Newsletter | Alterra Group

Dear Colleague:

We'd like to introduce you to Alterra Group, a new marketing consulting firm dedicated to helping professional services companies develop and execute "thought leadership" marketing programs.

Founded by former members of The Bloom Group, Alterra works with organizations whose main offering is an intangible service — whether that service is management consulting, legal advice, accounting and auditing, systems integration, outsourcing or executive recruiting. To generate demand for their services, these organizations require specialized marketing initiatives that Alterra Group refers to as "thought leadership" marketing: campaigns that demonstrate how a service provider's unique expertise helps their clients solve pressing business problems.

Alterra Group's clients include a leading global provider of consulting, technology and outsourcing services; a growing supply chain management consulting firm; a provider of mapping software and consulting services; and a training and change management consultancy.

We invite you to learn more about our firm's people, services and expertise, as well as how we can help you address your thought leadership marketing challenges.

Alterra in Action: Major Global Outsourcer

Professional services marketers have a substantial challenge not only cutting through the marketing clutter, but also directing their scarce marketing budgets to those initiatives that can have the greatest impact and return. A major part of boosting marketing's ROI is ensuring the content developed and communicated in marketing campaigns is highly relevant to clients' current needs, reflects an issue on which the firm has deep expertise and extensive experience, and has not been extensively addressed by competitors.

We worked with a global IT outsourcing firm to do just that. Using our proprietary thought leadership assessment methodology, we helped this firm find the "white space" on which they could focus their marketing activities. The result was a comprehensive plan that the firm's marketing department could use to guide their efforts over an 18–month horizon. Read about the work here.

New Survey: Marketing through the Downturn

Alterra Group periodically conducts research on topics of interest to our clients in order to provide insights on how professional services firms are addressing various marketing challenges. Our initial research study focuses on how marketing priorities and activities have changed in light of the current economic downturn. Among the issues we'll cover in this research are the shifting balance between lead generation and brand–building, the strategic re-purposing of marketing content, and the impact of the economy on marketing teams.

We invite you to participate in our survey. It should only take 10 to 15 minutes. In return, you will receive a complimentary seat at a webinar we will hold to explore the survey findings in detail.

Lead Generator

One thing is certain in the current economic environment: Lead generation trumps all other marketing objectives. While brand–building, awareness creation, and long–term differentiation still matter, the entire enterprise will grind to a halt if the pipeline dries up. In light of this urgent need, Alterra Group has developed an integrated Lead Generator offering that can help professional services companies cost–effectively generate awareness of its expertise, establish credibility, engage interested executives, and close on new projects. Key elements of the offering include the following:

Generate awareness: Development of a research- or experience-based white paper on a topic relevant to your target prospects
Establish credibility: Two to three case studies that illustrate how the concept advanced in the white paper was implemented in a client setting
Engage interested prospects: Design and execution of a webinar based on content from the white paper and case studies
Close the deal: Development of a sales presentation that ties the white paper and case study content to specific service offerings relevant to a firm’s target audience

To learn more about this integrated offering, please contact Susan Buddenbaum by clicking here or by calling 216.539.9712.

In this issue

Alterra in Action
New Survey: Marketing through the Downturn
Lead Generator

Quick Hits

There is no shortage of interesting executive research on the airwaves. Here are three new studies that caught our eye:

A new poll shows that companies are taking a "measured approach" to dealing with the recession, only using layoffs as a last resort. Only 11% have made significant workforce reductions so far, though 19% are considering doing so.

This recent survey reveals the drivers of a growing exodus of skilled U.S. workers back to native lands such as India and China. Many of these returnees were senior–level managers in Silicon Valley and are going home to start up new businesses.

A study by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives shows that nearly 3 out of 4 percent of business travel managers will cut travel spending in 2009, and that they increasingly want to see a return on their travel "investments."