D&Co. Helps Clarify, Strengthen Role of Retail for Firm Providing Diverse Product/Service Offerings
AAA Colorado brought Dorsey & Company onboard to test means to better define and improve its retail channel role and performance in helping to build the AAA brand, enhance sales and service, and improve its competitive advantage in the region. After a thorough review of the client’s historic and current financial performance, multiple interviews and discussions with AAA Colorado retail and management personnel, and multiple store visits, D&Co. was able to assess the client’s retail performance against multiple variables, including retail fundamentals, market awareness, traffic, usage, differentiation and financial. The resulting retail re-positioning strategy and tactical recommendations were accepted as presented.
Narrow customer focus – wide sales return
By targeting a large retail chain leader’s best customers, Dorsey & Company developed a powerful marketing program aimed at the identified customer groups, successfully passed on the additional marketing costs to those same customers, and earned the client a 33% increase in sales.
Research Forges Path to Market Success in Highly Competitive Arena
For a Cleveland-based supermarket chain, Dorsey & Company conducted a pilot trading area study to profile customers of two selected stores, and the competitive environment in which the stores operate. The information was gathered to help settle a number of internal discussions about marketing direction, point to better marketing opportunities, and identify and defend current customers and competitive vulnerabilities. Using the research findings, we recommended a three-part interim strategy to simultaneously improve sales, customer retention, acquisition of new customers, and to erect barriers to competitive entry to its store trading areas. Our recommendations were accepted as a solid foundation for any competitive marketing strategy option the client would select in the future.
Armed with Customer Insight, D&Co. Brand Defense Strategy Guides Creative
For a Cleveland-based supermarket chain, Dorsey & Company was retained after a successful research engagement to develop a creative and communication strategy and plan based on a previously recommended interim strategy. We developed the communication strategy, key messages and new tagline, and fulfilled branding exercise, reflected in all channels for advertising and in-store. The new brand has been successfully introduced throughout all stores.
No place like home: the competitive advantage in neighborhood marketing
After a successful local market research engagement and subsequent follow-on work for a suburban, family-owned supermarket, Dorsey & Company was retained once again to develop a full marketing and sales plan for the following year. Guided by trade area research and focus groups from the previous year, Dorsey & Company developed strategic and tactical recommendations that yielded increased traffic, transactions and average check. Some tactics recommended included public relations, sales promotions (including joint promotions with neighboring, non-competing businesses), partnerships with nearby community institutions and adjustments to the weekly advertising circular to drive readers to the store website and, eventually, away from the printed circular – decreasing printing and mailing costs.
Build it – in the right place – and they will come
Dorsey & Company was retained by Shonac Corp. to continue providing advice and counsel on matters related to its retail shoe business. The core businesses were value-priced shoe stores that competed with Payless, and the management and operation of the shoe departments within Value City Department Stores. D&Co. was assigned the task of developing a comprehensive marketing plan for the company’s launch and eventual nationwide rollout of a third retail operation, Designer Shoe Warehouse. D&Co. was able to identify retail locations for the eight initial DSW locations that were closer to target market customers, further away from competitors, and cheaper than the sites the client had previously identified. Because the stores had to be re-stocked with new shoes every Wednesday, in-store merchandising was developed and integrated marketing programs and retail activation promotions created to build awareness and drive traffic to entice customers to return to the stores for a “brand new store” every Thursday. As a result of our marketing plan and successful test marketing, sales exceeded projections by over 50% in all stores and the chain, now publicly traded on the NYSE, and which now operates over 500 stores in the United States and as well as an e-commerce website.