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Ad Hoc helps Wizmo Survive the Dot Com Bust
The headlines screamed that year as stocks, especially in the technology sector, tumbled; corporate greed took center stage; layoffs occurred; investors' retirement plans went down the drain and many newly formed hi-tech companies had to pull the plug.
How did one company named Wizmo manage to go counter to this tide and continue to grow in such a tough marketplace?
Simple: Managed growth. Okay - perhaps the $7 million in funding and an exclusive new contract with the largest payroll administrator helped too. But, part of Wizmo's success was - no doubt - due in part to its commitment to consistent marketing and public relations.
Wizmo develops and manages hosted solutions of client-server or web-based software applications via an ASP service integrating custom support and channel sales tools. Wizmo increases users' productivity by allowing secure access to data and applications via the Internet while dramatically reducing IT support costs and personnel requirements. Privately held, Wizmo serves the individual needs of mid-sized companies and the channel requirements of major outsourcing or software organizations.
In addition to Wizmo's ASP Division, Wizmo has a traditional IT consulting services division upon which the Minneapolis-based company was founded in 1993. Wizmo is a leader in delivering centrally-served technology as a means to lower the costs of computing and to provide strong ROI to our clients' IT investments. Wizmo offers strategic consultation, technical implementation, management, support and centralized services to make our client's computer infrastructure secure, reliable and robust.
Our services to Wizmo included messaging and positioning; marketing communications; press material; analyst and media outreach.
Specifically we managed the following:
- Developed key messages for funding news outreach
- Conducted funding news release outreach
- Developed key message for ADP announcement
- Update WIZMO collateral to support marketing activities
- Re-Launch Wizmo
- Ramped up WIZMO's analyst following and secure analyst press reference
- Conducted analyst briefings
- Prepared editorial calendar opportunities
- Conducted proactive media outreach & rapid response outreach
Refined the Corporate and Product Positioning - Because WIZMO had changed its business model significantly in the last 18 months, we recommended that WIZMO refine and drill down in its overall corporate messaging, and fine-tune product positioning.
Improved Market Penetration - By integrating the existing channel sales activities with a strategic public relations / marketing campaign, we increased their market penetration, ensured credibility within the marketplace through editorial comments, and differentiated them from their competitors.
Expand Lead Generation - We recommended WIZMO propagate the database regularly with new channel contacts. We reached additional clients (i.e., other ADPs) through various campaigns like targeted media relations activities, leads from speaking engagements, Webinars, and e-mailers.
Increased Awareness - We generated sustained press activity and media awareness for WIZMO. Specifically, we leveraged the local media, developed a good news pipeline, and created third-party endorsement and/or analyst following.
Some of our press coverage appeared in:
- CBSMarketWatch
- Tech News
- CNET
- Venture Wire
- CNN Money
- Yahoo! Finance
- Profits Journal
- ASPNews.com
- Wall Street Research Net
- NewsHub
- ASPIsland
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