Jackson Media Launches Company on Salesforce; Grows from Zero to $500K in First Year

"Going from zero to half-a-million dollars in a single year was no easy task.  I attribute this success in part to Salesforce’s ability to keep me focused on the critical business activities.  To me, it is paramount that I spend the great majority of my time directly helping clients find solutions to their media needs.  With Salesforce I don’t have to worry about managing technology or chasing bits of paper, so I can focus my effort on what really matters-my customers.”


Challenge
  • Jackson Media, a North Carolina-based media services provider, needed a way to manage prospects and clients during the launch of its business
  • As a small company with no IT department, Jackson Media had neither the budget nor resources to maintain its own software and servers
  • Limited seed money demanded that Jackson Media become profitable in a very short time frame; therefore, it was absolutely critical that the sales tool helped to maximize customer interaction
  • It sought to launch an integrated email marketing campaign without additional software or setup fees.

Solution
  • Having extensive experience with GoldMine and an unrelated opportunity to research salesforce.com, Jackson Media chose a free personal edition of salesforce.com to help evaluate the business opportunity and start prospecting for new clients
  • Salesforce proved to be a key tool in generating new business, and the owner soon upgraded to Professional Edition for its marketing capabilities, such as mass email and lead management
  • Customized dashboards keep the company focused on growth: ‘closed sales to date’, ‘prospects added in the last 60 days’, and ‘customer touches’ help track all key metrics for success
  • Via the ‘neglected accounts and open opportunities report,’ the company can focus on potential sales which may have otherwise been forgotten
  • By easily adding and subtracting licenses, the owner can provide contractors with access to Salesforce on an as-needed basis

Results
  • Business growth from zero to half-a-million dollars in 12 months is due in part to Salesforce’s ability to keep the owner on top of all opportunities with minimal cost and maximum efficiency
  • Mass email functionality helps maintain communication to an ever-expanding customer and prospect list
  • A central system to house customer data and track progress organizes sales activities and provides an engine to drive continued outreach
  • Future plans to add workflow functionality will track business progress and further weave Salesforce into the heart of the company’s business success
 
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