Generating leads and referrals through creative disruption

The challenge

ResponseTap (now Infinity) is Europe’s leading call intelligence platform, giving marketing teams the ability to understand precisely which activity is driving inbound phone calls. The challenge was one of cut-through: with over 5,000 martech suppliers competing for the attention of marketing teams, how do you create standout and generate a conversation with the right people?

Red C worked with ResponseTap across a series of direct mail campaigns targeting two distinct audiences: agency account handlers, who could recommend ResponseTap to their clients; and marketers directly.

The agency campaigns

Getting a busy agency account handler to recommend yet another martech provider to their clients is no small ask. We recognised we were essentially asking them to do us a favour, so we reframed the request as an opportunity, offering a genuinely desirable prize in exchange for a referral.

The first campaign centred on a luxury stay for two at one of Mayfair’s finest boutique hotels. We brought the proposition to life physically: the pack contained a die-cut do-not-disturb door hanger, a hotel room key card, and a simple lead message. Open a door for us, and we could open a very special door for you.

Mailed to 1,500 agency contacts, the campaign generated 97 inbound leads, a 6.4% response rate, of which 32 became ResponseTap customers. It was subsequently nominated for two Northern Marketing Awards.

Building on that success, we created a second agency campaign around an even more desirable prize: 24 hours for two in Paris. To match the premium nature of the prize, the mailing was produced to an equally high standard. It was designed to feel like a personalised travel wallet, printed in five colours including gold, using novel techniques and quality stock throughout. A roll-fold leaflet showcased the prize in detail.

Mailed to 1,960 agency account handlers alongside a supporting email sequence, the campaign generated 142 inbound referrals, a 7.2% response rate from cold direct mail and cold email. Twelve of those referrals converted into high-value ResponseTap clients.

The marketer-facing campaigns

For campaigns targeting marketers directly, the creative approach shifted to disruption and intrigue.

The CIA campaign opened with a brown manila envelope stamped CLASSIFIED in red. Inside was a personalised letter with key sections redacted, branded as being from the Call Intelligence Authority. The copy was written to provoke curiosity, with blacked-out passages creating a sense of urgency. The call to action directed recipients to enter a code on a personalised landing page to unredact the information, connecting them with a sales agent. A teaser email sequence ran ahead of the mailing, with follow-up emails and LinkedIn ads supporting the campaign after delivery.

The Magic 8-Ball campaign took a different tack. We mailed prospects a boxed Magic 8-Ball to dramatise the idea that working without call tracking is like leaving your marketing attribution to guesswork. The pack created genuine buzz, giving the sales team a memorable icebreaker to reference in every follow-up call.

The result

Across the agency campaigns alone, Red C helped ResponseTap generate over 230 inbound referrals from cold audiences, with more than 40 converting into clients. The marketer-facing campaigns extended the brand’s reach and gave the sales team a pipeline of warm, engaged prospects to follow up with confidence.