Challenge
Landis Communications Inc. (LCI) represents Velodyne Lidar, which makes the technology that allows self-driving cars to “see.” LCI has overseen a B2B campaign with Velodyne and its 300 customers (including Ford, Baidu, Honeywell, the University of Nevada and startups) to further co-promotional communications initiatives. Formalizing the relationship with its customers, LCI helped Velodyne establish a new customer co-marketing and engagement program launched in April 2020 called Automated with Velodyne. The lidar sensor industry is very competitive. Customers are being wooed by dozens of sensor companies with many willing to discount on price. Velodyne sought a way to help strengthen customer loyalty and create long-term and higher demand for Velodyne’s sensors – all with an eye to increase brand awareness and lidar sensor sales.
Strategy
Give customers another reason to always buy from Velodyne. Develop a formal co-marketing and engagement program for customers. The goals are to: solidify customer relationships and build loyalty; amplify Velodyne’s messages through additional channels; demonstrate Velodyne’s leadership in the lidar industry through the maturity and scope of its marketing and communications; and increase sales.
Tactics
The Automated with Velodyne program includes a full suite of communications initiatives. LCI works with Velodyne to plan announcements, create content and produce webinars and events. Each of these include: Press releases, news announcements; Blogs; Social media posts; Website pages for each participating customer; Newsletters; and Webinars. For a video overview of the program click HERE.
Results
- Automated with Velodyne has more than 75 customer partners across the globe. Currently, more than 25 potential customers are in the pipeline to sign up for the program.
- The program has generated nearly 5,000 features in the media
- 1.8 billion audience
- Net ad equivalency = $16.8 million
- Each webinar generated more than 100 sales leads. The company has announced 8 new major sales agreements since the inception of the program.
- When Automated with Velodyne partners are interviewed by the media, they now mention Velodyne and ask for quotes
- And, LCI and Velodyne are in regular contact with customer/partners about their latest news and generate story ideas based on current events
- Media coverage includes national, international, financial and trade publications, including the New York Times, AP, Automotive News, Reuters, CNBC, Bloomberg, The Robot Report, TechCrunch and more.
- With nearly 60% competitive share of voice in the media, Velodyne dominates its industry sector. The Automated with Velodyne program helped increase this dominance 20% over last year, with integrated communications efforts both from Velodyne and its partners.