Case Studies
“Problems can become opportunities when the right people come together.” – Robert South
Client Revolving Door Threatens to Impact Firm’s Reputation and Employee Morale
Problem
A department within a large regional accounting firm experienced high growth, but clients were leaving the firm as fast as they were showing up. In addition, those that were staying were not a fit for the group, which caused team morale to plummet.
Opportunity
During an off-site strategic session, the group turned the problem into an opportunity. After looking at the team dynamics, the group decided to: 1. Change departmental client acquisition goals and 2. Raise client service standards.
Solution
Rapid Success Partners identified key gaps in the ideal client profile. A new ideal client profile was created during the session, which strengthened every team member’s ability to recognize an ideal client. Strategies to refer non-ideal clients were developed. In addition, the department was encouraged to increase performance standards, increase the overall departmental revenue goal (which provided an invigorating challenge to team members), and to be more specific about which clients were a fit so that other departments within the firm could be better at signing clients that were a better match for the department.
Results
The department grew dramatically over the next few years and client attrition declined. Individual client value within the department increased, and engagement size increased. Team member morale improved and employee attrition declined. Within five years, the department grew so large, the partners of that group formed their own new firm.
“Everything must evolve or else must perish.” – John Knowles, author, A Separate Peace
Established Family Business Redefines the Company for a New Generation
Problem
A family business’s sales were declining and clients were fragmented across 23 different industries making targeted marketing and leverage nearly impossible.
Opportunity
The junior executives realized that this was the perfect time to transition key senior executives and re-think the entire business rather than trying to re-work or fix the current business model.
Solution
Rapid Success Partners identified the key driver of the overall decline – lack of engagement. The senior executives were already transitioning mentally (and physically) but the baton had not been passed ‘officially’ to the junior executives. The junior executives, without a true role to play, were disengaged. The culture reflected this lack of engagement. The sales team, without guidance from the senior executives, began to drift, and disrespect settled in toward the junior executives.
The company was provided an extensive report of findings and recommendations, including: 1. Identify a new target market (this was identified by looking at key criteria of the clients across industries to identify the types of clients who were buying), 2. Determine which junior executives would fill which roles, 3. Infuse new energy and passion into the organization, beginning with the company’s leaders, 4. Establish a new commitment to culture, which included respect, and 5. Increase organizational goals to challenge the team.
Results
With the real culprit behind the decline in sales and the lack of focus in sales identified, the team could choose a true target market. The junior executives made key decisions, including hiring a new key member of management. This allowed the existing junior members to focus on passionate projects, which also contributed to the bottom line. Senior executives successfully transitioned and exited. Marketing received an infusion of new energy, and sales began to climb. The company hit many ‘all-time’ high revenue goals, and enjoyed one of its highest revenue-producing years.
“I always tried to turn every disaster into an opportunity.” – John D. Rockefeller
Professional Association Increases Membership By Rebranding and Aligning to Member Values
Problem
A large domestic professional membership organization began to lose long-time members, and new member acquisition was at a stand-still with no new members joining in the prior five years.
Opportunity
The organization, though it was part of a larger multi-national organization that was more than a century old, had not ever surveyed members to gather information about client satisfaction. The vision, mission and values were ripe to be updated.
Solution
Rapid Success Partners tailored a client satisfaction survey process that would serve two goals: 1. It would work to gather information from members who had already exited to educate these clients about the new changes being implemented and to also offer a chance to re-sign them as members and 2. Gather relevant, pertinent information about the culture of the membership that would allow the organization to re-brand, re-position and also re-invigorate the membership.
Results
The survey results were the foundation of re-branding the organization. Fifty-percent of the members who had exited came back. The organization grew exponentially, increasing revenue by 300% over the next three years. The membership more than doubled in the same time. Work between the member organizations (this was just one of the organizational goals identified in the survey) increased by 1000%, which increased membership value.
Local Vet Increases Clients and Marketing Reach Through SEO and Automated SEM Strategy
Problem
A large veterinary clinic and animal hospital’s new client acquisition rate had leveled off and reached it’s peak using traditional marketing methods. They were generating an average of 55 new clients per month.
Opportunity
Our client realized that the traditional marketing methods they’d depended on for many years were no longer working. They decided that they wanted to incorporate an online marketing strategy to 1) increase the number of new clients every month, 2) show up on the first page of Google, 3) create a database of prospects they could later send emails to, and 4) manage their online reputation.
Solution
Rapid Success Partners identified the four key areas that we believed would help them meet their goals. We focused on were Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Marketing, Email Marketing and Google Places Optimization and created a customized online marketing strategy to address the goals they wanted to meet. They decided to keep their current website. We optimized it, focusing on keywords derived in a detailed analysis. The website was integrated with other key SEO websites. To entice people to share their email address, we developed an online customer interaction strategy. The strategy was translated to an automated marketing system that works without the owners or the owners’ staff’s time.
Results
When Rapid Success Partners started working with the client, the client was averaging about 55 new clients per month. Within 8 months they were averaging over 120 new clients per month. Within 4 months the client’s website was ranked #1 for many of the targeted keywords and their Google Places page was also ranked #1. Their email marketing system continued to work for them, increasing the number of prospects in their database. The social media marketing plan helped them to manage their online reputation as well as build a community of people that know, like and trust them.
Restaurant Boosts Online Orders Through Social Media and Client Interaction Strategy
Problem
A New York diner had an online ordering system that wasn’t being utilized by the majority of their customers, resulting in minimal sales.
Opportunity
Our client wanted to increase their online sales in his local area utilizing online marketing strategies.
Solution
Rapid Success Partners determined that Social Media Marketing was the best way to increase online sales and manage the diner’s online reputation. Although the client had a website, the URL for the ordering system was difficult to find. Rapid Success Partners developed a more user-friendly website that highlighted the online ordering system to make it easier for their customers and visitors to find. For their online marketing strategy we decided to focus on Social Media Marketing. The client focused on 3 key objectives to achieve: 1) increase online sales, 2) manage their online reputation, 3) create a community of loyal followers located in their local area.
Results
Online sales increased more than 21% in less than 30 days. The client was able to handle any comments about their customer service, food, pricing, etc. and nip them in the bud, often offering free gift certificates. Angry and frustrated customers turned into loyal and happy customers. A regular social media promotion ensures predictable sales for the diner.
Improved Online Recruiting Efforts Increases Sales
Problem
An insurance telesales company was overwhelmed at the amount of time it took to generate and process their recruiting candidates who came in from their online recruiting efforts. The system to move them through their selection funnel was outdated, slow and cumbersome.
Opportunity
Our client wanted to automate and systematize their online recruiting efforts so they could increase the amount of sales agents attending their weekly sales workshops while decreasing the amount of time spent selecting those they would hire.
Solution
Rapid Success Partners created an online system that simplified the client’s workload and increased their workshop attendee rates. We launched a website that focused on educating and leading sales recruits through the recruit process utilizing an online sales funnel. The prospective recruits were screened and placed into an automated email marketing system that provided all the details the recruit needed to attend a workshop. This entire process was automated.
Results
Since launching their website, our client more than doubled their recruiting efforts (all automated) and this, in turn, doubled the number of sales agents attending their weekly sales workshops. The company increased qualified hires from 8-10 recruits per week to 15-20 recruits per week. Their website was also ranked on #4 on Google’s first page for their targeted keyword within 3 weeks. This gave them the opportunity to continue to grow and attract new recruits.