Customer success story

B2B Marketing Case Study



Telemarketing delivers 15% uplift in submissions for B2B Marketing Awards.

 
Established in 2004, B2B Marketing is the number one go-to resource for B2B marketers across the globe. It provides a focal point for the B2B marketing sector, and a force for greater connectivity, enabling marketers and leaders to share experiences and learn from one another. B2B Marketing has offices in both central London and Downtown Chicago, plus a network of more than 100 global contributors. The B2B Marketing Awards are one of a number of high-profile annual events hosted by the team.
 

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Campaign objective and project background

 
The B2B Marketing Awards are open to anyone working in B2B marketing globally, in particular client-side marketers, agencies, PR agencies and vendors.  A well-established, prestigious event, they provide the opportunity for brands and individuals to boost their credentials, raise their profile and expand their network of key industry leaders and influencers.

The B2B Marketing Awards is a large and mature product, which had seemed to have reached a plateau in growth.
Founder B2B Marketing



 
Whilst the Awards are the biggest in the B2B sector, with 1000+ submissions and around 800 attendees at the black-tie awards ceremony, B2B Marketing wanted to ensure that, in their fifteenth year, the awards were more successful than ever. They felt that a direct channel, such as telemarketing, would be helpful in securing submissions and providing insight into the motivations of those submitting entries. They engaged The Telemarketing Company (TTMC), with whom they had worked previously, to carry out a calling campaign with the objective of generating a 10% increase in awards submissions. The goal was to make sure those who had registered interest were fully prepared and aware for when the submissions went live, to minimise lateness and reduce the number of submissions abandoned due to lack of time.
 

Project execution

 
The TTMC team was briefed on the proposition in terms of the B2B Marketing brand and the B2B Awards themselves. They were tasked to call a database of those who had registered interest in making a submission, nurture that interest and provide additional information to guide them through the submissions process, at the same time gathering insight into the overall status of the pipeline. The list was a mix of individuals from different sized organisations and with different levels of seniority, from marketing executives in large businesses to managing directors of smaller organisations.
 
Whilst callers were briefed on the many benefits of entry, such as career advancement, new business generation and increased exposure (Awards judges are senior marketers from leading brands such as Adobe and Microsoft), B2B Marketing did not want a ‘sales-led’ call. They wanted a professional and courteous approach to ensure individuals had the information they needed, were clear on the timeline and felt secure in following the submissions process. Telemarketing was part of an integrated mix of promotional channels that included email, social media, web and direct mail.

 
Results

 
1790 outbound calls were made over a five-week period and 155 conversations took place with individuals who had expressed interest in submitting an entry for the B2B Marketing Awards.
 
73% of those spoken to confirmed that they would be entering and information was sent out to 39 of those, who needed to firm up their understanding of the submissions process.
 
Against a target of 10%, the campaign has delivered an increase of 15% in the number of submissions versus the prior year when a different agency carried out the work. Results have exceeded client expectations and have laid the foundations for what promises to be the most successful Awards year yet.
 

As a result of the campaign, we now plan to repeat. We’d have no hesitation in recommending TTMC
Founder, B2B Marketing