Case study: Invisible Fence® of Western Canada
Effective marketing can mean the difference between business success and failure – no matter how large or small the organization. Small businesses, however, often face added challenges – from balancing both the cost and time it takes to assemble and execute a successful campaign with limited resource pools, to the implications of legislation such as the Do Not Call Registry that govern how organizations outreach to their customers.
As more SMBs look for do-it-yourself options, many are turning to online tools to economically reach out to both new and existing customers.
One such example is Invisible Fence of Western Canada. For the last 35 years, Invisible Fence® has been keeping dogs and cats safe at home by providing pet owners with trusted technology, proven training procedures – and total peace of mind. The company pioneered the concept of electronic pet containment, developed its renowned Safe Dog® and Perfect Start™ Pet Training methods, and is proud to be the industry's leader with the most experienced local dealer network, nationwide.
Cynthia and Greg Deitz are the owners/ operators of Invisible Fence of Western Canada. The company sells Invisible Fence solutions as well as other product lines, such as collars, pet doors and behavioural solutions, for pet owners, reaching a territory that includes most of Alberta and interior British Columbia. In addition to overseeing a large territory, Dietz manages a fluctuating staff , employing six full-time employees throughout the year, and growing to 16 employees during its busy spring, summer and fall seasons.
The Challenge
Invisible Fence of Western Canada regularly relied on advertising, radio, e-mail marketing and direct mail to reach its current and potential customers. Nearly 70 per cent of marketing efforts put forth by Invisible Fence of Western Canada focus on awareness, with the remaining 30 percent centered on retention of existing customers.
As a small business, Invisible Fence of Western Canada was always on the lookout for an effective way to reach its current and new customers that balanced cost and ease of use. After seeing an ad in an invoice from Pitney Bowes, Dietz decided to examine the company’s dmworks.ca as a solution for its direct marketing efforts.
Results
Dmworks.ca (www.dmworks.ca) is a do-it-yourself online tool that is designed to make it easy for small or mediumsized businesses to harness the power of professional direct mail. The tool enables organizations to create and send direct mail right from their own desktop with access to easy-to-use templates, stock images, mailing lists, templates for personalised web landing pages and e-mail campaigns. Dmworks.ca also includes provisions for tracking and reporting.
“I used to work as a marketing manager at a large company and was used to having agencies create all my marketing collateral for me,” says co-owner Cynthia Deitz. “Now as a small business owner, I have to do it all myself. Having a cost effective application like dmworks.ca is a great alternative.”
Deitz uses the online tool to promote events and field days, which are often co-hosted by local vet clinics. The tool and direct mail have been a particularly effective way for Invisible Fence of Western Canada to reach customers located in rural parts of Alberta and British Columbia, especially in areas where dial-up Internet connections are still prevalent.
“I can crank out pieces in one hour whereas it was more time consuming to do it before,” said Deitz. “The entire process is very efficient, from proofing to merging mailing lists.”
According to Deitz, dmworks.ca has had a positive impact on her business since implementation: “I’m seeing a 6:1 return on investment,” she notes.