Generated B2B leads targeted to heads of Human Resources at large hospitals in the US
UMR, previously known as Avidyn
The Objective
Make 2 qualified face-to-face appointments per week per sales person. Acquire 10 contracts worth an average of $100,000+ each with automatic annual renewals.
The Product
Self-insured employers purchased a preventive healthcare program designed to improve patient care outcomes and reduce the employer’s healthcare costs.
The Target Market
The initial target market consisted of heads of Human Resources at 1200 of the largest US hospitals.
The marketing rationale for selecting this target was that hospitals would then influence new large employer sales after experiencing the product first hand.
The Challenge
Generate quality face to face appointments with sales pitch resistant C-level executives
Secure one hour appointments without marketing support beyond the lead generation program
Deliver sufficient leads to support a small sales staff in generating $1 million in new sales for each sales person by Year's End
Previous digital only program failed by generating less than 3 leads after spending $120,000. (This was performed by an agency that we were not involved with.)
The Key Strategy
Use outbound telemarketing to set up appointments with C level executives in the nation’s largest hospitals and Third Party Administrators. Hospitals represented 80% of the targeted markets.
The Results
44 face to face appointments in a period of 10 weeks.
27 sales phone leads.
New contracts under negotiation and ready for signature stopped when the company pulled the plug on the product. The reason for the cancellation came about as a result of selling the company and closing the sale in the middle of the project. The program had another 45 days to go before completion.
The Program Evaluation
Lead flow surpassed projections by over 200% of the allowable cost per lead and program objectives.
For a total cost of under $75,000, this integrated marketing approach soundly beat the “Internet channel only” that cost nearly twice as much and garnered only 3 leads for $120,000.
If the program had gone unabated, it is estimated that the sales results would have exceeded the goal by at least 50%.
All of the planning, creative work, offer development, production, CRM software training, script development and vendor selection were handled by and reported to me. This placed the accountability for success within the hands of an experienced direct marketer.
The key element to success included the use of outbound telemarketing as the core medium to contact hard to reach senior executives.
All calls were preceded by a quality #10 personalized direct mail package that incorporated PURLS. (The targeted names received an additional direct mail package with a different main selling proposition if they did not initially agree to an appointment.) The PURL tactic integrated the Internet channel more fully in the process and automatically completed the prospect’s contact information after entering the landing page. The landing page offered the respondents an option to make their appointments directly online.