In 2002, solar power systems integrator Prevalent Power approached Propel Marketing to formulate and execute a marketing plan to launch the company and grow its business. Because Prevalent Power was in its start-up phase with limited financial resources, the company needed a lean-yet-effective marketing program that would help it make a fast entry into the competitive solar-power industry.

First, Propel Marketing defined both the commercial and residential target markets for Prevalent Power. Propel conducted interviews with key decision makers at companies meeting these definitions to identify and understand purchase motivators, purchase barriers, and other relevant factors. Finally, after researching current micro and macro trends within the solar-power industry, Propel Marketing made specific positioning recommendations to Prevalent Power.

As its first task for Prevalent Power, Propel Marketing managed the development of a highly customizable sales collateral system which was also easy to update. The agency next wrote press releases about Prevalent Power and pitched these articles to the appropriate media in order to gain valuable press exposure. Propel also developed the solar power company's first direct-mail piece, handling the entire process from lead identification through to print production and response tracking.

In 2005, Prevalent Power was acquired by Energy Innovations, an Idealab company, and renamed EI Solutions. Propel continues to manage the new company's ongoing direct-mail efforts, laying out strategies and tactics that allow the business to grow through successful lead generation. Propel Marketing also coordinates the gathering of market intelligence for EI Solutions, which includes formulating strategies, writing surveys, conducting research interviews, and summarizing results.

Through the efforts of Propel Marketing, EI Solutions now enjoys a full lead pipeline at all times. The company credits the agency's lead-generation skills with helping it to consistently attain its quarterly sales goals. "Propel Marketing's connections to the green sector makes its list research more effective," explains Arno Harris, EI Solutions' general manager. "They often uncover lead sources that other direct marketing firms we've worked with in the past have simply overlooked."

By managing the marketing process for EI Solutions on an ongoing basis, Propel Marketing has also given the company more time to focus its energies on product development, sales, customer service and other mission-critical tasks. "Thanks to the agency's expertise in direct marketing and lead generation," says Harris, "we're able to spend more time with customers, the lifeblood of our business."