The following is a brief description of consulting projects that are typical assignments.

Call or e-mail John M. Coe to discuss your needs and/or request a proposal.

DATABASE DIRECT MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

Business marketing campaigns are increasingly deploying direct marketing media (mail, e-mail and telephone) to reach targeted audiences in an effort to generate inquiries, leads and sales. SMI works with clients to develop the overall marketing strategy, market segmentation matrix, key selling messages, compelling offers, integration and contact sequence of the media that when combined will drive cost-effective results. Implementation of the campaign plan is achieved most often by SMI working with the client's agency and/or internal resources. In some situations, SMI will implement the campaign depending on client resources, timing and need. Specific areas of expertise are as follows:

• Campaign strategy and planning
• Targeting and segmentation of the market
• Development of offer strategies
• Identification of testing variables and test matrix
• Media sequence and frequency plan
• Creative - direct mail and e-mail
• Feedback, measurement and post campaign analysis

B2B DATA AND DATABASE DEVELOPMENT

The critical element in successful campaigns is the quality and accuracy of business data. As much as 75% of the success of any B2B direct marketing campaign is dependent on the data used to target and communicate to the market. The first step in obtaining quality data is a profiling and segmentation process that identifies the most important target audiences and data elements for inclusion in the database. List research and data merging typically follows, and usually include client's internal data "silos". Process steps normally include:

• Profiling of customer and/or prospect files
• File enhancement with outside demographic data elements
• Segmentation and cluster analysis
• Data definitions
• Merging of internal data silos to create marketing databases
• Data verification and enhancement
• List research and acquisition

LEAD PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

For most companies the role of the marketing communications department starts with inquiry generation and ends with the hand-off to sales. This "lead" process is frequently in need of substantial process improvement. SMI works with clients to identify gaps in this critical marketing area, and then provides recommendations to improve the overall sales opportunity development process. SMI recognizes that the sales opportunity development area is complex in both the span of functions within an organization and the interface required with direct sales and/or business partner/distributor organizations. Typical areas of engagement are:

• Development of inquiry generation campaigns
• Lead qualification criteria and methods to qualify leads
• Lead development process implementation
• Opportunity hand-off and feedback systems
• Integration of sales and business partners
• Measurements systems

SMI consulting projects start with an initial meeting, where the overall need and background is provided that then points to the project objectives. The next step is a thorough proposal that outlines the approach that will be employed to achieve the project objectives. A budget range is also estimated. At that time, an approval to proceed is required before any project billing is begins. Most consulting engagements require a pre-billing amount to be paid. Subsequent billing is at month's end and will reconcile any pre-billed amount. SMI only bills clients for work performed. All time and expense records are made available upon request.