A closer look - the case studies

OCR Examination Board

 

After leasing the Education Database for internal use, UK exam board OCR returned with a brief to promote their national conferences which required immediate advertising. Sprint Mail carefully designed a multiple email broadcast spread over six weeks, planning the strategy as one transaction so OCR could also receive Sprint's email block booking discount. Caroline Evans from OCR was impressed with the execution of the campaign. "Their speed and professionalism was outstanding which meant we could fill all of our conference dates at short notice."

 

After completion of the last campaign, OCR's conferences had been filled and the campaign was deemed a great success. Sprint Director, Ben Lewis was pleased with the outcome. "It was a real challenge having just a few hours to prepare a detailed campaign for a six week period, but OCR was adamant it had to be carried out immediately. To achieve this we concentrated on selecting the optimum broadcast times possible for their campaign and then assigned the six different sequences as one larger campaign to ensure that OCR could also receive the maximum discount which reduced their costs significantly."

 

OCR has since returned again and again to use Sprint Mail as their partner in marketing to UK schools and colleges.

 

Manchester United

 

Manchester United needed to email directly to Heads of Sport in all schools across the UK to promote a number of services, including the promotion of increasing the number of younger sports minded fans to attend games/visits throughout the season.

 

Campaign Manager Jackie O’Shea was very pleased to work with such a respected organisation and be able to offer exactly what they needed.

 

"As we can email direct to Heads of Sport (and all other departments) Sprint Mail was the natural choice for Manchester United. The response rates can out perform a standard email to a school's office by 600%, and with such a specific type of teacher needing to be targeted, Manchester United chose the best option available to them - Direct Email Plus. We look forward to developing this relationship with Manchester United in the future."

 

Edexcel

 

To work with, and to be trusted by, the largest examination board in the UK, with their thorough understanding of the UK education sector, is a testament to the strength and depth Sprint Mail can attribute to a sales and advertising campaign when marketing to schools in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

 

With the specification of mailing a variety of printed leaflets and brochures to different teachers within each school Edexcel chose Sprint Mail to carry out a direct mail-shot with a turnaround of 24 hours.

 

Firstly Sprint printed the leaflets required for the mailing whilst Edexcel forwarded on the brochures which had been pre-printed. To reduce costs Sprint Mail proposed an individual shared mailing so that a variety of teachers could be targeted in each school so Edexcel would not have to pay extra postage costs.

 

Once approved by Edexcel the campaign was immediately processed due to the client's need to send the campaign within just 24 hours. Kate Lock, Office Manager, was impressed with the service provided by Sprint Mail.

 

"Very professional with friendly enthusiastic staff. We really needed these brochures posted out quickly and without fail or delay. The job was completed to the highest standard. Eager to help and advise from start to finish, they even recommended a mailing format (shared mailing) which significantly reduced our costs. We will definitely be using them again."

 

Bupa

 

Bupa approached Sprint Mail to manage their email broadcasting direct to all Teachers in specific UK regions. Our comprehensive database of schools and colleges had the flexibility to fulfil Bupa's regional specification whilst our unique list of direct email addresses for Teachers enabled Bupa to reach the key decision maker in the school.

 

Research Manager Darren Coxall recalls, "Bupa were very pleased that we could target specific members of staff. Direct Email Plus is so effective with feedback from new and existing customers coming back as extremely positive."

 

BBC

 

With a series of literacy workshops in schools to promote, the BBC were advised to send a series of personalised Email Plus campaigns throughout the school year to target specific primary school Head Teachers.

 

Emails were sent with the personalisation of the named Head Teacher and establishment name within the email heading and body for each individual school to help increase response rates. This successful strategy is frequently employed by the BBC every term and continues to reap them great results.

 

Sun Microsystems

 

Sun Microsystems are a multinational computer component, software and systems supplier recently valued at US$7.4 billion. Sun contacted Sprint Mail to fulfil a UK based postal campaign which required a very fast turnaround.

 

Sprint Mail were able to complete the whole process of printing, inserting and despatching over 10,000 items the same day - each mail piece was personalised to a specific Head of Department from our database.

 

The Hard Rock Café

 

The Hard Rock Café contacted Sprint Mail with a brief to market to UK schools likely to travel abroad on school trips and potentially visit the Hard Rock Café on a day trip. Sprint Mail tailored a distribution list selected by school type, number on roll and Local Education Authority.

 

This resulted in an accurate direct mailing campaign. The Hard Rock Café's Cologne Sales Manager, Anabell Ramirez, understands the importance of careful recipient selection:

 

"The concentrated targeting of the distribution list was a significant element and the foundation to our project. The detailed information within the Education Database allowed Sprint Mail to accurately choose a selection of schools to advertise to, and ultimately, was the key factor in a successful postal mailing. The postage discounts were also a major benefit."