Marketri guides a packaging company's successful entry into a new market
Background & Goals
A coffee-packaging leader sets its sights on the spirits market
B2B companies often find some of their best growth opportunities in new markets, but breaking into one is not for the faint of heart. It takes a strategic, research-based approach to drive measurable results. A packaging company that was already an established leader in the coffee industry set its sights on the spirits market, where it was serving a couple of beverage alcohol clients and saw strong potential to grow.
The management team admittedly didn't have in-depth knowledge of this market and wasn't certain how to approach it effectively. Marketri had already helped the client develop a modern website with informative product content for the coffee industry and other niche markets. In early 2020, the client commissioned Marketri to guide its strategic entry into the spirits market.
Grow smarter. Scale faster.
The Approach
Job one: understanding the buyer
Always grounded in strategy and research, the team began by understanding the dynamics of the spirits market and the ideal buyer for spirits packaging. During the first couple of months, that groundwork surfaced the insights that shaped everything that followed.
Buyer Interviews
Interviewed the client's internal spirits team and a beverage alcohol client to learn how the market really buys.
Competitive Analysis
Analyzed key competitors in spirits packaging to find the openings the client could own.
SWOT Analysis
Assessed strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for entering the spirits segment.
Keyword Research & SEO Audit
Conducted keyword research for spirits packaging and an in-depth SEO audit of the client's website.
This groundwork gave Marketri invaluable insight into the key influencers for spirits packaging, the drivers of their purchase decision, the stage at which they decide, and the product benefits that would best address their pain points. Guided by that research, the firm developed a strategic marketing plan to build awareness of the company as a spirits packaging provider and drive leads into the revenue funnel. It outlined target audience personas, the optimum marketing channels, a cohesive strategy, and key messaging.
The messaging exercise was especially critical. The client had two products well-suited for beverage alcohol — a flexible pouch and a bag-in-box package — but neither was yet positioned for use in the spirits market.
Taking a Strategic Approach
A three-pronged, multi-channel program
In late March, Marketri began executing the plan through three channels working together to build credibility, capture demand, and convert it.
Organic Content
SEO-optimized webpages, blog posts, guides, and social content established credibility and drove organic traffic. Product brochures once shared freely became gated to capture leads, and product pages for the flexible pouch and bag-in-box now highlight their benefits for wine and spirits.
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Ads
Google search and LinkedIn ads carried a strong call to action — request a sample of the liquor pouch packaging — which was also added to the website and used in email campaigns.
Account-Based Marketing
A targeted email list homed in on the ideal buyer by company type, geography, and revenue range. Optimizing the client's HubSpot software, Marketri built automated workflows to nurture prospects through the revenue funnel.
Beyond running the campaigns, Marketri identified gaps in how the sales team received and worked leads, then recommended fixes for better conversion. The firm also established lead scoring to handle the influx in volume, drive the right next message for each lead, and keep the sales team focused on the highest-priority prospects.
Driving the Metrics That Matter
Early traction in a brand-new market
62%
spike in traffic to the client's spirits web pages overall, achieved in the first two months of the campaign.
The spirits packaging purchase decision involves a long cycle, yet these early results point to real potential for growth. After just two months, the campaigns had already generated qualified leads and requests for product samples across the new spirits-focused content.
21
Leads from PPC campaigns
25
Requests for a product sample
Our new digital campaigns aimed at the spirits market are generating strong leads that will help us achieve our revenue growth goals. I can see us using a similar approach to build business in other markets.
Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Key Takeaways
The engagement at a glance
A packaging company that was already a leader in the coffee industry saw the spirits market as ripe for growth. Successful entry into a new market requires a strategic, research-based approach.
After targeted interviews and a competitive analysis, Marketri developed and executed a strategic, multi-channel program to position the client as a credible provider of spirits packaging and generate quality leads. The three-pronged approach paired SEO-optimized content with a pay-per-click ad program and an account-based email marketing campaign.
Within just two months, the campaigns delivered a 62% spike in traffic to the new spirits webpages, 21 leads from PPC alone, and 25 requests for a product sample.
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