a huge success and planning for next year is underway.
During the event!
Banner Wholesale Grocers’ company during the company’s first “Cinco De Mayo” trade show held in Chicago.
If your company would like to improve the results of your scheduled trade shows or benefit from a targeted special events, call us at 847.657.6011 or send us an e-mail. We look forward to hearing from you.