“Over the course of several years, our work with The Endurance Group has been instrumental in gaining valuable insights about our market space and establishing connections with the right individuals and organizations, ultimately leading to new long-term client relationships.”
Federico Hess, Partner & CEO of Edify Software
Introduction
Federico Hess and Jennifer Beals met while working together over a decade ago at Roundbox Global, a custom software development company that served the U.S. education technology market. In 2010, they left Roundbox along with several of their colleagues, and founded Edify Software Consulting. Edify is now a premier Costa Rican software development firm focused on education technology. The company historically obtained clients through referrals and partner relationships.
In early 2017, Edify contacted The Endurance Group (TEG) because they were searching for a partner who could accelerate their business development efforts and find new clients in the US education market – particularly, US based education software companies and publishers.
Since 2017, TEG has provided Edify with services across three major disciplines, including 1) sales and lead generation, 2) content creation, and 3) market analysis. The relationship has created value for both firms, playing critical roles in one another’s growth trajectories.
Part 1: Lead Generation
The Need
When Edify first contacted The Endurance Group, they had grown the business to a team of over two dozen full-time employees and a number of regular contractors without ever hiring a business development expert. Their referral-based approach had worked well up until then, but they needed more consistency in their sales pipeline and revenue. To remedy this, Edify searched for an outsourced sales team with expertise that could quickly understand and strategize based on their goals and position in the marketplace. The Endurance Group was a great fit, bringing decades of experience in outsourced lead generation.
The Engagement
The Endurance Group outlined a plan to help get Edify’s growth on track in a sustainable way that capitalized on the strength of their existing brand and client base. The process began with the implementation of a new CRM and the creation of marketing collateral based on prospect profiling. TEG then created target lists for several coordinated outbound campaigns to secure qualified opportunities for Edify.
The strategy and medium of outreach varied based on campaign audience and presentation, but typically included a combination of phone, email, and LinkedIn components. TEG also researched and created detailed target prospect lists which were based upon agreed prospect profiles. TEG also provided support for Edify by arranging meetings at major industry conferences and then providing follow-up calls and email support.
The Results
The Endurance Group secured dozens of meetings for Edify with high-level contacts at major players within the industry, several of which turned into deals, many of which have been renewed multiple times and are still currently active. By designing and executing thoughtful and thorough lead generation strategy, The Endurance Group helped Edify develop relationships worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Part 2: Content Creation
The Need
By 2019, Edify had fully established themselves as a leader in the development of educational technology. They continued to add employees to support the demand from their clients, including those clients discovered by The Endurance Group. They wanted to take advantage of the strength of their reputation with their clients by documenting marquee projects to share with others. They also wanted to better communicate their core values and commitment to improving education through technology.
The Engagement
The Endurance Group provided marketing and editorial guidance, including the planning and development of a case study library that captured the stories, which best illustrated Edify’s unique offering. From their continued work with UCLA to ongoing support for the EdReady platform used by colleges and universities, TEG helped shine a spotlight on the ways in which Edify differentiates themselves from other custom software development firms.
During the writing process, The Endurance Group met directly with Edify employees and their clients’ project sponsors, conducting interviews, and corresponding extensively to ensure that the case studies portrayed both parties accurately and compellingly. The Endurance Group also developed and executed distribution campaigns to targeted audiences, and conveyed qualified contacts into Edify’s sales pipeline.
The Results
The Endurance Group helped Edify develop a series of case studies that not only highlighted what makes them special, but also increased digital engagement, as well as client and employee satisfaction. The work was critical, as it happened to take place during the COVID-19 pandemic. With schools and the entire education ecosystem in upheaval, maintaining a sense of identity and purpose helped Edify bring in record revenue amidst dismal economic conditions across the globe.
Part 3: Market Analysis
The Need
In 2020, Edify realized they needed more than an outsourced business development firm; they needed a partner who could help them understand their position relative to competitors in the marketplace and the nuanced forces affecting their work, so they could strategize and develop long-term growth plans. Their main questions were whether or not to focus exclusively on the education industry and how to best differentiate themselves amongst their many US-based and international competitors in the custom software development industry, both for business development purposes and in recruiting talent that meets their exacting standards.
The Engagement
In order to achieve those ends, Edify engaged The Endurance Group and asked them to devise a comprehensive evaluation of the educational technology and software development landscape dynamics. With continuous evaluation of performance and monitoring, they produced customized intelligence to guide Edify’s long-term company planning. The Endurance Group did a comprehensive evaluation of the education market landscape, including key industry players and competitors. TEG also conducted direct interviews with some of Edify’s most important current and past clients, yielding important insights into what differentiates Edify from other firms offering comparable services.
The Results
Today, Edify continues to reference this report and the demand for Edify Software Consulting services is stronger than ever. They now have 60 people working full-time for many of the same valuable clients discovered by The Endurance Group. As they continue to weigh the findings from TEG’s industry research, Edify is reevaluating their brand identity and positioning. The feedback TEG garnered from client interviews generated valuable input that Edify is integrating into their strategic planning. Edify continues to hire more people to keep up with their clients’ demand, as The Endurance Group helps them calibrate their objectives and understand how to approach key decisions regarding the firm’s future.