I am excited to share with you a case study on the digital marketing strategies that I developed and implemented for Cortek Test Solutions during the summer period from June 1st to August 4th. As the sole strategist behind YK Strategies, I found Cortek Test Solutions to be an intriguing client. They are a leader in the ATE and electronics industry, specializing in both custom and standard test fixtures, and have over two decades of industry experience. Their focus on innovative and customer-centric solutions has positioned them as pioneers in the industry.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cortek Test Solutions experienced a significant increase in business. This growth phase was a critical point for the company, indicating the need for an updated approach to branding and marketing that matched their newfound visibility and success.
My strategy was multifaceted. It involved launching dynamic email marketing campaigns and redesigning key informational materials such as data sheets, manuals, and corporate brochures. A highlight of this project was revamping the LinkedIn profiles for both the company and its CEO, which aimed to boost engagement significantly. Additionally, I focused on writing informative articles for their LinkedIn audience and creating engaging content for their upcoming new website.
In this case study, I will detail these strategies and their contributions to enhancing Cortek's brand and market standing. The journey was one of creativity, strategic insight, and tangible outcomes, and I am excited to share these experiences and results with you.
Email Marketing
At Cortek, the team has been harnessing the capabilities of Constant Contact for their email marketing initiatives. There was a keen interest in boosting their email open rates and establishing a more consistent communication rhythm, aiming for at least two email campaigns each month. This was a step up from their previous strategy, where they often limited themselves to just one campaign per month, and sometimes even skipped months entirely. As a result, their open rates were hovering in the lower spectrum, between 5 to 13%. I attributed this to the sporadic nature of their email outreach and the lack of compelling subject lines.
To turn this around, I took the initiative to streamline their contact list, removing inactive or unresponsive contacts, and those who had opted out of communication. In parallel, I focused on enhancing the visual appeal of the email campaigns, increasing the frequency to 2-3 times a month. I even prepared drafts for future campaigns stretching out till November to ensure continuity. A key aspect was ensuring that all our emails were mobile-friendly, as more and more people access their emails on the go.
The revamp didn't stop there. I utilized engaging subject lines and enriched the email content, which paid off handsomely – the open rates soared to an impressive average of 28-31%. This wasn't just a number; even their website manager noticed a tangible uptick in website traffic correlating with these email campaign improvements.
Moreover, I didn't limit their efforts to just emails. I crafted LinkedIn posts and articles that complemented the email campaigns, creating a cohesive digital marketing strategy. The details of these LinkedIn initiatives will be explored in the next section of this study.
LinkedIn Updates
Despite not having a background in tech or engineering, I conducted extensive research on SEO and tech marketing to lay a strong foundation for this project. My first step was to update their LinkedIn banner to give it a fresh look and feel, which set the stage for further improvements.
After that, I meticulously updated the page's information, buttons, overview, and hashtags. Although I didn't have complete freedom to implement all my ideas for maximizing traffic and engagement, my client and I worked collaboratively to achieve significant improvements.
Once the company page was overhauled, I shifted my focus to updating the CEO's LinkedIn profile. Before my arrival, Cortek's LinkedIn posts had received little engagement, with just one like per post. The graphics used were often cluttered and didn't align with the brand's identity. Additionally, the content strategy primarily involved reposting material from the CEO's account onto the company's page, mainly sharing links to their latest email campaigns with brief captions.
To improve engagement, I created LinkedIn-specific content that complemented the ongoing email campaigns, rather than just directing followers to these campaigns. For more in-depth content, I utilized LinkedIn's article feature, pouring extensive research into crafting these pieces. I focused on creating visually appealing covers and engaging headlines and followed up the publication of these articles with explanatory posts and well-researched hashtags. These articles were then reposted on the CEO's account, using varied post wording but maintaining the same hashtags. This strategic approach bore fruit, with the articles and posts seeing a noticeable uptick in engagement - receiving between 5-10 likes and multiple reposts, and articles garnering around 150-233 impressions. The increase in organic engagement was palpable.
Before my contributions, the company's LinkedIn page had a modest following of 88. Within just two months of my involvement, this number impressively climbed to 195. The page views surged by 396.2%, unique visitors by 223.3%, and there was a 350% increase in custom button clicks, all pointing to a successfully revitalized LinkedIn presence.
Redesigning Company Material
Another exciting aspect of this project was to redesign all of Cortek's company materials, which had become a bit dated. This task encompassed a wide range of responsibilities, including the creation of fresh, updated data sheets and manuals for their diverse product range, as well as giving the company brochure a complete makeover.
To provide a glimpse into where we started, take a look at this old safety enclosure data sheet that was formatted as a single two-sided page.
I was asked to redesign and expand it into a foldable booklet and include a FAQ section:
In order to ensure brand consistency while injecting a fresh vibe into CTS's materials, I weaved in their established color palette. To add an extra layer of distinction, I introduced highlight colors that resonated with the unique character of specific products. This aspect of my role was particularly enjoyable as it allowed me to fully unleash my creative flair and bring a new dimension to the brand's visual identity.
I'm unable to share samples of the company manuals I crafted, as they fall under the umbrella of confidential material. Rest assured, they embody the same spirit of innovation and attention to detail that defines Cortek.
Conclusion
As this case study concludes, I'd like to share how fulfilling my time with Cortek Test Solutions has been. It's been a journey rich with insights and invaluable experiences in the realm of marketing, specifically tailored to the tech and engineering industry. This collaboration has been so successful and mutually beneficial that I have been offered the opportunity to continue contributing to their marketing efforts on a part-time basis. This not only highlights the effectiveness of our work together but also marks an exciting continuation of my professional path in this dynamic field.
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