"Best-kept Secret" Now Widely-Regarded VAR
Business Challenge
To be known as a “best-kept secret” in business can be a double-edged sword, at least early on. Hang on to that reputation too long and any benefits will quickly diminish.
Laurus Technologies, based in Itasca, Illinois knew its lineup of expert engineers was setting it apart from the competition. The problem was that the wide pool of prospects looking for cutting-edge IT consultants did not. With limited marketing and public relations resources, Laurus turned to Tech Image to help spread the word.
Background
Goals of the program were to:
- Distinguish Laurus Technologies from competitors
- Accelerate the sales process by building credibility from the C-level to the manager level
- Leverage internal marketing resources
- Augment existing sales and marketing material with Tech Image’s creative service team
Solution
Laurus engineers have unique viewpoints regarding business challenges and the way IT solutions are deployed to address them. To establish Laurus experts as thought leaders, Tech Image aligned those resources with reporters covering their specific areas of expertise in order to secure media and analyst interviews.
The generation of relevant and timely content from external presentations made by Laurus engineers has been critical to the program’s success. It is from these presentations that Laurus and Tech Image develop white papers, case studies, bylined articles, blog posts, data sheets, and other PR and marketing collateral. This material is transcribed, repurposed, edited and placed in credible media outlets by Tech Image so Laurus prospects can easily find the information when conducting due diligence.
By “connecting the dots” between issues and Laurus’ experts, Tech Image kept Laurus Technologies in the news, raising the company’s visibility and credibility as an IT solution provider with a unique approach,
Results
Laurus Technologies is no longer a “best-kept secret”. Over the last few years, the company has been publicly cited for its growth in Everything Channel’s VAR500, Crain’s Chicago Business “Fast Fifty,” CRN Fast Growth 100 and Inc 5000. Its qualitative efforts yielded the Datacenter 100 award from InfoWorld on behalf of one of its clients and the Annual Award for Business Excellence for its innovation.
“Working with Tech Image makes content creation extremely easy. Their people are knowledgeable, they have good skills and they’ll work to make sure our message is placed where it matters most. By providing this umbrella of awareness, Tech Image affords us the ability to focus on our own business.”
- Steve Susina, Director of Marketing, Laurus Technologies
A bylined article from Laurus, “Ten IT Talking Points Your CFO Will Love,” was placed by Tech Image in CIO and several other industry publications. It was a perfect example of providing far-reaching practical advice to a key audience that drew inquiries not only on the day it was published, but for weeks afterward.
The two-tiered thought leadership approach, developed by Tech Image and Laurus’ marketing team, maintains the company’s position in the media and marketplace as an innovative VAR industry leader. As a result of the team’s success in this area, Laurus executives are now viewed as key sources on industry trends and IT news.
Laurus’ CEO now regularly receives calls from people who read about the company in the media. Engineers and salespeople no longer spend valuable time explaining who Laurus is and what it does. They are able to jump right into “white board” conversations that highlight the expertise that has allowed the company to continue to grow in a down economy ─ the unique thinking of the people on the payroll.