The Brief 

An online music academy offering Indian classical music faced growth stagnation with 50 new students per month, primarily driven by organic search and word of mouth. The challenge was to develop a robust sales and marketing strategy to enhance reach and sales, and improve team efficiency. The result was an established marketing engine, a scaled & efficient team and a 5X increase in revenue. 

Background 

As the first mover in offering structured online Indian classical music lessons, the academy targeted Indian music enthusiasts, particularly the diaspora. While the client had a strong organic presence, it had not fully tapped into the overseas market, particularly parents of children without access to good Indian music tutors. 

Current Challenges 

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Sales Performance: Inefficient lead distribution and inadequate follow-up led to lost opportunities. There was no structured sales funnel or metrics beyond monthly targets.

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Marketing Reach: Limited to social media, the academy lacked a defined customer profile, a marketing plan, and a channel strategy.

Strategic Approach

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Market Research: Identified three customer segments: young children, professionals, and the Indian diaspora. Surveys and data analysis revealed key motivations and decision-making factors.

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Development of Marketing Engine: Established a marketing funnel with defined stages, channels (social media, email, performance marketing), and metrics. Tools like CRM, analytics, and email marketing platforms were implemented.

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Sales Strategy: Regional and timezone-specific sales teams with conversion targets were introduced. A dedicated team for re-sales was formed to reduce dropout rates. CRM automation and WhatsApp marketing were employed for scalability and personalization.

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Team Efficiency: Documented processes and implemented training and continuous skill development.

Results and Impact

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• Lead-to-conversion ratio improved by 35-50% across regions.
• Student retention increased by 20%.
• Social media followership grew by 30-150% across various channels.
• Email open rates exceeded 50%.
• Paid channels contributed to 15% of revenue.
• Overall, a 5X revenue increase was achieved.

Key Takeaways

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• Identify the ideal customer profile through in-depth research.
• Analyze current sales data to optimize processes.
• Define a comprehensive marketing funnel with clear metrics.
• Continuously iterate and improve the sales and marketing strategies based on data and feedback.