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: Access our exclusive case studies which feature real-world insights into the marketing and selling challenges facing professional services businesses today.
Call for Case Studies:
Has your company—or a client firm—recently tackled a sticky marketing problem? Share your experience in a RainToday.com case study, where we present the latest in what's working in marketing and selling professional services. Submit your case study idea here.
Networking Solutions Company Discovers the Power of Email and Social Networks - A RainToday Case Study by Stephanie Tilton
In an effort to increase the number of technical enthusiasts for its operating system, Juniper Networks launched a marketing campaign that spread virally worldwide. An email sent to network architects and programmers designed to solicit content ideas spread like wildfire via email and social networks. It resulted in a web portal where enthusiasts can share ideas, get information, and test product virtually and earned the company the 2009 B2B Marketing Award for Best Use of Email. Read how they did it.
Accounting Firm Thrives by Expanding Services and Investing in Customer Service
- A RainToday Case Study by Gwen Moran
Fueled by careful acquisition and expansion and armed with an unparalleled customer service guarantee, Shepherd & Goldstein grew from one office to four offices around Massachusetts and a staff of more than 30 employees. And, while others were scrambling to simply stay in business, the firm has had continued growth, even during economic turmoil. Read how the firm did it.
PR Maven Turns Free Services into a 6-Figure Business - A RainToday Case Study by M. Sharon Baker
Nancy Juetten, founder of Main Street Media Savvy, realized she spent too much time having coffee or tea and giving away free publicity advice to prospects who ultimately could not afford her services. Rather than looking for ways to halt such requests, Juetten used that information to reinvent her business. The move helped Main Street Media Savvy thrive and become a six-figure business despite the recession. Read how the company did it.
How an Architecture Firm Used CRM and Email to Bring in New Business - A RainToday Case Study by Gwen Moran
It's not unusual for architecture firms to add services that build on their knowledge of design, real estate, and development, but it can be tricky to get the word out. That's the situation Ware Malcomb found itself in earlier this year. It overcame that challenge by implementing a CRM system and emailing customers in the database. The result: $75,000 in new business in less than a year. Read how they did it.
The Secret of One Start-Up's Multi-Million Dollar Growth: Run Lean, Partner, and Educate - A RainToday Case Study by Mary Flaherty
Six years ago, Mike Cooch started Everon Technology Services to help small businesses take advantage of technology. The model, which was unusual for small businesses at the time, provided managed IT services instead of hourly consulting and services. It was challenging, but proved successful, and the company is now a $5 million business with 250 customers in 25 states. Read the complete case study to learn how they did it.
Testing the Value of Video: How an Insurance Firm Doubled Conversion Rates - A RainToday Case Study by Karen E. Klein
Blyth Valley needed to do something to set itself apart from its competition. The insurance brokerage was the first in the UK to move sales online, but soon its competitors were right there with it. It turned to online video to capture website visitors' attention and sell policies. The results were far more than it expected. Read the complete case study.
The Blogging Payoff: How a Law Firm Used Its Blog to Generate 7 Figures in Revenue - A RainToday Case Study by Gwen Moran
When international law firm Harris and Moure wanted to get in front of companies that do business in China, Daniel P. Harris turned to blogging. He started writing about things a business would want to know about the legal issues surrounding operating in China, as well as general Chinese business culture, and saw the blog bring in seven figures worth of work. Read the complete case study.
How an Independent Practitioner Built a Business in a Recession - A RainToday Case Study by Mary Flaherty
In 16 months, when many businesses were making budget cuts and laying off staff, Jeremy Epstein's Never Stop Marketing has gained momentum to become a sustainable business, with revenue approaching a quarter million dollars. Learn how he did so through relationship building, speaking engagements, and packaged services. Read the complete case study.
How a Legal Services Provider Used Email Marketing to Fill Seminar Seats and Generate New Business - A RainToday Case Study by Karen E. Klein
Like any company, AmStar needed to build awareness with potential customers. But being in a new industry—legal process outsourcing—made that task more difficult. Traditional advertising and marketing wouldn't be enough. They launched a major email campaign for its live seminars that resulted in 45-91 attendees and a 10-20% conversion rate. Read the complete case study.
How a Service Provider Launched a Monthly Networking Group to Generate Referrals - A RainToday Case Study by Gwen Moran
Fox Coaching Associates wanted to stay in touch with contacts, which are service providers such as accountants, attorneys, and insurance professionals, but not annoy them. So, founder Nancy Fox created a monthly networking group that gives her contacts an opportunity to meet and allows her to stay in touch with those clients and meet new prospects. Read the complete case study.
How an Ebook Established One Firm as a Thought Leader, Differentiated It from Its Competitors, and Generated 7,000 Downloads - A Case Study by Stephanie Tilton
After three strategic acquisitions, Lumension embarked on a campaign to rebrand itself, expand awareness of its security technology offerings, and establish itself as a thought leader. It did so using an interactive ebook that educated C-level executives and was shared with thousands of people through viral marketing. Read the complete case study.
How a MarComm Firm Closed Six Figures in Revenue Using Webinars - A Case Study by Karen Klein
When Warm Thoughts Communications, a marketing communications firm dedicated to the heating and energy industry, started to see its direct mail marketing response rate decline, it knew it had to do something different. It decided to play on what worked for the firm: high-value, face-to-face interaction with potential clients. What resulted was a series of free, hour-long webinars that showcased Warm Thoughts' industry knowledge and explained how their services enhance their customers' success—and six figures in revenue. Read the complete case study.
How a Rebranding Effort Went Viral with an Unusual Direct Mail Campaign - A Case Study by Gwen Moran
Grasshopper, a telecommunications solutions company for entrepreneurs, caught the attention of thousands of people when it launched its rebranding campaign by sending chocolate-covered grasshoppers to 5,000 of the most powerful influencers in the industry. That, combined with an inspirational video, helped them create a powerful viral marketing campaign that received coverage on television, blogs, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. Read the complete case study.
The Power of Relationships: How a Solopreneur Does It All, Including Landing Deals with Big Brands - A Case Study by Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
When Perry Anne Norton relocated her audio production company to Santa Barbara, California, she had to figure out how to build her company in a new market. She succeeded, thanks to a network of hard-earned relationships, persistence, and the willingness to reach beyond her comfort zone.
Read the complete case study to learn how PanRight Productions went from producing one-off commercials to ongoing production work and is seeing a three-fold increase in revenue to date.
The Benefit of Integrated Marketing: How One Company Boosted Its Business Development Success Rate By 26% - A Case Study by Gwen Moran
Automated Records Centre is a Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, document and data storage company, providing hard copy storage, imaging services, data backup and records destruction for companies. The company was founded 1997 as a spin-off of a moving company. During the seven-person company’s 10th year in business, owner Michael Sullivan decided that he needed to do something to jump-start sales.
Automated Records had plenty of marketing tactics up its collective sleeve. They had tried direct mail, cold calling, newsletters and other tactics with modest success. “Ultimately, what we found was that we had a lot of tactics out there, but they were really all working independently of one another. We realized we really didn’t have a strategy and needed to revamp what we were doing,” says Sullivan.
Read the complete case study to learn how this company improved its business development results using integrated marketing.
How One Company Used Product & Service Development to Reach Its Market of Busy Lawyers & Grow to $24 Million in Revenue - A Case Study By Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
In May 2002, Ed Scanlan started a small, interactive marketing agency based out of his apartment above an Italian ice stand in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood. He started out developing affordable websites and online marketing campaigns for small businesses in a variety of industries. Quickly, he began to add staff. By 2005, attorneys in small law firms and solo practices were a growing segment of the business.
That's when Scanlan recognized the opportunity to build a scalable business: creating a common set of tools on a technology-enabled platform—instead of completely custom solutions—that would deliver affordable business services to a narrowly-defined market. But, figuring out how best to grow a business in a market of hundreds of thousands of practitioners would be a challenge.
Read the complete case study to learn how the Total Attorneys has reached it's target market and managed to continue double-digit growth in a tough economic environment.
How a Start-Up Shortened the Sales Cycle and Landed New Business Using Inbound Marketing - A Case Study by Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
Wistia is a software-as-a-service provider of video sharing for business. Founded in 2006, the small, five-person company, with annual revenues approaching $1 million, is competing with better known video-sharing services (such as Brightcove), at the same time it is trying to educate its target market about the uses and benefits of a video-sharing service that offers access control (i.e., private, secure sharing) along with usage tracking and metrics.
By allowing businesses to securely share video with one person, a group of people, a department, or an entire company—in a private screening-room type of environment, or embedded on private intranets, or on a public website—it's well-suited for sales and training videos. The available tracking and metrics allowed businesses to see which parts of the video were actually being viewed—second by second, person by person—lending it well to sales and marketing uses.
Read the complete case study to learn how Wistia shortened the sales cycle and generated new business.
Blogging to Win: Using a Corporate Blog to Gain Exposure to Prospects, Clients, and the Media—A Case Study by Gwen Moran
FirstRain is a 130-person technology firm whose software mines data from the Internet for investment analysts and sales and marketing professionals. The company continually mines the ever-changing landscape of online content for information about companies, competition, and customers—and a major part of that content was sourced from the blogosphere. To walk its talk and fully understand the world it studies, FirstRain needed to be a part of it. Read the complete case study to learn how this firm gained media coverage, speaking engagements, and more as a result of blogging.
How Adopting a Consulting Model for Its Proposal Process Landed This Firm a Six-Figure Contract - A Case Study by Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
Victor Puchi, managing shareholder of R&A, CPAs in Tucson, AZ, was a man on a mission. Discouraged by the traditional approach taken by CPAs when it came to business development—and proposals, in particular—he set out to turn that approach around for himself, his clients, and an entire firm. Puchi knew, even before the firm’s clients began to experience the effects of the economic downturn, that his CPA firm and others would need to take a different approach to business development if they were to survive this business cycle.
Read the complete case to learn how their proposal process won the firm a six-figure contract in year one, and a subsequent renewal.
How One Firm's Clients, Recruits, and Staff Love Its Brand and Spread Its Marketing Message - A Case Study by Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
When is an office not an office? For 65-person accounting firm Clayton McKervey, the answer is when your office space becomes an integral part of your marketing effort – a living, breathing demonstration of your brand, value, and client successes. This may seem a bit unusual for a 56-year-old accounting firm located in Southfield, Michigan. But by infusing their brand and value proposition—and a strong client focus—into everything they do, this firm was able to use its office space to help close deals, attract staff, and gain referrals.
Learn how by reading the complete case study.
How One Company Reduced Its Sales Cycle by 85% with a Targeted Email Campaign - A Case Study by Gwen Moran
ZoomInfo is a 65-employee, Waltham, Massachusetts company that aggregates information on over 45 million business people at 5 million companies. Their client base includes sales, marketing and recruiting professionals who need to find and connect with prospects and candidates. As the fourth quarter of 2008 drew closer, the company saw that there weren't many renewals coming up. To hit their numbers, they would have to bring in some fresh contracts. What kind of campaign could they rapidly launch to generate immediate sales?
Read the complete case to learn how an email campaign, with phone follow-up, resulted in a significantly shorter sales cycle and a 100% increase in year-over-year sales for the quarter.
How One Accounting Firm Made Its Pay-Per-Click Campaign an Effortless Lead Generation Process - By Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
How does a regional accounting firm expand its lead generation activities beyond traditional referral and word-of-mouth activities? That was the question facing Philadelphia-based Margolis & Co., P.C. They turned to the Internet and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to see whether it could reliably generate leads and new business.
Read the complete case study to learn how a monthly $251 pay-per-click ad spend generated 61 click-throughs, 3 qualified leads, and a $15,000 engagement in one recent month alone.
Remain Profitable in a Declining Market: How an Online Business Transformed Itself by Expanding Its Services and Rebranding - By Gwen Moran
In 1998, Joe Hyman helped launch a company that was completely unrelated to his work experience: an online reservation booking service, SECURE-RES, Inc. After several years of strong growth, the company saw opportunity beyond its niche. Needing to hedge against downturns in the market, they wanted to diversify. However, with such a strong niche brand, making a change wouldn't be easy.
Read the complete case study to learn how the company, now VIZERGY, used its service expansion and new brand to allow it to remain profitable at a time when the industry was declining due to economic turmoil.
How a 15-Person Firm Grew Its Roster of Fortune 500 Clients Using Direct Marketing and Phone Calls - By Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
In an industry where high-profile Madison Avenue agencies had a long-established stronghold on marquee clients, DM2, a small, 15-person advertising agency, had managed to cultivate a client list that included household-name blue chip Fortune 500 companies. But, as in any service business, maintaining a balanced roster of active clients required ongoing marketing and sales efforts.
Click here to read the complete case study to learn how DM2 secured $1.3 million in new business from a $600 direct marketing campaign.
How a Start-Up Relied on Inbound Marketing to Become a $4 Million Company with More Than 1,000 Customers in 14 Months - by Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
Software start-up HubSpot, founded in 2006, developed a web-based software—or an inbound marketing system as they described it—to help small and medium-sized businesses use the Internet to attract more qualified traffic and leads. With just a handful of employees and a one-person marketing department, they would need to immediately and successfully use the power of inbound marketing for themselves, if the company were to succeed.
Read this case study to learn how, in just over a year, HubSpot grew to more than 1,000 customers and annual revenue in excess of $4 million, and growing.
How a Collateral Makeover Helped a Marketing Agency Sustain 30% Annual Growth - by Gwen Moran
When Chicago-based marketing agency All Terrain was founded in 1998 by Brook Jay and Sarah Eck-Thompson, it operated from the dining room tables of it founders with meetings held at a nearby café. Now, a decade later and grossing nearly $6 million a year, the firm knew it was time to makeover the firm's dated look with something more hip.
While it may seem counterintuitive to invest in both print and electronic versions of a brochure in the digital age, the firm knew how to practice what it preaches—know your audience—and is now reaping the rewards of its efforts. Read this case study to learn more.
Branding, Not Boring: How One Accounting Firm Spruced Up Its Image to Attract the Next Generation - by Gwen Moran
When you tout yourself as "less boring" than other accounting firms, you'd better be able to live up to that promise. Perkins & Co. took a long, hard look at how firm members would not only deliver on that promise, but how they would also continue to challenge themselves to be the dynamic, entrepreneurial group of professionals that had taken the Portland, Oregon market by storm.
Read this case study to see how Perkins created and implemented a strategic plan for a fresh image, which recruited the most talented professionals and helped them expand their client base.
How One Firm Used Google AdWords on a Limited Budget to Boost Its Web Traffic by 1,000% and Quadruple Its Sales Pipeline - by Gwen Moran
Prior to 2004, the management team at Chapman Kelly grew the now $2 million dollar benefits auditing company by word-of-mouth and by answering requests for proposals. In May 2008, four years after their company website was created, the firm's director of strategic development took over marketing believing the firm could be well-served by the reach and effectiveness of Google AdWords.
Read this case study to learn how Chapman Kelly achieved astounding results inexpensively and in short time with Google AdWords.
How an IT Services Company Automated Its Marketing and Grew 20% Per Year Without Adding Staff - by Casey Hibbard
First Direct had more than 2,000 customers around the country, ranging from major corporations to small home offices. Yet throughout its growth—at least 20% each of the past two years—the company had not added staff.
Bob Ritter, president, attributed their success to their automated direct marketing process or "marketing machine." Keeping relevant messages flowing with a small staff and limited budget was the nut Ritter had to crack. Read this case study to learn how a small team used marketing automation to minimize its lead "leakage," follow up on 100% of qualified leads, and boost conversions. Click here to continue.
How a Management Consulting Firm Grew to a Multi-Million Dollar Business Thanks to Client Relationship Management - by Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
In 2004, the Brookeside Group Inc. was a five-person, $800,000 management consulting firm with a solid book of business, satisfied clients, and happy employees. But CEO Tom Cates was faced with a challenge common in small consultancies - how to grow the firm.
Read the complete case study to learn how Brookeside grew its revenue from its best client 20-fold, as well as created a new revenue stream that helped grow the firm to 17 full-time employees and annual revenue approaching $5 million. Click here to continue.
How to Create and Execute an Email Campaign that Generates High Prospect Interest: Lessons from the RecruiterIQ Online Test - by Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
Bullhorn, a staffing industry software as a service provider, enjoys high brand recognition and satisfied customers who often say they "live in Bullhorn." The company relies heavily on permission-based email marketing to supply leads for their sales effort and product trials. The marketing department's challenge: How to continue generating leads and engaging in conversations with prospects?
Read this case study to learn how Bullhorn developed their RecruiterIQ test and rolled it out in an email campaign with impressive results. Click here to continue.
How One Accounting Firm Boosted Seminar Attendance by 250% and Secured a Client Worth Tens of Thousands of Dollars - by Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
Northern New England's largest accounting firm, Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker, was working to build recognition for their construction, architecture, and engineering practice. Past seminars they had run did a good job showcasing the firm's expertise and leadership and, for its spring 2007 session, marketing director Cheryl Bascomb wanted to focus on boosting attendance at these educational events.
Read this case study to see how Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker increased its overall attendance numbers, drew more architects and engineers to a session, and landed a high-value client. Click here to continue.
How a Successful Marketer Generated 4,000 Leads and Six-Figure Income with a Free Ebook - by Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
Fifteen years ago direct mail was the key to generating seminar attendance, but direct mail response for seminars has been dropping steadily. The Wellesley Hills Group, a consulting firm, knew this and needed a way to fill their seminar's seats after halting their mailing campaign. And they found a way to do it without a budget.
Read this case study to learn how the Wellesley Hills Group created an ebook that boosted their seminar's attendance by 145%. Click here to continue.
Buy Results, Not Hours: How One Law Firm Succeeds with Value-Based Pricing - by Mary Flaherty, Manager, Research and Content Development
The billable hour is standard procedure at most law firms. With partners receiving substantial financial rewards, many possess an if-it's-not-broken-don't-fix-it attitude. But, as Chicago lawyer Patrick Lamb, founder of Valorem Law Group, notes, that attitude is reminiscent "of the most successful buggy whip makers around 1920. They're doing great. Business is wonderful, but the clients are insisting on changing."
Read this case study to learn how one group of attorneys successfully launched a business litigation law firm by taking a value-based approach to pricing. Click here to continue.
Call for Case Studies:
Has your company - or a client firm - recently tackled a sticky marketing problem? Share your experience in a RainToday.com case study, where we present the latest in what's working in marketing and selling professional services. Submit your case study idea here.
Case Study Series: What's Working in Marketing & Selling Professional Services 
RainToday.com Members: Access our exclusive case studies which feature real-world insights into the marketing and selling challenges facing professional services businesses today.