Helping Shape The Minds Of Tomorrow | ABC to VCE + Megaphone
Meet The Business
Helping shape the minds of tomorrow, ABC to VCE is a Melbourne-based prep-to-VCE tutoring school that stresses the fundamental role of social interaction in the development of learning – based on undisputed research and theories from Vygotsky dating back to the 1930s.
The model works like this: across three Melbourne locations, ‘mini’ groups of up to 5 students explore different topics with their qualified tutor, ranging from NAPLAN tests to VCE subjects and everything in between.
They partnered with Megaphone in December 2022, looking to improve their entire marketing and sales strategy — from awareness all the way through to the post-purchase experience. In other words; a full-scale marketing injection was needed.
Simultaneously, they wanted to bring the acquisition costs down to $38 for each new student, which would help allocate more money into other areas of the business (like hiring more amazing tutors).
ABC to VCE knew that they wanted to work with an agency. But they didn’t match with most agencies (those who promised to deliver leads and then immediately called it quits) — they wanted a long-term partner who could help them find, convert and retain customers. That’s why they came to Megaphone.
The Journey To Success
To ensure the client’s success, we took several specific steps right from the beginning.?
Step one was to review ABC to VCE’s customer journey – and experience it for ourselves. What worked? What didn’t? Which strengths could we hone, and which weaknesses could we improve?
Giving more substance to the initial analysis, we also carefully reviewed the customer journey and lead experience of the education services landscape, including that of their primary competitor.?
This involved conducting a “mystery shopping” exercise where we anonymously interacted with the competitor – we meticulously documented each stage of the experience and broke down their entire sales pipeline. By closely observing customer interactions, processes, and touchpoints, we gained invaluable insights into their competitor’s strategies – highlighting both opportunities and possible threats.
The seven keys to success
After identifying the key opportunities for improvement, we considered various strategies to enhance the customer journey beyond what the competitor offered. In other words, we made innovation a non-negotiable.?
Of all the positive improvements, seven in particular made the biggest difference in terms of getting and converting leads:
We implemented a dedicated landing page that simplified the booking platform, making it easier for prospects to navigate and understand the process.
We created a landing page displaying real-time timetable and pricing options for three different tutoring locations. This allowed prospects to view and choose suitable options conveniently.
3. An SMS Notification Sequence (with Calendly booking)
Some leads required extra trust and guidance. So, to nurture these people, we developed an SMS notification sequence. After submitting an enquiry form, leads received a text message thanking them and encouraging a one-on-one Calendly chat with the ABC team (with an easy-to-use link inside the message).
4. A Conversion-Optimised Landing Page
A dedicated landing page was designed to provide comprehensive information, enabling prospects to directly enroll or schedule a call with one of their tutors.
5. Location-Specific Email Flows
The?Megaphone service team?created multiple 3-step email journeys – each tailored to a different tutoring location. These email flows aimed to encourage no-contact purchases while also effortlessly walking leads through the enrollment process (using education to minimise the barrier to entry).
6. A Post-Purchase FAQ Email Flow
To provide more clarity with prospects, as well as save time for staff, an email flow was created that focused on answering the most common questions. Besides relieving staff from repetitive inquiries (which drained valuable resources), it also provided comprehensive information about things like invoicing, drop-off times and the ABC app.
7. HubSpot Deal Stage/Pipeline Interface
A huge opportunity lurked, but we needed accurate, trackable data in order to seize it. Until now, ABC was managing leads through an unsorted email inbox – it was messy and prone to slip-ups.
With these 7 keys to success in place, we were able to create a streamlined customer journey that boosted lead conversion and provided a better overall experience for prospects and customers.
After setting up a new and improved system, the focus shifted to long-term; how could ABC continue to keep the interest high, and their marketing efficient?
Part one was turning on the tap of customer feedback. Thanks to the HubSpot setup, the team could record all of the client concerns and questions – based on common themes, a list of valuable answers was created, which paved the way for the new messaging in digital ads.
The benefit of using customer data to help shape our campaign angles was that new customers didn’t need to ask repetitive questions or seek help – because they now already had extra support and education embedded throughout their journey.
The other major benefit that Hubspot created was a method to track revenue – not just generally, but specifically within each stage of the funnel. Such a detailed oversight brought opportunities to light that ABC hadn’t considered before — and made it clear where the sales team’s efforts were best spent if they wanted to increase conversions.?
For the cherry on top, the CRM also now allows ABC to set follow-up dates with colder leads. This ensures that interested people (who may not quite be ready to commit) are still being educated, engaged, and provided value – this way, they are more likely to make the commitment down the line.
The Incredible Results
When Jo and the ABC team came to Megaphone, their goal was to reach 60 leads per month. At the outset, this was a very lofty goal based on the current infrastructure – one that relied on manual email checks and far too much guesswork.
So, to be able to achieve that goal, the Megaphone strategists overhauled the business’ CX (Customer Experience) journey and launched a new, highly detailed CRM system, HubSpot, that would track lead stage (cold, warm, won, lost, to contact, free trial booked, etc.) and rank prospects by priority and revenue potential.
In April of 2023, ABC to VCE had its first month exceeding 60 leads – a huge achievement considering the age-old processes that were in place 6 months ago. In May, after the processes had been given a chance to spin their wheels, ABC to VCE received a whopping 118 monthly leads. And, to show it was no fluke, they landed a record-breaking 128 leads in June, keeping the momentum going.
Across the board, these new systems and processes have welcomed a 100% improvement in business efficiency, helping Jo and her team allocate more of their time to what matters most – their clients!
Thanks to the hyper-detailed HubSpot categories, Jo can now accurately track exactly how much revenue is in each stage of her funnel (whereas before they were operating blind). Within three months of marketing with Megaphone, there’s now close to $100k in cold leads ready to target too – a huge revenue injection for a business primed to grow.
This data-driven approach has helped Jo understand where she should place her resources, ultimately making the entire business more streamlined and effective.
Moving forward, now that the systems are in place, ABC to VCE plans to expand its services to be able to educate more kids and teens across the country. With a solid foundation built, the team is excited to expand to new heights in 2024 and beyond.?
Jo and the team are eternally grateful to Andy, Jordan and the Megaphone strategy team for going above and beyond to help them be the best business they can be.
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