Supporting a leading STM publisher with maximizing their China sales revenue
The problem
Our client started to develop within the China market about ten years ago, using their own sales team. Despite a strong customer base in Western countries, they had achieved few sales in China.
They were keen to develop in China, but they found that their strategy and approaches did not work as effectively in China as they had in the West.
The solution
As a China market expert with 15 years’ experience working within the Chinese STM publishing and research communities, The Charlesworth Group was approached to develop a sales plan for the client. We created a top-level sales and marketing strategy that identified the best sales channels and marketing campaigns for increasing their presence in China.
This strategy included:
• Selling our client’s publications to NSTL (the National Science and Technology Library consortium) and major consortia and print copies to the 2nd tier market
• Developing a Chinese language website as the central hub for sale, marketing and communications with local communities
• Sending a monthly e-newsletter to the community and creating the brand familiarity in-line with specific sales targets
• Managing Chinese social media to promote contents, news, free subscription, online access or books to help grow followers
• Library conference exposure, including presentation, booth display and materials circulation.
The results
• NSTL purchased some of their titles and renewed the agreement the following year.
• The sales of print copies have been maintained at a satisfying level.
• The marketing activities and support also achieved positive result.
• As well as increasing sales, our client saw more and more online visits, usage and paper submissions from China.
The outcome
Pleased with the work, our client asked us to provide additional strategic support, plans and materials for establishing a market presence and sales growth within the new cooperation market in China which is still ongoing.
We have been privileged to be able to act as an expansion of the sales and marketing team in China for this client and we look forward to continuing our relationship in the future.