Private Equity Firm Retools Tech Company
An investor group acquired a small systems technology-company with an industry-changing product stuck in the R&D pipeline. The goal was to quickly ready the product for market to gain early-to-market advantage and quickly sell the company to a larger company with stronger marketing capabilities.

Our Solution
Freeze ongoing product development to bring the product to market quickly. Repackage the large, inflexible systems into smaller evaluation size systems to reduce initial price and make installations less disruptive to client operations.

Results
Fifty percent reduction in sales cycle time and easy integration into existing client operations. Several evaluation systems were successfully installed and the company was acquired by one of several suitors.

Aerospace - Advanced Product Research
A leading aerospace firm needed to determine pilot preferences and performance requirements for design of a new line of advanced general aviation avionics and aircraft control systems.

Our Solution
Stratus Partners was engaged as marketing technology advisor to provide content continuity and assist the market research firm facilitate pilot interviews to establish criteria for new and improved features, system interfaces and operational concerns and probe for pilot impressions of evolving avionics technologies.

Results
Pilot interviews conducted in major US cities provided the client with clear guidelines for new and improved features, control interfaces and component integration allowing them to shorten development cycle and competitively position the new product line against growing competition.

Public Sector Organization Sells Assets
A public sector organization with no prior private sector marketing experience acquired a large portfolio of marketable assets they wanted to return to the private sector.

Our solution
We helped build sales teams and modify asset inventory systems to support sales functions. We employed auction techniques to establish market value and create a marketplace that would not disrupt the private sector.

Results
The result was sales in excess of $450 million in first two years and resolution of the entire portfolio in seven years. The techniques were replicated in throughout the country with similar success.

IT Infrastructure Company Fights Low Cost Competition
As margins eroded and sales declined the company reacted by aggressively responding to all bid requests with decreasing rates of success. Their services were clearly superior but their value was being discounted because it was not included in the bid specifications.

Our Solution
Establish, coach and support sales pursuit team focused on high-value deals that fit go-to-market strategy. Increase sales pipeline efficiency by purging deals that do not fit sales criteria. Establish revenue review board to monitor deal progress and oversee best practices developed. Invest in targeted marketing campaign to pre-condition select accounts. Engage clients in pre-bid dialogues to establish bid specifications aligned with capabilities and position value within the context of customer business challenges.

Results
Within 90 days a $4M contact was signed and within 6 months the decline in sales had been reversed.

B2B Service Provider Recovers from Strategy Misstep
A successful regional business-to-business service provider invested heavily in emerging technology. They created a new operating unit with a separate brand and sales force selling into an untested market. The result was faltering start-up of the new unit and severe cash drain on the parent company.

Our Solution
Combine the two brand images to build credibility for the tech unit while adding new life to the existing brand. We recommend integrating product lines and sales teams to quickly provide full range services to existing and new customers alike.

Results
A shared-incentive program promoted cooperation between the new and existing sales teams, reduced cost of sale and resulted in double digit quarterly sales increases for the new operating unit.

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