Silicon Publishing Exceeds Expectations at Dscoop Phoenix using MindFire Marketing Automation Platform

The company Silicon Publishing is the recognized world leader in InDesign Server automation. Since 2000, they have been a primary go-to developer partner for Adobe.

Silicon Publishing, Inc. (SPI) sells more InDesign Server licenses worldwide than any other entity. They have three primary products that utilize InDesign Server to improve Web-to-Print workflows through automation: Silicon Paginator; Silicon Connector and Silicon Designer.

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Silicon Paginator is a powerful database publishing tool that flows data through templates to generate customized and/or personalized documents, such as catalogs, directories, one-to-one marketing pieces, financial statements, real estate brochures and more.

Silicon Connector allows Adobe Creative Cloud users to link to DAMs (Digital Asset Management systems) directly from within Adobe CC applications. InDesign links are true http URLs, eliminating the need to package assets when sharing among teams in collaborative workflows. Links stay linked, and cloud assets are easily updated in all documents containing linked assets. 20 of the world’s best DAMs currently use Silicon Connector.

Silicon Designer is an HTML5 online editor with many practical business applications, that is especially powerful for Web-to-Print. Templates are created in InDesign, edited in the HTML5 editor in major browsers on nearly any device, including mobile and tablets, then round-tripped back to InDesign Server for output, ensuring the highest output quality. Because functionality is separated from the UI/UX and feature set, each Designer instance is unique and compliant with client branding. It easily integrates with any existing CMS or shopping cart. A form-based version, as well as a SaaS flavor, are also available.

Background SPI was a first-time exhibitor in the Ruby Pavilion at Dscoop Phoenix, March 2nd & 3rd, and they also were new clients and users of MindFireInc Studio. They demonstrated Silicon Designer at their booth. Total cost to participate: ~$30,000.

1. SPI contracted for Dscoop’s special first-time exhibitor program to get a tabletop exhibit space in the Ruby pavilion at Dscoop Phoenix.

2. Dscoop management partnered with MindFireInc for their own pre-show, at show and post-show promotion using MindFire Studio marketing automation platform.

3. SPI purchased a 1-year license of Studio and worked with the MindFire Agency to help them create their campaign for Dscoop.

4. MindFire provided templates, training, and technical support to make sure SPI was successful. Dscoop provided use of the registered attendee database.

5. SPI engaged an outsourced marketing consultant who created the theme, initial messaging and booth elements, and their in-house marketing team took it from there.

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Goals Silicon Publishing desired to generate 50 or more quality leads for Silicon Designer for Web-to-Print applications and to close 3 or more of these leads after the event.

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Campaign Creative Silicon Designer: your Secret Sauce for Web-to-Print

Campaign Structure There were three general parts of the campaign: pre-show, at show, and post-show. In addition to the booth exhibit, SPI’s CEO spoke as an industry expert on a panel presentation near the end of the 2nd day of the show.

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Pre-Show Campaign • The goal of the Pre-Show Campaign was to create

general awareness and buzz, and to schedule appointments to demonstrate Silicon Designer at the tabletop exhibit booth at the show. No target was set for a minimal number of appointments.

• MindFire’s in-house marketing agency provided a starting-point structure and templates, plus they provided use of their own base domain for the micro-site (PURL/GURL with web form).

• Dscoop provided updated attendee lists each week. The newest records were then added to the campaign database.

• A microsite was created consisting of a custom personalized URL landing page (PURL – for registered attendees), a general URL landing page (GURL – for referrals not already in the attendee database), and a Thank You page. The landing pages explained the value of SPI’s solution using a list of benefits in bulleted form. It also contained a web form (pre-filled with contact info on the PURL) and mentioned the drawing for a free 48” flat screen monitor.

• A series of 4 pre-show emails was sent out, one email each week every Thursday, starting 3 weeks prior to the show. The final email was sent out on Tuesday, two days before the expo opened.

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Pre-Show Campaign Workflow

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Pre-Show Campaign • A press release was issued about 2 weeks before

the event.

• In an independent effort by SPI staff members, messaging was also put out on social media channels using trackable shortened URL links.

• Email messaging was taken from one or two of the bullets on the microsite, and explained how SPI’s online editor was the “secret sauce” for Web-to-Print, inviting attendees to click through to their PURL to schedule a 10-minute demo at SPI’s booth, after which they would receive a large bottle of whichever “secret sauce” they preferred: Tapatío, Cholula or Texas Pete. Simultaneously with a response, they were entered into a drawing for a 48” flat screen used during booth demos.

• The web form also prompted them to schedule a personal demo and select a secret sauce. The Thank You page was displayed after form submission, followed by a Thank You email. Simultaneously, a New Lead email was triggered to SPI staff so that they could follow-up right away.

• By the time the 4th pre-show email went out, there were 1866 attendees with deliverable email addresses, out of which 945 unique attendees (51%) opened the emails. A total of 139 unique attendees (7.5%) visited the microsite, and 32 unique attendees (1.7%) submitted the web form.

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At-Show Campaign • Dscoop contracted with DoubleDutch to

provide an interactive app for exhibitors and attendees. Reminders were sent out the night before the show by SPI through the app’s direct messaging, targeting each attendee who had signed up for a demo. At various times throughout the show, SPI also posted photos of the 3 different secret sauces in the app’s main feed, accompanied by messaging encouraging attendees to pick up their selection at the SPI booth.

• Miniature bottles of Tabasco along with a small 1”x2.5” card were handed out like business cards to attendees at various events. They were also distributed at the booth as SPI staff made eye contact and asked, “Did you get your secret sauce for web-to-print yet?” Once hooked, attendees were asked if they currently offered web-to-print or were looking at adding it to their offering. They were then led to a second SPI staffer who showed them the demo. Following the demo, they were given their choice of a large bottle of either Tapatío, Cholula or Texas Pete hot sauce, and their name was recorded for the flat screen drawing.

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At-Show Campaign • The night before the panel

presentation, a fifth email was sent out to invite attendees to come. The presentation was held at a theater on the show floor, moderated by Web2PrintExperts, with four composition engine solution providers: Silicon Publishing, XMPie, Pageflex and MarcomCentral.

• On the last day of the show, about 30 minutes before the drawing for the flat screen, an SMS text message was sent out to all attendees who had provided a mobile number during registration (77 total) reminding them of the drawing and that they must be present to win.

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At-Show Campaign 10-12 attendees showed up and SPI’s COO drew the winner’s name. SPI’s CEO presented the prize.

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Post-Show Campaign • A follow-up sixth email was sent out one

week after the event only to those who did not engage with SPI, asking if they missed out on seeing the “secret sauce” at the show and inviting them to schedule an online demo. An additional two responses were generated from this email.

• All leads were ranked A, B or C immediately after the show and divided up among SPI staff for follow up.

• A personalized email was sent to each attendee who engaged with SPI in any way.

• All leads were entered into SPI’s CRM system and follow-up calls were scheduled.

• Follow-up phone calls began staring with leads ranked as “A” (high quality) first, then “B” and finally “C.”

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Campaign Results SPI walked away from the show with 56 high quality leads. It is expected that they will close at least five of these leads, which would be a return on direct costs of about 10-12x.

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27at-show demo

appointments were scheduled from pre-

show marketing.

112total leads were

generated by the close of the show.

50%56 of the 112 leads were ranked post-show as “A” high

quality.

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communications indicate SPI should engage with at least 5 of these leads in

2017.

Want to build a campaign like this one for your next show? Send me an email at ramin@mindfire.agency or call us at 949-265-1271. We’ll make sure your next trade show is a huge success.

Ramin ZamaniVP, MindFire Agency http://mindfire.agency

Using MindFire Agency services made all the difference. They provided us with a great template that saved us hours over building our campaign from scratch. And they held our hands to make sure we configured everything properly so our first campaign looked like we were pros, right out of the gate.

— Chris JacobsonBusiness Development Trade Show Marketing

Silicon Publishing, Inc.

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