The Drum CEO Club:
Executive Retention Strategy

Challenge

How do you turn a corporate ‘cost’ into a c-suite status symbol?

Insight

Members were telling us that their bosses didn’t always understand what they were buying. While comms directors used The Drum membership daily, CEOs signing the cheques were out of the loop. Every renewal became a sell-in hurdle. Niki’s b2b marketing strategy was to directly include the c-suite in The Drum’s membership customer journey to increase retention, so the buyer wasn’t the only one feeling the value.

Closed-door CEO Club event in Manhattan showing live audience question voting used by leading b2b marketing companies

Deliverables: b2b marketing techniques, relationship marketing and strategic communication for The Drum Network

Brand
The Drum Network
The Drum CEO Club

Industry
Media
Professional Services

Agencies

Skills
Relationship Marketing

Strategic Communication
Social Influence
Membership

Led by
Niki McMorrough

How do you turn CEO involvement into a status symbol with a network effect?

Niki invited member CEOs in London and Manhattan to closed-door Leader Lessons – high-level interactive interviews with people like Gary Vaynerchuk, Rory Sutherland and Blair Enns. Live audience questions were upvoted on a stage screen, keeping CEOs on the edge of their seats to see if their question made the cut. The format put each member’s name on par with the biggest figures in the business. This made membership engagement a competitive and personal advantage, not a line item. A b2b marketing strategy built around the conversations CEOs wanted to be a part of.

Niki McMorrough leading a Drum CEO Club Leader Lesson as part of the b2b marketing strategy for The Drum Network

Headline results from a b2b marketing strategy that received 5 star member ratings

The best ROI for time spent this year
— Member CEO review ★★★★★
Social posts from The Drum CEO Club covering b2b marketing firms and senior executive engagement
The event content and networking was spectacular
— Member CEO review ★★★★★

Headline results from a b2b marketing strategy that increased member retention by 30%

+20%

increase in membership base through member recommendation network effect

+60%

increase in member ratings from content and event feedback

+30%

increase in member retention by engaging c-suite in user journey

Conversations worth having

Interested in how our approach can help your business? Use the form to get in touch.

Questions worth answering

  • Yes. Our b2b marketing strategy work starts with a brief diagnostic: who owns the renewal decision, what they currently see of the product, and where the perception gap sits. From there we design a programme specific to your audience and business model. Get in touch to talk through your situation.

  • Our b2b marketing techniques start with understanding exactly who you’re trying to move: their peer group, their status cues, what they pay attention to and why. We research that before we touch creative or format. Tell us about your audience and we’ll tell you if we can help.

  • Yes. We look at the decision-making structure around your product — who uses it, who pays for it, and where the value narrative needs strengthening. The first conversation is usually enough to know whether there’s a fit. Let’s talk.

Ready to turn buyers into believers? Let’s talk.

Previous
Previous

La Prairie | VHNW brand strategy & VIP playbook

Next
Next

Spirit of Bentley | ~25 million HNW impacts