Essential Marketing in a Crisis
Online platforms ensured continued reach
When New Zealand’s Covid alert levels enforcing a stop to face-to-face workshops for Kiwi businesses, the result was very disruptive for New Zealand’s industrial relations specialists, Adelhelm and Associates.
With physical restrictions squeezing the core of their workshop operations, they needed to act quickly to prevent significant financial loses and retain client relationships.
Partnering with Roger Roger, they worked to implement a new online strategy – pivoting towards more flexible online webinars, supported with emails and LinkedIn activity to drive awareness and registrations – ensuring Adelhelm and Associates were able to continue to deliver essential business insight and support to clients.
Strategies we implemented
Business & Marketing Strategy
Customer Database Segmentation
Email Marketing
LinkedIn Advertising
Online Webinars
Systems we used
With Covid restrictions significantly hampering Adelhelm and Associates’
business operations and acquisitions, Roger Roger strategized a swift round table marketing plan to secure continued service to clients countrywide.
Online on the frontline
Getting in front of clients – regularly – is essential to Auckland-based Adelhelm and Associates whose employment relations expertise are sought nationwide. With face-to-face workshops impossible under Covid Alert Levels 4 and 3, upping online communications to carry the business forward was essential.
Why a series of webinars? Because the platform was quick and easy to implement, while also allowing them to continue ‘face to face’ (albeit online) workshop activity. The added benefit with the new workshop model is that it allowed Adelhelm and Associates’ principal consultant, Anna Holmes, to reach a larger audience with targeted information, specific to all – not just individuals.
Roger Roger worked quickly, rolling out emails to Adelhelm and Associates’ client database, as well as actioning a targeted LinkedIn campaign, highlighting the webinar series’ unique point-of-position: gifting clients the opportunity to break free from isolation, and join with others to engage with essential expertise during these challenging times.
Marketing success was evident from the get-go, with activity resulting in…
%
clients registering for the first webinar session within 10minutes of receiving the email.
%
clients registering for the first webinar
%
clients attending the webinar on the day
“We were gobsmacked at just how quick the webinar uptake was,” says Anna. “I thought we may end up with two thirds of those registering actually tuning in on the day, but we had 87% of clients watching. It was fantastic.”
Strategising to meet expectations
Marketing to a larger pool of clients meant honing time – and content – specifics on the webinar platform or risk failing clients’ expectations. So, strategic planning was crucial. Investing half-day listening to someone speak – as per a traditional workshop platform – wouldn’t work.
“The 45minute structure was good for everyone – particularly when you’re sitting there watching someone speak to you without the interjections and questions you’d expect in face-to-face presentation,” explains Anna. “For the past six weeks many Kiwi businesses have been internally focused, having the opportunity to listen in on how other companies are faring and which industrial relation tactics they’re taking to weather through this crisis, is 45 minutes well spent.”
Online operations to complement face-to-face
Success was felt by all. Within minutes of the first webinar, Adelhelm and Associates received multiple thank you emails from clients and secured a services agreement from one business. Webinar sessions will now be a ‘new normal’ for Adelhelm and Associates’ marketing map – what began in a crisis has become a regular fixture.
“We had been in discussions with one particular client in February but it wasn’t until after they attended our first webinar session that they secured their contract then and there,” explains Anna. “That was a feel-good and big confidence boost too.”
Reaching out to clients via email campaign and webinar series hasn’t replaced Adelhelm and Associates’ need for face-to-face communications – it’s given them continued reach amidst the toughest of economic times.
With changes to the New Zealand economic landscape expected for some time, Adelhelm and Associates have found themselves in a better position to transition through challenging times and beyond, connecting with clients via traditional and online means – adjusting their annual projects to include webinar forums.
For example, their annual collective settlement survey – a half day update for clients in Auckland in July – will incorporate both face-to-face discussion and Q&A, and will be supplemented with a webinar to follow for those that can’t attend.
Written by: Cory Gordon
Cory will be your key contact for all things marketing.
With 20 years of marketing experience in businesses of all sizes, industries and segments (we’re talking SME, large global organisations, B2C, B2B, retail, education, automotive, and fashion), he has the ability to add real value across all levels of an organisation.
More than just a senior marketer, Cory is your general nice guy, he is a father and a husband, and a lover of all things Star Wars.
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