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TradeStone SoftwareBusiness ChallengeAs a startup founded in 2003, TradeStone Software was a largely unknown entity in the global sourcing industry. While it had several prospects interested in its technology, it needed additional visibility to raise its profile with larger retailers and attract new business.
TradeStone came to Schwartz with several major assets including a long history in the market through its predecessor companies run by its charismatic CEO Sue Welch; an experienced management team; real product ready to ship and early-stage users who were ready to speak to the press.
Schwartz PR Strategy- Schwartz started with a “coming out” party for TradeStone at the National Retail Federation show in January 2004, introducing the company, its management team, vision of collaborative global sourcing and first customer, Ocean State Job Lot, to all the key industry reporters and analysts.
- Over the next year Schwartz orchestrated a drumbeat of coverage and outreach. At the Retail Systems Show in May, Schwartz announced new TradeStone customers The Children’s Place and American Eagle Outfitters.
- Soon after the launch, Schwartz went to work on long-lead media to place large case studies about these new customers to keep the news moving forward.
- Schwartz also spearheaded a thought leadership campaign that included pitching Welch’s expertise in supply chain and retail trends, as well as her track record as an entrepreneur and CEO.
- Over the remainder of 2004 and into 2005, Schwartz built on TradeStone’s momentum with continued announcements, including such customers as Deutsche Woolworth, Pacific Alliance and Federated Department Stores.
- In April 2005, a little more than a year after the initial launch, Schwartz rebranded TradeStone’s software suite, highlighting the concept of a “unified buying process” and building on the relationships and strong brand recognition already in place.
- As part of the thought leadership campaign, Schwartz developed and edited authored articles by TradeStone’s CEO, CTO and vice president of product development on such diverse issues as the emergence of Africa, the product’s underlying architecture and on the cost of quality.
- In late 2005 Schwartz worked to elevate the TradeStone message into the business press, focusing on such hot-button issues as globalization and international trade to position the company as a leader in such thinking, as well as Sue Welch as an expert on the next big source for retail goods.
Results- The “coming out” party started the process on the right foot, resulting in interviews that lead to long-term relationships with key publications including Executive Technology, Integrated Solutions for Retailers, Operations & Fulfillment, Chain Store Age, STORES Magazine.
- Coverage from NRF dominated the retail trade, supply chain and technology publications, including Chain Store Age, Cool Tools for Purchasing and Mass High Tech.
- Not resting after the launch, Schwartz scheduled a dozen briefings for TradeStone Software at the next key show, Retail Systems in May 2004, all based on the launch of The Children’s Place and American Eagle Outfitters.
- Nearly all of the Retail Systems meetings resulted in major coverage including articles in Logistics Today, Supply Chain Systems Magazine, Apparel, Network World and Women’s Wear Daily.
- Using the customers as leverage, the Schwartz team spent the next few months working with reporters on key pieces of coverage. The results were several feature stories about the customers, including two multi-page features in STORES magazine and a feature piece in InformationWeek.
- As 2005 approached Schwartz worked to build on TradeStone’s significant momentum and move into the business press.
- A Schwartz-orchestrated press tour to New York City in early 2005 included meetings with several high-profile reporters Wall Street Journal, CFO, BusinessWeek and Fortune Small Business.
- During the April rebranding, coverage appeared in ComputerWorld, Internet Retailer, Frontline Solutions, Apparel and Global Logistics and Supply Chain Strategies, among others.
- TradeStone quickly and immediately began dominating coverage in the retail and supply chain trade publications.
- The Schwartz team is now moving TradeStone into the business press, securing key interviews and stories at BusinessWeek, Forbes, Wall Street Journal and World Trade. Features in the business-level press include major articles in CFO, World Trade, Financial Times and Women’s Business Boston.
- The increased exposure has enabled TradeStone to grow from its single office to a worldwide organization. What’s more, the company has been courted by several venture capital firms and investment banks, though has not, as of yet, needed to accept outside investment.
- Upon returning to NRF in January 2006, TradeStone found that the media coverage it garnered over the previous year brought prospects to the booth. Nearly every prospect in the crowded booth started with a story about how they had read about a TradeStone customer in an industry publication.
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