Customers as Advocates – View from the Business Partner

1. Customers as Advocates – View from the Business Partner Jon Milward, Head of Marketing & Partnerships www.northdoor.co.uk Jon.milward@northdoor.co.uk

2. Agenda • Overview of Northdoor • Marketing Strategy • Customers as advocates • Nurturing advocates • Summary

3. Northdoor plc • IT Consultancy founded in 1989 • 110 people, £25m turnover • Based in City of London • Primarily Insurance, Banking and Professional Services clients • Serve two distinct market segments • Small & medium businesses • Enterprises

4. Integrated Solutions • Mid-market Systems Integrator • Consultancy • Application Development • Managed Services • Infrastructure (cloud, hybrid, on-premise) • Sell to the business, and IT • Microsoft is the primary vendor partner • Services business

5. Enterprise Solutions • Data Solutions for Enterprises • Store IT • Use IT • Protect IT • Sell to IT • IBM is the primary vendor partner • Product business

6. Marketing • Objectives • Create opportunity • Support the conversion to won business • Company • Company level value propositions • Integrate & support the offerings to the two market segments • Integrated Solutions • Value propositions to small and mid sized businesses • Enterprise Solutions • Value propositions to enterprises

7. Marketing mix • Collateral • White papers, brochures, video clips • Case studies • Press, awards, analyst reports, vendor recognition • Web • Create opportunity – SEO (adwords & organic) e.g. Sanctions • Support sales – credibility • Events • Northdoor – e.g. NdexInsure • Vendor – e.g. Gartner BI Conference • Webinars

9. Marketing mix • Direct mail • E-mail, often as a series using collateral • Telemarketing follow up • PR • Journalist briefings, news jacking, press releases, media round-tables (e.g. WeWorkEverywhere) • Analyst relations • Round tables and briefings • Social media • Twitter, LinkedIn

11. Integrated campaigns • Property Services sector – Managed Services • Direct mail campaign with TM follow up • Vertical specific story over 3 months • White paper and case studies • Press coverage • Web content • PR • Advertorials in Estates Gazette / Property Week • Customer interviews and white paper • Panel event

12. Winning new business Attract the customer’s attention Convince them you have a solution to their problem Convince them you are good at what you do

13. Customers as advocates Customers are the best people to persuade prospects that you are good at what you do • Reference call or visit • Case study • Quotes • Press interviews • Speaking at events • Vendor accreditations

14. Why do customers help us with this? We have done a good job for them They like us, and want to see us do well They (personally or company) like the publicity Project, technology, vendor SEO, press

15. What do we do to nurture advocates? • Do a good job • Speak to them regularly • Invite them to relevant events • Send them relevant content • Explain the importance of our request • Share the success that they have helped us achieve • Awards dinner • Microsoft Gold accreditation

16. Summary • Objectives of marketing • Marketing mix and integrated campaigns • Customer advocacy is key • Convincing the prospect you are good at what you do • Nurturing advocates