Case Study – Research Square

Research Square, Raleigh NC

Quick Facts

  • Technology-enabled service company experiencing very consistent and rapid growth. Increase investment in marketing and branding to reach growth goals.
  • Working on a tight client-imposed deadline, Savvy offered recommendations to management at their offsite planning retreat.
  • Planned and implemented PR initiatives for three product launches which included press coverage locally and nationally/internationally.
  • Savvy advised on the hiring of a new VP of Marketing.

Company Overview

Research Square (RS) is a technology enabled service company revolutionizing how scientific research is done and applied. They offer various solutions for academic publishing including software, data management, and communication solutions.

The Challenge

Having experienced very consistent and rapid growth, Research Square realized it was time to start investing more in marketing to build their name and presence in the research community. Up to this point, RS had struggled with varying balancing acts; for profit vs. for benefit and offering solutions for researchers vs. publishers.

In planning for their semiannual planning offsite, management decided there was a need to clearly define their goals and vision to incorporate into a complete marketing strategy as they moved forward with three new product launches. Upon meeting Grace, management decided to engage Savvy to assess and present findings and participate as the strategic marketing voice in this key session just three weeks later.

Savvy Solution

The first engagement was broken up into 4 different phases. Phase 1 and 2 were conducted in parallel over the course of just three weeks.

Phase 1 and 2: Savvy “Mini” Deep Dive & Discovery

Delving through company materials and industry research, Savvy quickly gathered insights into Research Square’s market and positioning. This research included one-on-one interviews with key personnel across multiple departments and management levels, understanding organizational structure and internal priorities of RS, as well as secondary research on the industry. This process equipped Savvy with the necessary knowledge to assess RS strengths and opportunities. All findings were incorporated into a presentation for the management team at their off-site two day retreat.

Phase 3: Presentation at Planning Session

Savvy worked with Research Square’s tight timelines of three weeks to complete all necessary work prior to their offsite planning retreat where Savvy presented synthesized findings to the management team. Savvy’s findings allowed RS to look at the current state of their business and discuss their vision and plan for where they would like to be.

Phase 4: Marketing Leadership Placement

Savvy helped refine the job specification for the new vice president of marketing role, advise on the hiring process, and interview and provide feedback on candidates.

Results

Savvy acted as an advisor to the CEO and management team of RS. In addition, Savvy planned and implemented the PR initiatives for three product launches and was able to gain an opinion piece locally as well as gain coverage nationally/internationally. RS also hired a new VP of Marketing. Savvy was also able to introduce RS to key experts in their geographic markets of interest.

“We found Grace to be honest and inquisitive. She asks tough questions. Her ability to process our challenges and deliver difficult messages is invaluable.

A quick study, Grace imparts wisdom based on her depth of knowledge as in-house executive plus years helping clients maximize their success as a growth consultant.”

Shashi Mudunuri, CEO

“We are so appreciative of your involvement with the Research Square family and we look forward to working with you more in the coming year. You are fantastic!”

Rochelle Cupelli, VP of Finance

“I had heard of Grace for many years and was introduced to her by a trusted friend. We quickly engaged Grace as an advisor to guide the management team through a timely need. Beyond her broad and deep marketing capabilities, she is tremendously talented at building connections and thinking of others. She has a combination of humility and capability that is refreshing.

Our team embraced her insights of our business at our off-site strategy meeting and then leveraged her rich relationships and experiences to help us with a key executive search.

Whether our latest opportunity involves global expansion or new product launch, Grace and the Savvy team roll up their sleeves ready to help.”

Alicia Parr, Director of HR, Learning, and Development