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Metmarine is a start-up company offering weather forecasting over mobile phones to yachtsmen around European waters. Casablanca Consulting assessed their business strengths and weaknesses, analysed the competition, and created pricing, distribution and promotions strategies as well as a fully costed Business Case in order for Metmarine to obtain the investment they needed. As a result of our Business Case and our contacts with Business Angel networks, Metmarine have been given an attractive offer that will fund their essential expansion..

 

 

 

GVC are a vending franchisor with a successful track record in the USA and Israel. They wanted to launch the concept in the UK but had run up against difficulties with the approach – the concept was just not attracting franchisees in the expected numbers. Casablanca Marketing™ advised GVC on the characteristics of the UK franchisee and end customer markets (the companies who site the vending machines), and came up with key messages for both groups. We then created the website structure and user flow, and all the copy for the website and three brochures. These are now proving considerably more attractive to the UK market than the originals.

 

 

 

In mid 2005 Indian software and Accounting company JKK decided to enter the UK market with cost-effective accounting services for industries with high volumes of low value receipts (such as restaurants), and for the accountants of such companies (providing a back-office function). The services would be carried out in the UK and India, and the customer interface would be automated using proprietary software developed specifically for the purpose.

 

Casablanca Marketing took on the Strategy and Project Management role for JKK, forming and leading a team of strategic and tactical marketers, accountants and software developers – all from different companies- as well as JKK representatives. The team operated on a virtual basis – each member working from his or her own offices, but with weekly project updates by phone conferencing and face to face meetings when needed.

 

Casablanca Marketing identified and sized both target markets and carried out competitor analysis before recommending service details, with an emphasis on customer service and hand-holding, pricing, and a communications strategy. Direct sales were recommended as the most appropriate channel for the Accounting market and a sales and customer services “departmental” structure was devised in conjunction with JKK.

 

The direct sales approach would be preceded by Direct Mail and informed telemarketing, which would also be used to raise awareness and interest in end- user markets such as restaurants. To ease the introduction and uptake of such a new concept in the traditionally conservative accounting market, parallel operating of JKK and traditional methods were proposed for 2 months to “prove” the accuracy of the service and to provide testimonials and case studies for future marketing.

 

JKK Global were delighted with the strategic and tactical recommendations, and implemented them using their in-house staff.

 

 

 

DQ Global Ltd are a successful data management company operating out of Fareham, Hants. In late 2006 they recognised that in their rapidly changing technology environment, they fell into a mid-sized bracket where the advantages of size could not be realised. They wanted to change this, and had plenty of good ideas but could not decide which of these was worth pursuing and which were not. They approached Casablanca Consulting after hearing Alison Lockyer speak about the use of strategic marketing methods to guide business strategy.

 

After carrying out desk research into the market and competitors for various related services, an all-day strategy workshop was arranged, and facilitated by us. The result was clarity, and common agreement between board members, as to which markets are the most attractive to DQ Global, which products and services offer the most potential, and what migration path DQ Global needs to take to be able to offer the target portfolio in a timely fashion.

 

 

Reality Telecom™ plc, a start-up company formed by entrepreneur Simon Slater-Thomas, were preparing to launch a revolutionary new concept in managing inbound telephone calls. The idea was that smaller businesses should get the benefits of a switchboard and IVR system in one – at a fraction of the cost of buying the usual hardware. It would all be achieved by using the internet.

 

The bare bones of the concept had been identified and built, but there was still a lot to do to make the product right for the SME market. Casablanca Marketing™ carried out a mixture of Strategy and Tactical activities to maximise the uptake of the service. After market analysis, the product mix and price points were adjusted to meet different sets of needs, advised on the website layout and navigation, and developed all the copy for it(www.call-navigator.co.uk). We also wrote the copy for their printed collateral, power-point presentations and advertising.

 

Visual design was achieved using an outsourced design agency with whom Casablanca Marketing™ has an ongoing relationship, and we also created the design guidelines. In addition, we worked with a London based PR company on Reality’s behalf, managing the relationship, drafting press releases and articles and offering guidance.

 

Sales were achieved via a distributed dealership, and Casablanca Marketing were appointed to manage the ongoing communications with the dealers to keep them up to date and to feed them with new ideas for promoting the products.

 

In the first year in which Casablanca Marketing™ were engaged by Reality Telecom, customer numbers rose form a few hundred to almost 2,500. A year later they topped 3,500.