The challenge.

Sunhawk's original business model was a business-to-consumer e-commerce music site. They had proven their capabilities to digitize, secure and encrypt sheet music and wanted to expand their capabilities to all types of content with a business-to-business focus. While profitable, Sunhawk was a small organization with limited global presence. The scope of their services needed definition, they needed to update and communicate a new brand image as well as communicate a targeted message to prospects as well as investors.

Sunhawk needed to identify and execute a solid marketing and public relations strategy to successfully penetrate new markets and change the view of their brand from retail business to consumer market to a business-to-business strategy. This included market positioning, messaging, and clear communications into new markets on their products and services.

Ignisi’s solution and role.

Ignisi realized that an opportunity existed for Sunhawk both in the enterprise and small market space. The challenge presented was to strategically ascertain and penetrate those markets that were already web-ready for execution as well as educate the investor markets with brand and product awareness.

The fast-paced role of penetrating the high-tech markets in the e-commerce market and investor relations was a particular challenge due to the IPO process.

Our strategy was to clearly identify the market position and prospect profile, build a solid brand strategy for new market acceptance and create a public relations program that would successfully penetrate the target markets globally as well as develop a strategic marketing plan for implementation.

Methodology and results.

Ignisi began a strategic methodology to update market brand creation as well as update product and service offering education terminology and write-ups. This information was then used to create and update marketing and sales materials and Sunhawk's online presence. Prospects were profiled to discover and set in motion the creation of marketing activities throughout the organization. Once the enterprise and small business activity were well into execution, Ignisi worked to pinpoint key media markets to educate the industry as well as drive new sales opportunities.

Ignisi’s next step was the development and execution of their public relations program. This began through the creation of a tactical public relations campaign, media database development and a structured timeline of global press release and press contact activities. The aggressiveness of this methodology brought about media write-ups within the first three months of the program in the Puget Sound Business Journal, London Times, Business 2.0, CNET.com news and a television showcase airing of "Champions of Industry" on MSNBC through Pat Summeral Productions.

By overlapping an online strategy with the public relations campaign, Ignisi was successful in penetrating Sunhawk's target prospect and media markets.  

Summary.

Sunhawk, Inc. - Largest digital sheet music site on the Internet

Set the strategic market direction of a new digital content technology product and marketing programs to fuel growth for the business and IPO underwriting expectations. Developed B2B and B2C strategies to grow client base, customer loyalty, and increase revenue through customer communications programs that effectively met consumers’ needs. Produced lead generation programs to meet sales targets.

Sunhawk technology went public in 2/2000 and subsequently acquired by Freehand Systems in 2003.