British Midlands

Using the Internet to Build Relationships

British Midlands, the economic development agency for central England, works with North American-based companies on their European business expansion plans.

"The Relationship-Building Program results are in large part due to the high quality, relevant market sector articles that Tuvel is able to find each month for inclusion in the e-mails to clients in our seven target sectors. All of our VPs get positive client feedback from each mailing. We look forward to working with Tuvel on further enhancements to this excellent program."

— Vern Sebby: President & CEO, British Midlands Development Corporation

Goals

The British Midlands sales force wanted to create a point of difference that sets it apart from and above other UK-based economic development agencies. The organization wanted a way of keeping in touch with prospects and customers in a consistent and timely fashion that could lead to future business interactions. British Midlands was also interested in strengthening existing and new customer relationships.

To enable British Midlands to accomplish these goals, Tuvel Communications created the British Midlands Relationship-Building Program — a turnkey communications solution that builds long-lasting relationships with contacts.

Strategy and Tactics

The Relationship-Building Program lets the client send personalized e-mail communications to all of its customers. Although 100-percent created and disseminated by Tuvel, the program generates messages that appear to have been sent by the British Midlands sales force. The program offers British Midlands an opportunity to stay in front of contacts, so the U.S.-based companies with which it communicates think of central England when business expansion needs arise.

British Midlands is building its brand and goodwill by offering valuable sector information that contacts appreciate. Rather than distribute information about the British Midlands organization itself, or the region it represents, the Relationship-Building Program educates contacts about business-related topics such as manufacturing, ICT and logistics. As contacts receive such information, they feel smarter and better informed about business conditions and opportunities in general in the UK and Western Europe. British Midlands is seen as a partner and provider of valuable information. Providing such valuable information creates relationships that can lead to business interactions.

Through the Relationship-Building Program, British Midlands distributes customized e-mail communications to all of its contacts each month. Branded templates include the organization’s look and feel. Tuvel regularly combs through hundreds of traditional and new media sources of information to hand-pick appropriate content for these customer communications, selecting the industry news and topics that matter most to clients. Once customized for British Midlands, these communications go to the entire contact database. All notes are personalized for the sales force and come from the organization's e-mail address.

The Relationship-Building Program creates little additional workload for British Midlands while yielding ongoing improvements in its business picture — Tuvel Communications handles all aspects of the program, including content, execution, administration, reporting, tracking and analysis. Tuvel Communications provides comprehensive program reports while keeping e-mail lists up to date. We take care of the details so British Midlands doesn’t have to!

Results

The client's metrics for success focus on jobs creation. We are building new relationships while keeping in touch with the existing base of business. The program has also begun to generate referrals from existing customers.

One example of success coming out of the program is an IT company that sells refurbished hardware, as well as software and services. The Relationship-Building Program was responsible for pushing along this existing relationship to the point of action — the contact was in the system, received monthly communications and thus contacted Midlands when ready to expand European operations. The company needed a new facility for that expansion and will create 100 jobs over the next five years.

Tuvel has also created an infrastructure that allows the client to communicate more frequently with customers. The program generates positive feedback each month. British Midlands’ branding and awareness factors have also increased.

Achieving Similar Success