#Japan #Shibuya #KASHIKA #DigitalMarketingJapan #BtoBAdvertising

Introduction

In the realm of B-to-B advertising, the challenges are unique, and not all businesses find success. However, the collaboration between Digital Marketing Japan and KASHIKA has turned this notion on its head, showcasing how data and AI can be the catalysts for transformation.

The Clients’ Story: KASHIKA

KASHIKA stands out as a service provider focused on empowering corporate growth through data and AI. Its key offerings include:

• - Video Ad Analysis Pro: A tool that analyzes web ad creatives, helping to spot winning advertisements among competitors.
• - 2ndBuzz: A solution that combines AI to predict the next viral trend with operational support to drive brand recognition and sales.
• - AI Apologun: An innovative tool that automates the entire sales process from prospect identification to visualization of potential customers.

KASHIKA fully integrates data and AI into its operations, actively utilizing cutting-edge technology to facilitate its own growth, thus gaining trust and support from clients.

Background and Challenges

KASHIKA's initial predicament revolved around a stagnation in new customer acquisition and a persistent skepticism towards BtoB advertising methods.

1. Dependency on Personal Sales Efforts: In its early stages, KASHIKA relied heavily on salespeople and networking events for customer acquisition, which was not sustainable. Sales activities began overwhelming existing tasks, consuming about 40 hours a month just for lead creation.
2. Skepticism Towards BtoB Advertising: Past experiences with costly exhibitions and ineffective advertising campaigns led to a prevailing belief that BtoB advertising did not yield satisfactory returns on investment (ROI).

The urgent need to establish a stable process for acquiring new leads was apparent.

Implementation Strategies

To tackle these challenges, a thorough and comprehensive approach was devised, focusing on every aspect of the process from launch to lead acquisition and analysis.

Launch Phase

Since the niche BtoB SaaS market had no standard winning patterns, KASHIKA went back to basics, determining the right audience, messaging, and distribution channels. A careful hypothesis testing phase ensured that risks were minimized before full-scale implementation.

Advertising Operations

Through rapid rounds of hypothesis testing using minimal budgets, key performance indicators (KPIs) were established, tracking lead costs and conversion rates for different creatives. Continuous communication allowed for quick adjustments based on delivery data.

Lead Acquisition

Recognizing that optimizing just the advertisement was insufficient, the focus shifted to enhance the entire sales funnel. Partnerships with CRM and Inside Sales teams ensured a seamless transition from ad exposure to scheduled consultations.

Analysis and Improvement

Using AI to analyze ad data, KASHIKA was able to identify which creative elements contributed most to lead conversion, establishing a cycle of constant improvement for KPIs and cost-effectiveness.

Turning Point: From Ad Delivery to Funnel Design

During the initial phase, there were times when results did not meet expectations right after launching ads. Responding to this, the team prioritized improving lead quality and conversion rates over sheer volume. By revamping the overall sales funnel architecture, instead of pivoting strategies or pulling back, they adhered to data-driven persistence, turning this struggle into a decisive moment for KASHIKA.

The philosophies of implementing data and AI into business aligned seamlessly with the principle of designing strategies based on projected orders, forming a solid partnership rather than just a client-vendor relationship.

Results Achieved

Thanks to these efforts, KASHIKA saw:
1. Doubling of Lead Acquisition: The structured system allowed for a steady increase in service-related consultations, demonstrating the reliability of ads beyond previous channels.
2. Reduction of Sales Time by 95%: Monthly sales effort was slashed from over 40 hours to just 2 hours, permitting core teams to focus on primary business tasks.
3. Cost Per Lead Reduced to 1/33 of Exhibit Costs: The cost per successful meeting dropped, demolishing the prior belief that BtoB advertising and ROI were incompatible.
4. Autonomous Lead Acquisition System Established: KASHIKA established a collaborative mechanism between advertising and Inside Sales, leading to a continuous generation of leads and enabling scalable growth.

Comments from the Leaders

Kenta Ozawa, CEO of KASHIKA, noted significant improvements in redacting Customer Acquisition Costs (CAC) while simultaneously increasing sales, emphasizing the value of maintaining ideal lead acquisition within budget.

Joichiro Tanaka from Digital Marketing Japan highlighted how rethinking the entire funnel structure could alter the success equation in BtoB advertising, reaffirming their commitment to assist other companies facing marketing challenges.

Conclusion

KASHIKA's case stands as a compelling example of how innovative data usage and a fresh approach to advertising can reshape the landscape of BtoB services and lead to spectacular outcomes.