Earning more sales meetings from webinars with the help of BowNow｜SmartScape Corporation
With BowNow, you can organize your existing customer data and make the most of new lists. Also manage multiple domains to deliver email newsletters and webinar information efficiently.
Mr. Eiichi Toyooka, General Manager, Digital Engineering Sales Department, Product Division, Smartscape Corporation
SmartScape Corporation
| Location | A-PLACE Shinagawa 8F, 1-8-40 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo |
|---|---|
| Business Activity | Research, development, commissioned development, and sales of information and communication-related technologies, as well as IT consulting services |
| URL | https://www.smartscape.co.jp/ |
Please introduce your company
Mr. Toyooka: SmartScape Corporation was established in 2003 and has a great deal of experience in application development using CAD/PLM and CG, mainly for the automotive and industrial machinery industries, and focuses on development and consulting to help improve the productivity of the Japanese manufacturing industry.
We are in charge of system development and solution development systems within Smart Holdings. The Product Division, to which I belong, is mainly engaged in sales and development of 3D visualization solutions. We sell our own products as well as products made overseas, and most of our clients are companies in the manufacturing and mechanical equipment industries.
【Challenges before implementation】Organizing and managing sales lists
Why did you decide to implement marketing automation?
Mr. Toyooka: The reason we decided to try marketing automation was because we wanted to organize lead information and send out accurate email newsletters.
In January 2021, the number of companies providing 3D PDF document creation software to communicate technical information that includes 3D models surpassed 3,000. Because of our low pricing, we were getting more and more customers, and even one company had several customer lists.
However, we were not able to manage the lead information we acquired through inquiries, nor were we able to track the behavior of the leads after sending out emails. When we wanted to do something about organizing and managing lead information, we came across BowNow, which is in a low price range and free to start with. We also wanted to create a system that would allow us to upsell our products with richer functions, and we wanted to introduce marketing automation.
【Selection Points】Try BowNow for free to meet your price and functionality needs
What was the deciding factor for you to use BowNow?
Mr. Toyooka: For our team, it was the level of value offered at minimum cost. We had a good number of leads and inquiries to begin with, so we selected this service based on our objectives and its clear cost effectiveness.
At first, we used the free plan, but it was not enough for our purposes, so we switched to the paid version after hearing about its capabilities. After actually trying the paid version of BowNow, I was impressed with how well it works.
Before BowNow, we had been using other tools to send out emails, but we had some problems such as managing customer information other than sending emails, and exporting the number of people who accessed the site as CSV, but it was difficult to handle.
In contrast, BowNow was also good in that it was easy to practice account-based marketing. By using it for free, I was able to notice various advantages.
【Measures & Effects】More focus on email newsletters and webinar announcements, resulting in business negotiations and orders
What kind of measures are you currently using BowNow for?
Mr. Toyooka: We have migrated the e-mail newsletters and seminar information e-mails that were originally distributed by other tools to BowNow. We also replaced the document download form and inquiry form with BowNow to accumulate customer feedback.
We have sent out about 8,000 email newsletters using BowNow and other tools. We try to create titles that make customers want to click on them, and images that are eye catching.
With BowNow, we can see the history of what kind of e-mails we sent and the contents. We can also see the number of downloads and clicks on the BowNow dashboard, which makes it easy to share within the company. I think another advantage of BowNow is that its UI is easier to read and understand than other tools.
What specific results have you seen since you started your marketing efforts?
Mr. Toyooka: We have been getting good reactions to our webinars and marketing emails, and business negotiations and orders have been born from them. For example, the other day when we announced a webinar, we received 32 applications in one day. I have a feeling that people are reading my e-mails to a greater extent.
Also, when I migrated a part of my list to BowNow, people I had never known or talked to before started coming to the webinar. I have received emails and phone calls directly from those customers.
【Future Outlook】
What would you like to attempt in the future with BowNow and marketing initiatives?
Mr. Toyooka: I want to use BowNow and inside sales together to create a system to follow up on qualified leads. Our customers are well-informed about our products, and everyone knows a lot about them.
In some cases, a single call can lead to a purchase, so we want to make sure that people handle the parts that need to be handled thoroughly. Ultimately, I want to understand my customers, adapt my products and services to their needs, and aim to sell my products naturally.
【Customer Voice】It's free to start, and the updates after installation are also very impressive
Do you have any expectations for BowNow and Cloud Circus, Inc. in the future?
Mr. Toyooka: I think it's the same with anything, but you can't understand a tool unless you try it. There may be hurdles like budget and the time investment, but you can't make significant progress just by hesitating and not trying anything new.
In this respect, I liked the fact that BowNow is free to use at first. I also like the fact that the features have been updated frequently since it was first introduced. I feel that the features have been improved since I first starting using it.
Thank you very much!
