Enterprise Software Company Doubles Sales Leads Quarter after Quarter
Situation & Challenge
Xbridge Systems developed software that enabled Windows application to access mainframe data and to see the data in the format of the requesting applications (e.g., Excel).
This software competed with products from larger, better-funded and much better-known entities including IBM. The product was complex and the market limited to larger companies that had IBM S/390 and z/OS mainframes. The long sales cycle required buy-in from multiple departments in the organization.
The general IT media considered mainframes to be “old news,” choosing to focus on newer technologies. In the entire course of the PR program, the small, privately funded company had little news and only two clients who were willing to be press references, significantly reducing publicity potential. Adding to the challenge, Xbridge had a lawsuit pending against IBM for several years.
Goal
Xbridge needed to generate demand for its PC-to-mainframe software among Fortune 1,000 companies, specifically targeting:
- Mainframe IT personnel
- Other members of the IT staff
- Potential end-users of the product, who often were in the finance and accounting departments.
Approach
Working with the company management, Kay:
- Helped develop the differentiating messages.
- Prepared a comprehensive PR plan to guide activities.
- Wrote and distributed press materials, including news releases and application briefs.
- Developed story ideas and pitched them to selected editors.
- Helped develop five white papers.
- Wrote or edited seven contributed articles. Pitched and placed the articles in key magazines.
- Arranged interviews for the company spokesperson with editors and industry analysts.
- Monitored editorial calendars (listings of upcoming articles planned in magazines) for potential placement opportunities.
- Edited the Xbridge website.
Results
The PR program garnered substantive publicity in virtually all the technical press covering the market, as well as in key vertical-market publications, including:
- Computerworld
- Database Trends & Applications
- eAI Journal
- Information Week
- Insurance & Technology News
- Insurance Executive Technology
- Financial Executive
- Technical Support
- z/Journal
Impact
The white papers were an integral part of the lead-generation program, doubling leads each quarter for six consecutive quarters.
Client Testimonial
“In the past 13 years, Kay Paumier has worked with our marketing group in two different companies. The first was for four years and the recent engagement has been for 18 months. Kay has consistently excelled in capturing the essence of our ideas in all types of marketing pieces ranging from analyst briefings, technical articles, product data sheets, press releases, e-newsletters, and letters to customers and partners. Kay is very capable in focusing our message for the intended audience and has established a fine rapport with a broad range of analysts and editors. I look forward to engaging Kay in future opportunities.”
Chuck Roedel
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
