Challenge
The Small Business Technology Institute (SBTI), which fosters small business technology adoption, came to LCI to help leverage awareness of their services for small businesses. SBTI partnered with Intel to sponsor the “World of Difference” contest, asking potential small businesses to write a plan identifying what they would do if they won $100,000 worth of IT services. With a little over six months to both create and implement a campaign, LCI’s goals were to help spur small businesses to enter, to create awareness of the finalists, the winner and their businesses — and in so doing, spread the word to the small business community that SBTI is a resource that can help assist with IT education, training, consulting and support.
Strategy and Tactics
LCI pitched feature stories in general and business press as well as mining public service directors to announce the contest. LCI also highlighted success stories of small businesses working with SBTI whose adoption of IT services helped further their own success. LCI showcased SBTI CEO Andrea Peiro was showcased as a thought leader and expert on small business to influencers and media. Once finalists were announced, LCI targeted a market-by-market approach in those regions where finalists were located.
Results
LCI achieved major top-tier media coverage and market-by-market awareness throughout the nation, including such placements as: New York Times, Entrepreneur, San Jose Mercury News, Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle, the Small Business Advocate (syndicated to 40 radio stations nationwide), WPFW (Washington, DC), Small Business Computing, PC Magazine, Fortune Small Business, SmatMoney.com, Bay Area Business Woman, Oakland Tribune, KCBS-Radio, EWeek and more. Total gross impressions exceeded 52 million.