Before the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) began their partnership with MCI USA, the organization was faced with a challenge: Their media sales program was not performing to its full potential. GCCA, which represents various industries involved in temperature-controlled warehousing, logistics and transportation, had a limited pool of prospects — only member companies can advertise — so they needed a sales partner that could maximize revenue opportunities and drive new business.
After grappling with disproportionate discounting of ad sales, the failure to properly value GCCA membership and ineffective communication from the previous sales team, GCCA partnered with MCI USA to manage the full-service sales of its member-benefit media products. GCCA sought to improve sales team communication and reporting; increase spending of legacy advertisers to rate-card levels or close to it; and attract new business and advertisers.
MCI USA implemented a range of solutions to meet GCCA’s objectives.
1. Monthly meetings: Recurring monthly meetings were scheduled between the MCI USA sales team and GCCA leadership to ensure continuous communication. These meetings provided a platform for discussing recent ad sales, hot prospects and any pressing issues. This regular interaction allowed GCCA to stay well-informed about the progress of media sales and share relevant updates with the sales team, fostering a mutually beneficial partnership.
2. Monthly sales vs. forecast report: MCI USA delivered a monthly sales vs. forecast report to the GCCA team to increase transparency. This report showed the status of sales compared to the forecasted numbers agreed upon for the year.
3. Dedicated sales effort: A dedicated sales representative put in a significant effort to demonstrate the value of GCCA’s audience to the supplier community. This strategy aimed to increase the spending of legacy partners and attract new advertisers. The targeted approach and value proposition offered yielded positive results.
As a result of the partnership, GCCA’s annual sales increased 48% within the first year. The revenue generated through the flagship publication, COLD FACTS magazine, has shown consistent growth every year since the collaboration began in 2017. The partnership with MCI USA also consolidated GCCA’s print and digital sales into one comprehensive conversation with members, reducing the volume of touchpoints and streamlining communication and workflows.
MCI USA’s comprehensive approach and commitment to meeting GCCA’s objectives have not only boosted the financial performance but also strengthened the partnership between the two organizations as well as among the membership. The successful collaboration proves the effectiveness of a well-executed sales strategy and open, continuous communication between the association and its sales partner.
Results
48%
Revenue increase in the first year
128%
Revenue increase by 2023
65%
Revenue growth in digital products
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