CASE STUDY
CBEYOND
Telecommunications
Digital marketing
Public relations
Atlanta-based Cbeyond was preparing to open a branch in Detroit, a city where the integrated telephone and internet services provider had relatively low brand awareness.
Nearly one-third of Cbeyond’s customers were acquired through referrals at the time. Because of this, there were two immediate needs: 1) secure channel partners and 2) generate brand recognition among regional prospects.
Cbeyond turned to Arketi Group to identify potential clients and key players in the market. Arketi was also tasked with helping the internet service provider increase its local brand value and share of voice.
With little time to spare, we began our work by creating an integrated marketing strategy to jumpstart Cbeyond’s Detroit market launch. Our discussions and initial workshops landed on a BIG IDEA: “The Small Business Makeover Contest.”
Our web-based contest, co-sponsored by Cisco Systems, offered local small businesses the opportunity to win $20,000 in Cbeyond services and technology. This helped Cbeyond get an immediate foot in the door with prospects and generate a robust slate of leads for those interested in its services.
In addition to full-page print ads in Crain’s Detroit Business, we leveraged radio spots on WSJ-AM and WCSX-FM to spread the word about Cbeyond’s contest. Arketi also developed an email marketing campaign targeting local chamber businesses, organizations and industry associations – which reached more than 25,000 small businesses in the Detroit area.
Finally, to better introduce Cbeyond to the community, then-Mayor of Farmington Hills Vicki Barnett and members of the media were invited to the launch event. This gave Cbeyond’s executives and local leadership an opportunity to engage directly with those community stakeholders who could connect them with prospects and customers.
What made this campaign so unique and powerful was the combination of public relations, marketing and advertising to create an event that funneled and focused all of our efforts into one area – our work even landed an interview for Cbeyond on Atlanta’s Fox 5 News.
small businesses reached
$MM
in sales
sales close rate
Stein Soelberg
Director of Marketing Communications
Cbeyond
As a result of Arketi’s integrated marketing efforts, Cbeyond was able to recruit more than 30 channel partners in the Detroit area. And, on top of its local success, Cbeyond standardized the campaign as its template for how it approaches new markets.
In total, the contest generated more than $1.5 million in sales for Cbeyond and more than $600,000 for its industry partner, Cisco.
The campaign also picked up a TAMY Award for technology marketing excellence from the Technology Association of Georgia.
WHERE MARKETING GENERATES REVENUE
When you work with Arketi Group, you collaborate with expert marketers, writers, designers and strategists to create transformative marketing programs that deliver real business value.
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