Case study - Sage
It’s really difficult to find a brilliant agency that actually delivers on what they promise without compromise and at a competitive price point, but this is exactly what I have found in Velo and I cannot recommend them enough
JA, Senior Manager, Global Customer Advocacy, Sage
Client background
Sage is the market leader for integrated accounting, payroll and payment systems. With over 13,000 employees, Sage supports millions of entrepreneurs across 23 countries with advice, software and tools that manage everything finance to operations and people.
Velo has supported the Sage team across marketing, communications and creative activities since 2018.
Challenges
With cloud-based software becoming pervasive and sitting at the heart of many businesses, Sage needed a new marketing approach to bring its cloud platform to life.
An intense strategic focus on customer advocacy demonstrating how the platform empowers millions of entrepreneurs has helped to promote Sage to their own audiences to find new deals, accelerate revenue and support adoption.
Partnership approach
Working in partnership, the Velo team have acted as part of the global Sage advocacy team since 2018. Selected to be on the preferred supplier lists, our team has led the development and creation of the highly successful Spotlight Customer Advocacy Program.
As a key Sage partner, we’ve produced a huge range of video and written customer advocacy content in our SE1 studio. Sage has also depended on us to develop best practice guidelines and workflow, to enable local vendors in markets across the world to harness the excellent work we’ve created with the Spotlight team and replicate it across the world.
Our close working relationship means best-practice, brand adherence, localisation requirements and cost-effective execution for this global player.
Insight & marketing planning
Appointed the lead agency for Sage’s Spotlight Customer advocacy program around the world in 2018, our team worked closely with the Sage team to create and roll-out a consistent, high-impact advocacy program designed to influence NPS. Workshops were used to review internal and present agency capabilities around the world. This established the practicalities around the project. After establishing overall advocacy KPIs, we collaboratively built out a workflow to be controlled globally, but deployed locally so that the program can scale with full visibility. This analysis was supported by stakeholder interviews to develop a full communications plan for vendors and staff to launch and establish this Global Advocacy program.
Campaigns & activation
Our internal communications educate the global sales team with tailored messages, inspiring them to engage with their customers and partners to encourage advocacy. Working to and through the sales team, the campaign levers internal platforms including email and intranet. For advocates, we then craft customer success stories to be used in ongoing benefit led marketing. Our team has also run customer events, incentive programs and individualised campaigns that thank and reward advocates for their involvement.
Branding & Visual Identity
Auditing past content and stories allowed us to develop brand guidelines enhanced with our own expertise to make sure all videos and written stories balanced brand consistency with best practice. This has seen an overhaul of video, social content and written customer success content. Alongside, this we’ve developed a fresh new identity for all Spotlight communications whilst respecting Sage’s strong brand needs. This means all communications hang together and reinforce the quality of the program in every message.
Creative & copy
As a full-service agency, our team craft customer stories and briefing guides to support every aspect of the Sage Spotlight Advocacy Program. We’re regularly creating customer success videos and written stories, along with the production of campaign assets and associated messaging. We also rewrite the customer success stories for award entries.
Video & photography
As an approved Sage Spotlight vendor, our team has been capturing and telling customer stories for Sage People, Sage Final Accounts, Sage Pay and more all across the UKI, EMEAR and North America.
Highlights so far
- Devised and launched all Spotlight communication for global advocacy program for customers, sales staff and nominated local marketing agencies.
- Produced customer success stories, shot on location in the UK, Germany, The Netherlands and the USA.
- Devised and embedded new content-led marketing activity for every customer story.
- Nominated and appointed as a founding agency on Sage’s global supplier roster for video and photography.
- Promoted and ran first ever Sage advisory customer event at the top of The Shard.
- Developed ABM campaigns for advocates leading to record program participation.
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