Col Voce Consulting: Strategy Studies

Exton, PA | P: 610.594.0595 | F: 610.594.0248 | info@colvoce.com

The starting point of any plan is the
most crucial element to a successful strategy.

See how these clients transformed their business
by understanding the core need.

Bell Atlantic
Day-Timers
ARAMARK
Camp Joy

Bell Atlantic Caller ID

Bell Atlantic changed from selling a product to filling a customer need.

Prior to 1994, Bell Atlantic (now Verizon) offered its many services to their customers in terms of functionality. What the product or service does. Working with Bell Atlantic we formulated new positioning statements for their key services, translating function into benefit.

	Old:	Caller ID is a service which displays the incoming phone number on a device attached to your telephone.
	New:	Know who’s calling before you pick up the phone with Caller ID.

Results:

	•	New customer segments evolved because they applied the real benefit to their daily lives.
	•	The brand image shifted to helpful, caring. Creative materials (mail, TV, bill inserts) portrayed Bell Atlantic as filling needs for their customers.
	•	Customer Service telephone representatives felt good about upselling customers to the service, because they were solving a problem rather than selling a product.

PRODUCT FUNCTION CUSTOMER BENEFIT

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Day-Timers

Day-Timers developed a new customer base by adjusting an outdated image.

An established successful brand, Day-Timers was seeking a way to expand their target base. Recognizing that their tagline and core message was focused on business image – Solutions for Success – we recommended a positioning shift to “success on my terms”. The customer need was time. Business people felt out of control, with no time left for themselves or their families. What Day-Timers really delivered was time. Time management. Time for what you want in life.

	Old:	Solutions for Success™
	New:	It’s all about you.™

Results:

	•	The women’s market and work-at-home segments opened up, driving new revenue channels and product development.
	•	Creative materials focused on the benefits of more time – baseball games with children, reading on the beach – successful yet satisfied individuals.
	•	Tested thoroughly through research and in-market executions, the focus on time rejuvenated their brand and became the driving factor for growth.

NARROW “ME” BENEFIT BROAD “US” BENEFIT

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ARAMARK

Four companies reaching similar target markets in the apparel industry, offering distinct products or services, merge as ARAMARK Uniform Career and Apparel. Under a new banner, ARAMARK launched a nationwide program showcasing a customer-focused sales strategy within their complex multi-company, multi-layered sales environment.

	Old:	Four companies with individual selling strategies, sales teams and processes – serving overlapping markets
	New:	One company offering a consultative sales process – to serve all uniform and apparel needs for their combined customer and prospect base

Challenge: To coordinate the new sales process and communicate the improved benefits to the right targets within a seamless, closed-loop communication, reporting and sales management structure

Strategy:

	•	Engage a new data targeting methodology which delivered a view to the overlapping customer penetration for base analysis
	•	Set value propositions and ownership business rules – to guide lead generation and follow-through action steps
	•	Benchmark measurement metrics for improvements in revenue, time and processing
	•	Craft a manageable lead generation flow complete with sales collateral, direct mail and telemarketing materials, scripts, timing, tracking, hand-off and closure

Results:

•

An 85% increase in sales effectiveness

DISPARATE EFFORTS SEAMLESS SUCCESS

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Camp Joy

Camp Joy achieved their funding goal by establishing an emotional link.

Camp Joy provided residential summer camping for severely mentally and developmentally disabled individuals. As the only overnight camping program in the region they were limited by renting facilities. Suddenly given an opportunity to purchase a long unused camp site they required immediate and significant funding. We crafted an extensive brochure and funding materials designed to connect the target with the end user.

The strategy – create a compelling, comprehensive brochure. Unfold the need as a story with the campers as the heroes, using amateur “snapshots” of real campers enjoying this unique experience. Credibility, financial plans, donation requests were incorporated, but took a back seat to emotion – pure joy on camper’s faces.

Results:

	•	Funding was secured within two months of the brochure’s completion.
	•	The camp was purchased and renovated for their special needs one year ahead of schedule.
	•	Six years later, the program almost tripled the number of campers served (over 500), and expanded into two special needs programs.

FUNDING APPEAL EMOTIONAL APPEAL

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