XPS part 25 Dec 2013 11:10
Reaching out
It’s this specialist approach that has allowed Expansys to gain what Catterson describes as “an incredibly loyal” and “solid” customer base. And he admits the company, to the general public, is not a household name, labelling it a “well-kept secret”.
But, although more than able to retain and please customers, Expansys’ “well-kept secret” nature has also stopped it emerging completely into the public domain and in the process acquiring the brand recognition that other online retailers enjoy.
Although Catterson would like to establish its branding to the wider public, he says he has to play his cards carefully as any bold move could alienate sections of the client base.
The approach, Catterson says, is to market a non-traditional service in an non-traditional way by turning to new media, such as social networking sites and partnerships, as potential opportunities.
He highlights the partnership with Channel 5 programme The Gadget Show, which stars Jason Bradbury, who appears regularly in Expansys-branded YouTube gadget reviews.
Catterson says this form of marketing allows Expansys to become instantly recognisable and to bond with existing and untapped customer bases. It also, importantly, keeps marketing spend to a minimum.
“Jason (Bradbury) has been creating bespoke video content for us for over six months and we are really pleased with what he has bought to Expansys,” Catterson says.
“It’s brilliant to bring him and Expansys together in a non-commercial way and allows us to re-emphasise the kind of brand credibility (we are after) by saying, “The nation’s number one geek is an Expansys partner, so this is a brand you should know a little bit more about.”
A recent April Fool’s joke carried out on camera by Bradbury and Expansys, in which he said an iPad 2 could take ‘X-ray photographs’ if it was wrapped in cling film, was posted on YouTube and received close to 185,000 views – over 150,000 within the first two days of it airing.
It was brand exposure that “delighted” Catterson.
On top of Bradbury’s video appearances, Expansys had a stand at the Gadget Show Live, at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham earlier this month.
The event gave the company further opportunities to promote its relationship with Bradbury – he made regular appearances at the stand – as well as enhance its brand exposure through a rare opportunity to meet and talk to customers in a traditional store environment.
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