How Stanley Security Won the 2021 SAMMY Award for Best Overall Marketing Program (Large Company)
In 2021, the company shifted its initial product-centric marketing strategy to a solutions-based approach due to the pandemic.
With end users facing uncertainty and myriad questions amid the pandemic, STANLEY Security repositioned its 2020 marketing strategies and developed new marketing and content channels to ensure its customers received the support they needed and felt empowered in protecting their organizations.
“Our strategies, content and tactics were initially positioned with a focus on product and sharing what those products could help our customers achieve. However, the changing times encouraged us to pivot — and do so quickly,” explains Laura Rose, global marketing director.
The marketing team narrowed its focus to solving one question: How can the company help organizations in their time of need? The answer: Provide them much-needed resources and solutions straight from STANLEY Security’s own thought leaders, sales professionals and security experts.
Early in the pandemic, the company directed its attention toward helping organizations establish safer and healthier environments. These efforts centered on providing resources on remote security environments and technologies like human temperature screening devices, visitor management platforms, identity management and more.
As time went on and reopening strategies were implemented, organizations’ needs shifted to improving efficiencies and driving cost savings — insights STANLEY Security provided through its expanded resources and the launch of a new solution ecosystem.
“After months of collecting voice of customer data, we learned that organizations needed tightly integrated solutions that could help them proactively solve problems and drive operational efficiencies,” Rose explains. “In response, we introduced UNA, our ecosystem of advanced security, health and safety solutions.”
Unique Types of Marketing Collateral
Throughout the year, STANLEY Security tailored an approach focused on education and support. It led to the development of new resources and marketing collateral and created an increased demand for its services while using no additional marketing dollars in many cases. Among the newly expanded marketing materials and tactics:
▶Increased blog production: The company greatly expanded its STANLEY Influencer Program, which features internal subject matter experts who contribute blog content and participate in marketing and PR opportunities. When COVID-19 began impacting organizations, the team of Influencers produced content at three — sometimes four — times the pace they were producing in 2019. Their efforts led to a 53% increase in organic website sessions.
▶White paper series: The demand for practical advice and actionable insights led the company to develop multiple white papers. Topics were driven by customer needs and included how security solutions would adapt to health and safety concerns, the functions of a remote security program, and industry-specific topics like how to leverage CARES Act funding. The white papers contributed to a 67% increase in organic leads.
▶Community Insights video series: Internal influencers and experts involved with the company recorded a new video series wherein they shared their expertise and experiences on a wide range of topics pertinent to end customers. The program included a number of external stakeholders and audiences; at times, the company worked alongside its competitors whenever it proved most helpful for end customers.
▶Webinars: A new webinar program centered on providing additional thought leadership and resources to key industries. The program reimagined an in-person event series and offered an engaging virtual platform to share insights and connect with customers. These efforts resulted in the generation of 2,100+ new leads that had never engaged with STANLEY previously.
Cost-Effectiveness and Value
While many companies within the security industry experienced significant declines in lead-generation activity and other relevant metrics, STANLEY Security proclaims a different experience.
“Our customer-first strategy and our new marketing channels and content led to an increased interest in our services — all accomplished with little to no paid strategy. As such, we’ve achieved a very significant return on investment,” says Rose.
She cites the thought leadership PR efforts, which generated more than 23 million potential impressions, increased the company’s share of voice for enterprise security by 23% and for small business security by 17% year-over-year.
“Marketing in 2020 wasn’t simply about generating leads; it was about providing superior value to the market. And with executive buy-in as well as support from our Influencer Program, we were able to do just that,” Rose says.
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About the Author
Rodney Bosch, Senior Editor
Although Bosch’s name is quite familiar to those in the security industry, his previous experience has been in daily newspaper journalism. Prior to joining SECURITY SALES & INTEGRATION in 2006, he spent 15 years with the Los Angeles Times, where he performed a wide assortment of editorial responsibilities, including feature and metro department assignments as well as content producing for latimes.com. Bosch is a graduate of California State University, Fresno with a degree in Mass Communication & Journalism. In 2007, he successfully completed the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association’s National Training School coursework to become a Certified Level I Alarm Technician.
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