Background
REA – Career + Relocation Coaching for Well-being has a long history of providing support services to those navigating career-related changes, including coaching to partners and families of relocating Fortune 100 executives. The firm recognized the need to expand its audience in response to a changing market. Loraine Kasprzak was engaged as a fractional CMO in the fall of 2023 by President Lynn Wagner and Patti Cucci, VP of communication and technology solutions, to help REA promote its coaching services to a broader client base.
Challenges
REA has long been known as a leader in the relocation space and continues to have a presence there. However, based on changes in the relocation market and expanding needs and opportunities among smaller companies and human resource organizations (HROs), REA saw a need to capitalize on its longstanding expertise in coaching. Company leadership also wanted to expand on and promote other existing services—which had not been emphasized in its prior marketing—to new clientele.
“We needed solid marketing that shows our capabilities [in larger commercial projects] and our ability to compete with larger firms. Loraine helped ensure we were targeting more accurately as we cast a wider net.”
– Lynn Wagner, President
The Project
As a fractional CMO, Loraine collaborated with the REA leadership team and their sales and business strategy consultant to ensure all sales and marketing efforts were aligned and on target as the company directed its efforts at new client types. With whom to engage and how was the focus of the collaboration.
- Loraine helped REA develop messaging to target small and mid-sized businesses that needed outplacement support.
- She identified REA’s ideal clients, assessed their needs, and provided guidance on developing relevant messaging across the company’s website and social media accounts.
- A branding exercise helped the REA leadership team make minor shifts in how its message was to be communicated.
- In support of REA’s sales activities, Loraine introduced Lynn and Patti to two HROs and a third potential partner.
Results
Benefits of working with a fractional CMO
REA gained enhanced messaging, sales tools, content guidance, and connections. Loraine’s fresh perspective on the business enabled her to identify opportunities to augment REA’s marketing strategy and concentrate her efforts where they were needed most. The REA team was then able to focus on the marketing activities that were most efficient and productive for them. Among the tactics:
- A company sales sheet was redesigned to focus its messaging on what clients are seeking from the firm, and why to choose REA. The team plans to extend the new messaging to all sales collateral and digital marketing channels going forward.
- Through a connection made with one of Loraine’s HRO clients, REA was invited to write a blog article with a complimentary checklist for that company’s newsletter. REA created a dedicated landing page on its website for the HRO. It included the giveaway, directed at outplacement professionals and companies going through layoffs.
- Loraine also provided REA with sales email scripts and coaching on sales engagement and follow-up. REA now has the foundation for an email drip campaign to its new target audience.
- Further, she provided Patti with access to a sales communications course as additional support.
“We were able to tap into a wealth of knowledge affordably and within our schedule and timeline. To access this kind of expertise is the way to go for small companies,” said Lynn.
“Subtle changes can have a big impact,” adds Patti. “Getting that marketing tune-up has major value.”
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