Selfcert, Australia’s largest online IT certification company, is at the forefront of the growing online learning market. Selfcert help thousands gain the latest industry-recognised qualifications to fast-track their IT careers.

To launch a new online IT and business books service called Books24x7 Selfcert partnered with Taurus, who took responsibility for everything from strategy to tactical execution and evaluation, leaving Selfcert’s management and sales team to focus on its core online training business.

Selfcert was referred to Taurus by another client who had worked on a range of marketing projects with the Taurus team.

Outsourcing to Taurus enabled us to test the market with minimal risk

Eoin Joyce, Selfcert’s Managing Director, explains, “We’re not marketing experts and we needed to test the Australian market with our service without exposing ourselves to the risk associated with hiring an in-house marketing person. Having Taurus to manage and drive the Books24x7 project left us free to maintain the pace with our core business.”

A partnership beyond the 9 to 5

He continues, “What particularly impressed us was the way Taurus always referred to “our” business. Their commitment went beyond the 9 to 5 and they understood the business from our perspective as well as the customers. Their enthusiasm and professionalism impressed us immediately. They were confident in getting results for us and that was all the reassurance we needed to hear.”

Taurus stick to the budget

Eoin adds, “A lot of agencies are indifferent or try to push expensive advertising and hike up the budget, so it was a relief to find someone who respected our budget. You could spend hundred of thousands of dollars and still not reach your target market. Taurus worked with us to contain costs and develop a long term solution.”

Setting agreed goals up front

“I’m not a major planner but Taurus started by delivering a Marketing Plan and this really added value to the decision-making process because it set clear goals and the approach and actions to get there”, explains Eoin.

“Our Account Manager always kept me in the loop, was 100% focused on our needs and would draw more out of me to probe my thinking and ensure everything was on track”, he adds.

Creating and promoting the brand

Starting with just a logo, Taurus developed an upbeat look and tone to the project, including sourcing photography, developing a website, an email newsletter and a flyer-based promotion to drive traffic to the website to generate trial of the service.

Taurus managed every detail of this, from working with web and graphic designers, to writing the copy and securing Trade Promotion and council permits for the promotion.

This branding was extended across an online promotion negotiated by Taurus with an ISP to market Books24x7 to their membership base and directing them to the Books24x7 site.

Print publicity for Books24x7

Taurus achieved positive reviews of the Books24x7 service in a number of targeted publications, including The Australian’s IT Alive section, PC User, internet.au and Computerworld.