Market Works International has served the needs of companies and organizations in a variety of industries.
Apparel Case Study #1
Turned a market weakness into a sales strength by strategically positioning an importer of children’s wear as the design trend-setter for the spring/summer season and parlaying that strength into a new line, which co-opted competitive share for the fall season among sunbelt store locations, generating incremental revenue.
Developed a "Sales Accelerator" program to increase revenue by targeting key retailers with a program that incentivizes their buyers to commit to higher order volumes by generating a 50% increase in the average purchase at register. This program offers a double benefit in as much as it is redeemable off-invoice for the next order, not only ensuring a re-order sooner, but reinforcing the purchase decision by visually demonstrating the company’s performance.
Apparel Case Study #2
Established a startup luxury custom swimwear manufacturer as credible, arranging for reliable manufacturing, central ordering, and fulfillment. Established pricing and limited-edition lines that were included in award show “swag bags” for celebrity endorsement. Confirmed sales and distribution capability by showcasing product at appropriate trade shows – selling product on the floor – and established the line with an upper end specialty apparel retailer. All of this preparation allowed the company to create a strong business plan to raise funding.
Economic Development
Engaged by the Membership Services Division of the Chamber of Commerce charged with helping retail businesses maintain and expand their enterprises in order to preserve their viability and continue to serve the community residents and visitors. Market Works developed and conducted a research program (i.e., a combination of qualitative, focus groups; and quantitative, mail surveys) designed to elicit attitudes and opinions from residents, visitors and non-visitors which has resulted in programmatic marketing recommendations designed to help those businesses generate traffic to their stores.
Cruise Line
Worked with in-house staff to guide them in the development of the marketing strategy and direction, and ultimately the production of a marketing plan. The specific challenge was to find a way to allow the Line to successfully transition to newer vessels and attract the appropriate target audience necessary to fill those new vessels, without jeopardizing the existing customer base and revenue streams necessary to continue deploying the organization’s "classic" fleet. Part of the assignment was to train and empower existing personnel throughout the exercise to ensure ownership and secure implementation of the final product.
Financial
Developed strategic direction and a communications package designed to deliver third party "sell through" for the company’s national wholesale product via banks, realtor offices and builders. Designed a program to increase transactional business penetration through a third-party sales force, including a written guide to initiating business programs. Re-evaluated strategic direction, re-focused business priorities and provided management oversight for a subsidiary company, to help them establish and maintain upside results.
Pharmaceuticals (Animal)
Major International Air Carrier
Conducted a research study of current airline customers, which provided insights that allowed us to design effective programs that will not only generate more customers while capturing a larger share of business from existing and potential purchasers. Based on that research we initiated a proposal designed to create programs to address and improve the airline’s relationship and effectiveness with the travel trade. At the airline’s invitation we have since presented this initiative to their sales management team, who endorsed it. (We also conducted annual research on the Airline’s behalf with Travel Agents nationally).
Not-For-Profit Museum
Our business relationships are defined by our ability to add value to efforts we strongly believe in. We were hired initially to prepare a financial viability study and coordinate the search for a permanent home for the Museum, (the latter of which involved presenting the institution as a resource on which local communities offered bids). The Board was so satisfied with the initial results that Market Works was retained to conduct a Staffing Analysis and Plan that gave the Executive staff the ability to prepare to staff and fund the growth they will need for their new facility. As part of the charge of our ongoing relationship to support the Museum’s financial viability, we authored a revenue-driven marketing and communications plan that helped this not-for-profit organization coincidentally generate the exposure and earned income through programs that we initiated and implemented on their behalf.
Publishing
Based on proprietary quantitative research that we designed, Market Works developed a program designed to increase business for the publisher’s flagship magazine with top existing and potential customers to identify motivations key to future purchase behavior applicable to building market share. From that study we recommended redesign of their sales materials, crafted both a marketing strategy for the publication, and recommended sales strategies to help grow incremental business.
Retail
To help create economies for a specialty store chain, we created an umbrella marketing plan for all locations in multiple cities, which included an analysis of their profitability across all product lines. This gave them the ability to leverage margin advantages for specific products in promotions and "bundling" of product to increase the average sale. We also shopped and analyzed their competition to give them the ability to present their goods in a way that was more consistent with their positioning as a "discount" store.
In addition, we created customer retention tools initiating a "loyalty program" designed to offset the incursions from competitors. This included a customer database with "VIP" designations, which allowed for segmentation of that database. That segmentation allowed them to react with specific product offers to customers through the mail, which proved not only cost effective, but also discouraged competitive shopping.
Retail Location
We did an analysis of household income levels within the mall’s trading area and determined that the existing market was too narrow to support the initial strategy of a facility dedicated exclusively to couture-level goods. We urged management to bring in branded store names and a "name" anchor to create a better mix without diminishing the upscale presentation.
In addition, we created a marketing plan that outlined all advertising and local area promotions, which allowed the management company to get buy-in from the tenants in order to coordinate their efforts and tie in as often as possible.
Technology – Live Trade Shows
Technology – Manufacturer
To help build brand visibility and expand the company’s sales network, Market Works secured over a hundred product demonstration opportunities with professional network integrators and technology re-sellers. To help build sales, we created a cause marketing program that rewarded participating associations with a percentage of member purchases for the association’s conservation efforts. To enhance marketplace credibility for the brand, we created a customer-based Advisory Board to review new product ideas, test new products, and provide product reviews that could be incorporated into press releases introducing new products. To graphically illustrate the variety of applications for the client’s products, we invited customers to submit their “installation stories” with both a description and images, which were formatted as case studies and featured in appropriate trade publications. To tap new markets, Market Works created prospecting lists for the client’s sales team.
