#TBT: British Telecom Social Media Case Study

I've started to do some "Throw Back Thursday" (#TBT) type updates of old posts. This is a fun concept from Instagram and Facebook, and I thought I'd try it here.

This is one of my first case study blog posts back in 2010 while I was working with Strategic Communications Group. We did some of the first social media based campaigns and wanted to evangelize the concept with other technology and telecom companies.

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One of our goals as an agency in 2009 was to build up some compelling case studies on social media that we could share with our clients and our prospects. We’ve used social media to engage, educate, and entertain key audiences, and generate measurable results for a variety of customers. A few seemed to stand out as particularly good examples of how social media can be used to support a variety of business applications like lead generation, sales cycle support, customer service, employee morale, influencer/media relations, etc.

Almost two years ago, we started developing a pilot social media program for BT Americas. Working with their creative, innovative marketing team, we've executed a measurable, successful, strategically aligned campaign that's been recognized internally as an example of social media marketing excellence.

What do you think? I'd love hear your thoughts- leave a comment if you have a moment...

Situation
In the United States, British Telecom (BT) sells connectivity to Global 2000 companies. Connectivity is a commodity that prospects typically think about only when they need more—for example, when expanding facilities, whether domestically or in another country.

Goal
BT wanted to boost top-of-mind awareness, so when potential customers need to add telecom capacity, they consider BT. If not exclusively, then at least in addition to giant firms like AT&T and Verizon—which have far more advertising dollars to spend.

Solution
BT has a strong commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Knowing that virtually all of BT’s prospects have CSR programs, Strategic created a CSR blog where BT’s thought leaders can interact with like-minded people in other firms, including top-tier prospects. Through targeted social media interaction with key customers and prospects, building deeper relationships with customers like PepsiCo and Wal-Mart becomes a bit easier.

Results
CSR Perspective serves as a bridge, allowing BT’s field marketing force to stay in front of key prospects with shared values. A typical scenario: BT’s CSR executive reaches out through social media channels to counterparts at prospect’s organization and arranges a sales meeting with a prospect’s CSR exec and CFO. Thanks to relationships like these, when prospects need connectivity, BT is on the short list.

Sun Microsystems Social Media Marketing Case Study

I hope you had a great weekend and a romantic Valentine's day! As you know, I've been posting my firm's new social media marketing case studies for everyone to read, learn from and talk about. This week I'd like to showcase one that combines lead generation, the SMB market and is really production promotion focused. Hard to do with social media you say? Well, read on...

(As always, I'd love hear your thoughts- leave a comment if you have a moment...)

Situation

Best known for enterprise-level databases and servers, Sun Microsystems needed to promote its new Amber Road line of less-expensive, open-source storage software.

Goal

Sun wanted to reach small and mid-size businesses with 200 to 2,000 employees, but didn’t want to waste time and money on potential prospects who might have no need for the new software. Also, the modestly priced product could not justify a traditional advertising or direct marketing effort.

Solution

Strategic created “Open Road to Savings” where participants could share ideas for small and mid-size firms to save money. While all content was free, access to premium content required registration—for example, to receive an e-book or attend a webinar.

Results

By showing interest, registrants enabled Sun to focus on only the best prospects for Amber Road. Now Sun distributes an ongoing flow of quality leads to its network of value-added resellers (VARs).

Here is a link to the whole case study, along with links to the various web sites: http://gotostrategic.com/site/index.php/site/cases/sun_microsystems/

Monster Social Media Marketing Case Study

As part of my regular Monday morning social media marketing case study series, I'd like to share another one focused on the public sector- Monster.com. But it's not what you think...

I'd love hear your thoughts- leave a comment if you have a moment...

Situation

Best known for Monster.com, the online site for job seekers, Monster also has a huge business in selling proprietary job market data and trends to businesses and government agencies – for example, economic development offices in government and higher education providers both need to know what kind of training is needed, and where it’s needed most.

Goal

Monster wanted to expand its data business. However, a traditional marketing campaign risked confusing audiences about its primary brand.

Solution

Strategic’s “Unleash the Monster” campaign is an under-the-radar sales channel, allowing the Monster team to provide helpful information to federal and state/local/educational clients. The program includes an online community for sharing ideas and successes.

Results

Monster quickly became known as the primary resource for employment-related educational and training issues. The campaign has expanded via a B2G social media portal, as well as the cultivation of user generated content.

Here is a link to the whole case study, along with links to the various web sites: http://gotostrategic.com/site/index.php/site/cases/monster/

Microsoft Social Media Marketing Case Study

Turns out I'm making a regular thing out of posting my firm's new social media marketing case studies each week. The first one I posted was about our work for British Telecom and the second focused on BearingPoint. This week, I think, we'll turn our attention to Microsoft. Yes, Microsoft.

Still unconvinced about the ROI of social media? Especially as it pertains to the public sector? Well, the wizards of Redmond looked into it- and they funded this program...

What do you think? I'd love hear your thoughts- leave a comment if you have a moment...

Situation

With revenue shrinking and demand for services growing, governments must do more with less—including software. This threatens Microsoft’s public sector market for software licenses.

Goal

Microsoft wanted to engage government agencies nationwide. While it’s relatively easy to focus marketing efforts on high-population states, it’s much more difficult and expensive to reach the entire country.

Solution

To efficiently reach a geographically dispersed audience, Strategic and Microsoft developed a “Bright Side of Government” program to showcase best practices in the use of information technology (IT) by government. Elements included a social media portal, Twitter stream, blog, and user-generated videos, which also appeared on a “Government Star” channel on YouTube.

Results

Microsoft’s “Bright Side” content shows agencies how to get more use from existing software licenses—a free benefit. This gives Microsoft a sales opening to show how spending a little more on new licenses can yield a lot more functionality—a value proposition that boosts sales.

Here is a link to the whole case study, along with links to the various web sites: http://gotostrategic.com/site/index.php/site/cases/microsoft/

BearingPoint Social Media Marketing Case Study

Last Monday, I shared one of Strategic's new social media case studies (British Telecom) for marketers in the B2B and B2G area. It was a great example of how to use social media for business applications like supporting the large enterprise sales cycle and establishing a thought leadership position.

This week, I'd like to shine a spotlight on BearingPoint and its work in the Business-to-Government (B2G) market.

What do you think? I'd love hear your thoughts- leave a comment if you have a moment...

Situation

A large management consulting firm, BearingPoint had $1.3B in public services business alone. Yet competitors were even larger, with more sales reps and more resources.

Goal

BearingPoint wanted to align itself with Government 2.0, the U.S. government’s ongoing initiative to provide more services online. Ultimately, the company sought to penetrate new agencies for its consulting business.

Solution

Strategic helped BearingPoint develop a “New Thinking in Government” program that demonstrated leadership. Tactics included GovTwit, a directory of government executives using social media, which quickly became the “go to” site for finding such savvy execs.

In addition, a series of “New Thinking” videos featured BearingPoint executives in Washington D.C. locations familiar to the audience. Strategic linked viewership of the videos with a telemarketing campaign to key prospects.

Results

GovTwit quickly grew so popular that it became a traditional PR story in its own right, further boosting awareness of BearingPoint.

The “New Thinking” videos and telemarketing follow-up achieved their goal of opening doors to new prospects. The resulting business lunches yielded new relationships and new sales. The New Thinking video campaign has also been recognized as a finalist in three award categories by the Information Technology Services Marketing Association (ITSMA).

Here is a link to the whole case study, along with links to the various web sites: http://gotostrategic.com/site/index.php/site/cases/bearingpoint/