Crafting the Most Successful Lead Generation Program in Novell’s History

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The challenge...

The largest networking software company in the world was running out of steam, and time. Once the titan of the high-tech industry with NetWare, its renowned client-server network operating system, Novell was in the cross hairs of Microsoft. There was a new CEO on board – Eric Schmidt (who went on to become the Executive Chairman of Google), and the board of directors’ marching orders were clear: Short-term revenue was paramount to the recovery of the tech giant; and credibility in the marketplace needed to be immediately regained in order to turn back the assault from Redmond, WA.

The solution...

Thankfully, I was hand-picked by Novell’s senior management team to oversee critical short-term revenue programs. Working side-by-side with several McKinsey consultants, I drafted the metrics-based, closed-loop demand creation programs that set the stage for a dramatic increase in incremental, traceable revenue. I conducted an exhaustive analysis of Novell’s market and revenue opportunities that examined key customer segments and perceptions as well as software migration trends, and potential barriers to product upgrade revenues. I also assessed the merits of introducing new product messaging and product positioning. The result of this intensive analysis was the Novell® Lead Alliance program.

Once the pilot program was completed, this initiative became the benchmark for all U.S. and global marketing best practices moving forward. Under my guidance, the Lead Alliance program would ultimately:

  • Forge true collaboration between sales and marketing functions at Novell in keeping with a mandate set forth by CEO Eric Schmidt.
  • Bring Novell and Compaq Computer together into a major, joint marketing and sales effort that would eventually drive substantial sales increases, upgrade revenues, and enhanced credibility for Novell.
  • Generate over 500 high-quality leads and quickly turn them into sales by demonstrating compelling business reasons, and offering powerful incentives for upgrading.
  • Bring senior Novell and Compaq executives together in what would become the first “web conferences” to address the critical business issues IT executives were facing at the time.
  • Utilize sophisticated direct mail and telemarketing techniques to generate highly qualified leads for Novell and Compaq sales forces.
  • Offer key customers the incentives required to keep them moving through the purchase cycle.
  • Provide the Novell marketing team with the rapid feedback loops designed to continually improve messaging, offers and the sales process.
  • Unite Novell and Compaq sales forces on joint sales calls to present compelling evaluation and purchase offers.
  • Establish and exceed 12:1 ROI ratio (revenue to marketing spend)
  • Deliver $23 MILLION in joint Novell / Compaq revenue in 18 months after launch of the program.