Client Profile
The technical documentation, training and eLearning provider creates customized manuals and training programs for medical device and technology companies.
Business Situation
The client was looking for a way to dramatically expand their eLearning business. They had developed a strong team for this line of business around existing clientele but needed new opportunities to increase revenue to support the infrastructure they had built.
To quickly and effectively maximize the company’s capacity, the client needed new business fast. Lengthy sales cycles (six to nine months) presented a major challenge. Without the necessary sales leads to support growth for the eLearning side of their business, they would face significant layoffs, put staff morale at risk, and break up an experienced team.
The client had exhausted their available prospects in the local market and needed to search for prospects elsewhere. They needed to quickly get to the market, which required them to engage with qualified prospects interested in eLearning projects. The client engaged Athena to outsource the lead generation and lead management process.
RAMP Targets Qualified Leads
The client teamed with Athena SWC to develop a program aimed at generating new business for their eLearning product offering. Athena’s synchronized Relationship Acquisition and Management Process (RAMP) provided the means to quickly generate qualified sales opportunities and compress the client’s sales cycles – both of which were important to the customer given their undesirable overhead situation and long sales cycles (six to nine months). Athena analyzed and segmented the market. They worked with the client to define the ideal client profile and buying criteria for the eLearning offer and identified the best potential prospects for eLearning solutions. They then targeted key influencers and decision makers by geographic regions and worked together with the client to create an educational webcast offer as the first step in the eLearning sales cycle.
The RAMP campaign focused on getting the client in front of training managers and other key decision makers at mid- to
large-sized medical device manufacturers.
RAMP Campaign Sees Results
Within one year of launching the campaign, the client finalized an eLearning project with a one-year value of $105,000. The RAMP campaigns increased awareness of the clients offering among key decision makers in the target markets. The campaigns also provided intelligence relative to targeted eLearning prospects, which further clarified buyer preferences and identified the most desirable prospect business size. Additionally, the client filled their sales pipeline with $37,500 in quoted new business while compressing long sales cycles.
A Satisfied Customer
The client’s president and CEO said, “Since engaging Athena one year ago, we have met with eight new companies and expanded our geographic reach across the country. Before the campaign launch, the team at Athena took special care to understand our business, target market, and sales process. They quickly adapted and were incredibly diligent, professional, and amazingly responsive. The value they bring has made them a critical component to our sales process.“
