Stronger Dies. Faster Delivery. Greater Value

McCraney Communications met several challenges during the course of marketing VCI Wire Die-a specialized manufacturing business headquartered in Fayette, Alabama. A family-owned business that used its own proprietary processes, VCI struggled to compete with competitors who manufactured their products off-shore. VCI also needed to raise awareness in broader markets- the firm had successfully relied on word of mouth marketing for decades, but industry mergers were greatly reducing the pool of prospective clients, and cheap imports were claiming a growing share of their market. Marketing efforts were almost exclusively product-focused , and while VCI was proud of its product, there were no sales messages articulating the company's focus on providing superior service and value.  

Market analysis and audits revealed inherent VCI product advantages that had not been highlighted in sales materials.   The dies were domestically produced of high quality materials, far superior to the cheaper imports. VCI was also able to maintain stricter quality control, avoiding costly re-dos that were a hallmark of the competition. And, VCI could turn a job quickly and literally "deliver the dies in days" as opposed to the typical 3-week turnaround for competitors who imported product. VCI needed to communicate their company's distinct advantages, so the marketing campaign focused on key areas: product quality,service and delivery, and value.             

We created a tag line that clearly communicated the key product attributes : Stronger Dies. Faster Delivery. Greater Value

With the marketing theme in place , we created an image and visibility campaign to:

• Create a high profile at the International Wire Expo
• Create a strategy and sales kit focused on establishing the company's profile among domestic wire manufacturers
• Gain credibility through editorial coverage in trade journals and other allied media
• After the Expo, continue communication with potential customers through direct mail , Internet, and follow-up phone calls
• Maintain and improve relationships with current customers with ongoing direct communcations.

A strategic thrust of the image campaign was to build brand awareness and position VCI as a major player during the annual industry trade show. The trade show was a four-day event VCI had never participated in. We saw this as a positive, with the opportunity to be both "new" in the minds of potential customers while simultaneously presenting its history as an established die producer.

We coordinated the design and production of a large backlit booth that attracted a great deal of attention. Incorporating the tagline: "Dies for a Wired World" VCI executives interacted with prospective customers and trade press. VCI added hundreds of addresses to its database and sent interested contacts a Draft Calculator-a handy piece of industry specific software that the company created itself. VCI officials demonstrated the Draft Calculator on a laptop computer in the trade show booth.

All of these elements worked together to introduce VCI to prospective customers and reinforce the company's image in visits with existing clients. Armed with a professional kit, highly effective exposure and organized sales messages, VCI was able to reach hundreds of company owners and define their strengths to increase likely sales.

McCraney Communications coordinated all marketing strategies for VCI's image campaign. This included creative development and branding as well as design of sales kits, sales sheets, direct mail pieces, the Expo booth, business cards, letterhead and promotional items.