///partner programs
//and reference marketing
Marketing with reference customers
The fact that marketing and sales are now very close is particularly evident in the growing interest in making optimal use of references. The potential and range of possibilities are enormous. From video pitches and LinkedIn teasers to complete newsletter campaigns with customised landing pages, we have tried almost everything. In eight years of experience with reference customer programmes, we have developed a keen sense of what really works.
01
Short and effective
References are sometimes referred to as the “best salespeople.” But what can you do if they look tired? Our advice: use the attention-grabbing power of videos. The example above is part of a series designed for LinkedIn and Twitter feeds. They are quick and easy to produce. With minimal effort, NetApp was able to harness the power of video using photos, quotes, and text.
02
A book? An entire book! Full of satisfied customers.
What is actually the most important moment in the entire sales process? Probably just before the decision is made? Suddenly, it's no longer about the solution, but about the collaboration and the question of whether you trust the provider. At NetApp, they put an entire book on the table and kindly note that they are happy to put you in direct contact with the relevant contacts, sorted by technology, industry, and region, upon request. We admit that a book like this is quite an undertaking. But it is also incredibly valuable at the decisive moment.
03
Poster: So behält man den Überblick
A reference program is most effective when it consists of a whole bouquet of ongoing measures. To ensure that it reaches the right audience, the sales team must be constantly reminded of it. For example, during coffee breaks, where a poster calendar can be used to draw attention to ongoing and completed activities.
04
"We need to update our references again..."
Ideally, account teams are busy closing deals and reluctant to provide the paperwork needed to make the most of a successful project. A multi-stage internal campaign that encourages a little competition acts as an accelerator. It was a nice coincidence that our client is the main sponsor of Ducati. This provided an eye-catching element. True to what is probably the most important motto in campaigns, “once is never enough,” we implemented numerous reminder and status emails as well as a changing landing page. This kept interest high throughout the weeks of the campaign.
05
Every beginning...
And how do you launch a programme like this? Our client Trend Micro thought that a completely honest invitation would be a good idea. With the almost incomprehensible growth in cybercrime prevention tasks, customers can only benefit from regular exchanges and personal events. That's why reference customers are turned into a ‘club of like-minded people’. A conscious decision was made to use a high-quality print product. After all, this is about something personal that should not run the risk of disappearing from the screen with a single click.
