From suppliers to marketing

In the previous Industry Insight in this series, I looked at some of the key considerations in terms of getting transpromo working. They included creative design, a phased approach and measurement of transpromo campaigns.

In this Industry Insight, I will look at more of the hints and typical stumbling blocks that will either make transpromo work or fail.

When it comes to transpromo, no man is an island, and neither does any one company have all the required competencies. By way of example, a company may need to sell the idea into its target client organisation, which necessitates internal evangelism and change management.

The company may need to bring on board a strategic partner, which can set a long-term vision for both the company and its customers, as transpromo is never just about technology: rather, it is a matter of vision, strategy and execution.

A company may need a partner to assist with detailed planning, including budgeting, assessment and measurement. And it may need a data specialist, locally and offshore. The issue here is that it is not possible to have all these capabilities in-house, so it is best to bring existing and new suppliers on board and collaborate with them. This will significantly enhance the chances of success.

It should go without saying that marketing should be integral to the project, as transpromo should be driven by a team embracing marketing, sales and IT, but often it sits outside the purview of marketing. It could be driven, for instance, by a determined executive, or as part of an extended CRM initiative. Unless marketing is directly involved, chances are transpromo will not work. To take it one step further, marketing should be the overall custodians of transpromo.

This is the way it should always be with any complex or ambitious project: tackle the easy stuff first, and the tough stuff will become more manageable. Start with a relatively simple project - like working with a control group of customers who are likely to be receptive to transpromo, and then manage and measure the results. Then increase the complexity and risk in a phased approach, always measuring the returns. Starting with a relatively small control group is the only way to build a business case - anything bigger, and the company is asking for trouble.

When it comes to transpromo, no man is an island.

Konni Hoferichter is MD of LaserCom, a division of Bytes Technology Group.

In today's process-dominated world, where workflows and operational efficiency are core to business success, transpromo cannot be held ransom to the insistence to incorporate a transpromo initiative to the corporate standard business practice. To get transpromo off the ground, a company may need to think and step out of the box. Processes and workflow are there for a good reason, but a company may need to do transpromo manually if it wants to get it moving.

Chances are the data that is being used to power the billing and other mail deliverables through the company's mail house is adequate, with sufficient variables to drive a meaningful campaign. Remember, data is never perfect, so use what there is, and work with an external partner to segment the data in such a way as to provide meaningful and measurable results. Perfect, vast samples of data: that's for another time, another place, another purpose.

The broader a company goes, and the more divisions it involves, the more likely it is to obtain corporate buy-in. Go narrow and niche, and one or two divisions will benefit, and word of mouth will be limited. Involve more departments, and the company is likely to drive more value for the overall organisation.

Print and mail houses do this kind of thing on a daily basis. Try and replicate their function at significant cost, or tap into this experience. It's called outsourcing, and it is almost always the best business practice.