Client Profile
Product: Telecommunications
Market: Business/Consumer
Position: Startup

The Assignment:
When Company Z first contacted PH&A, the Southern California Start-up had developed a variety of revolutionary, six-line business and personal phones that could be easily installed in by the owner without having to call the phone company. Company Z originally planned to market its product through a traditional network of distributors, independent representatives and regional dealers. The firm hoped to become a national competitor in the fast-paced communications industry within a year.

The Method:
PH&A developed an integrated marketing plan designed to ensure both quick market entry and long-term viability for Company Z. The effort included planning and consultation, market profiling, end user lead generation and dealer recruitment, sales and marketing controls and collateral material production. PH&A fashioned a dual-market strategy. Large business accounts would be sold on a direct basis while a regional network of dealers would be recruited to sell to smaller business and consumers. Additionally, PH&A identified eight major metropolitan zones for the initial marketing thrust and a targeted audience of direct mail prospects within each market. Once all sales materials were ready and the sales organization was in place, three series of three 80,000-unit direct mail programs were dropped in a tightly scheduled nine week period. Furthermore, PH&A researched and opened regional offices, established sales territories, recruited, hired and trained sales personnel, developed standard operating procedures for the sales department and implemented an enterprise-wide software-based sales contact manager to assign, track and fulfill incoming leads. Finally, PH&A conducted extensive research into the type of sales support necessary to make Company Z competitive in the telecommunications industry. Using that information, PH&A conceived and produced a range of collateral materials including product packaging, a full-color company book, product manuals, specification sheets, dealer support packages, space advertisements, dealer agreements, point-of-sale materials and business forms.

The Result:
In the first month of the dealer recruitment campaign, Company Z signed over 500 regional dealers and contacted hundreds of interested dealer prospects. Results to the PH&A lead generation campaign resulted in over 6,000 high-quality dealership and product leads. Within five months, Company Z was established as a nationwide telecommunications firm with a cost-to-coast dealer network and a strong base of direct salespeople.

Due to Z's successful start-up, the company was able to secure a large multinational account at a substantial profit just 3 ½ years after its initial launch.