Collabry's

Collabry Case Study Originally named Flaca, Collabrys was founded in 1999, by Randy Korba and Jan Sherman during the Silicon Valley technology boom. Funded by venture capitalists Sam Colella and Rebecca Robertson at Versant Ventures, the company focused on personalized marketing which was the new great frontier at the time. The basic strategy was to transform the marketing process by allowing businesses to establish deep customer relationships through use of gathered information. Collabrys used data mining processes to match customers needs with the product so their clients could market towards their customers with the right products. In 2000, the company's name was changed to Collabys (Collaborative Branding Research Systems) as the company started to develop a strong sense of identity. The company originally zeroed in on the process of developing the product instead of focusing on developing customer relations. Korba and Sherman believed they could leverage content and contact between brand and product. However, focusing on product development as the heart and soul of the business does not generate sales because there is no customer demand. This is the cause of a majority of start up failures. As a start up company, Collabrys spent large quantities of money on marketing campaigns as well as the product itself. Collabrys was great at product development, but awful at managing customer development. KEY PROBLEM Because it failed to address it's customers problems, Collabrys did not have a repeatable sales model. This unclear business model was one of the greatest problems facing Collabry's because it created doubt in the minds of the investors. These investors did not understand the business plan. Collabry's had originally partnered with advertising agencies to sell solutions instead of just relying on direct sales. Collabrys failed to deal with its potential customers' chief issues, therefore customers did not see value in the product and were unwilling to pay for Coolabrys solution that did not offer a solution to their problem. By May of 2002, Collabry's felt the need to stop experimenting with strategy, product and personnel. The company needed a clear direction, but they needed to decide on whether they were going to become an analytics software company or to use their technology in-house as part of a service. . Originally funded by venture capital, the company has changed key personnel, experimented with different distribution and partnering schemes, developed some sophisticated intellectual property, and raised a second round of funding. Collabrys had a financial model that did not make sense. More valuable company. Even Collabrys’s MVP manager, Villapando-Ibalio, found it difficult to explain the potential for BrandPrint to potential clients and Collabrys always encountered the question:  “What can I do with BrandPrint tomorrow that is different from what I do today'”  Obviously the company failed to solve an existing problem because it was still using the same outrageous sales projections and was considered to be a ‘hot’ new arena for business.The company believed that it could learn a lot about consumer psychographics (lifestyle attributes) and thus enhance the knowledge of partner brand companies.     Catalina bought may 10, 2010. From Invenda Corp. Shopper Marketing Giant When technology and marketing technology evolve together the company becomes particularly challenged. NEW INFORMATION RECOMMENDED STRATEGY Collabrys should follow a service strategy. They customize their service to their clients needs which fits best as a service. Helping bring new products to market. Focus on value of their technology. It does not have the expertise to be a software licensing company Licensed software company. Will be more attractive to investors. Shelf old plan. Have a unique software that could be licensed. Technology tool that can be used for analysis. Would not compete with CRM companies. More flexible if sold as a package. Technology for analyzing data. Sets them apart from competition. Applicable to any data collection. Collabrys enables Global 2000 companies to accelerate new product success and increase consumer share by providing technology-based marketing solutions. With its suite of technology products and services, Collabrys allows brands to: Generate immediate and in-depth product awareness; Stimulate early trial and purchase among target consumers; Measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns in driving trial and purchase; Establish a platform to continuously engage and understand consumers, and build product preference and brand loyalty; Maximize returns on their new product and marketing investments. Collabrys customers deploy its set of solutions as a critical component of their new product introduction, customer retention, and sales initiatives A Proven Comprehensive E-Marketing Platform Collabrys innovative on demand technology platform supports a unique combination of interactive marketing applications that leverage a common infrastructure and seamlessly integrate, enabling cost-effective and efficient marketing executions. All of Collabrys marketing applications are managed through a centralized, Web-based campaign management environment and sit atop an integrated consumer data infrastructure. Cost-Effective, Hassle-Free Execution Delivered through a secure hosted ASP service model, Collabrys Integrated Marketing Technology Suite requires no upfront IT investment, no extra bandwidth, and no added technical or engineering support personnel. From a total solution perspective, Collabrys Suite provides immediate access to sophisticated technology, while offering an integrated infrastructure designed for scalable, reliable interactive relationship marketing. Integration is the future of relationship marketing. Collabrys ignites its flame now. Digital marketing introduces an exciting range of new relationship-building opportunities from targeted emails, online coupons and promotions, to consumer generated content, mobile and more. But harnessing these tactics and integrating them into well-orchestrated marketing programs takes technological prowess, data-driven insights, and focused marketing expertise. Today’s ultimate challenge lies in finding a capable partner to advance your programs and deliver measurable value in the process. Rock Solid Integrated CRM Technology Collabrys innovative, reliable and scalable CRM technologies offer the tactical, data, campaign management and reporting tools to keep you dynamic and competitive in your constantly evolving industry. Our proven integrated marketing technologies will carry you through the basics, Web 2.0, and whatever comes next. Consumer Marketing Expertise Our team has time-tested new media experience—we know what works, what hasn’t, and continuously push to the forefront of consumer marketing’s evolution. We understand what motivates different consumers and continuously evaluate the most relevant ways to reach them. Our collective experience spans a range of vertical consumer industries, and unites in our commitment to next-generation marketing integration. Optimum Value Collabrys differs from consulting firms or agencies, which often lack the technology and data capabilities for cost effective and efficient execution, as well as from technology-only vendors who offer products may not be able to define and deliver strategic marking programs. Our “one-stop” model enables cost efficiencies, better resource management, and keeps your data together in one place. Ease of Implementation Simply put, we’re easy to work with. We respect timelines and budgets, and offer modular products, targeted solutions and flexible service levels to get you up and running quickly. Our client service team can play a supporting role in your relationship marketing initiatives or manage every facet. How to Get Started No matter where you are in your relationship marketing program, we’ll help you take it to the next level. 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