Close
Launching a customer journey platform for events
Client
Close is a mobile communication app for the live event industry. Close engages guests before, during and after an event in an automated hyper-personalised mobile messaging flow. Clients include A brands like Disney, Stage Entertainment, The Dutch National Opera and The Dutch National Football Association KNVB. Visit site: thecloseapp.com
Challenge
The founders of Close (Kiliaan Toorenaar, Wiebe Weikamp and Chris Gruijters) saw a gap in the customer journey of live events, representing an opportunity to improve guest experience, increase revenue by up- and cross-selling, aid crowd control and provide first party data to event organizers. Elwin was asked on board from the early idea stage onwards, because of his experience in marketing and the event industry to advice in the product, sales- and marketing strategy as well as educate the team on the event industry dynamics.
Work
As none of the founders of Close had backgrounds in live events, the project started with a crash course on the event industry dynamics by Elwin, based on which later workshops on the product design and business strategy took place. After a clear product design, market analysis, value proposition and marketing strategy were made together with the client, we compiled a compelling sales deck and made approaches through Elwin’s network in the event industry. We successfully landed A-list launching customers, such as Amsterdam Music Festival (the leading dance event of the Netherlands, including DJMag’s Worldwide Top100 Award Show), the national Basketbal Federation and international theater company Stage Entertainment. Soon after, a pitch deck was created together with the client, successfully raising over 3 million euro seed- and growth-funding, and a fruitful cooperation of advisory and business development is still ongoing.
Impact
Close has grown from idea into a product, and from a successful launch until a growing and funding backed scale-up with a wide range of international A-list clients. During the decline of live-events in the COVID-pandemic Close suffered from lower revenues, however it has vastly improved it’s position for the post-pandemic time by partnering with the Dutch Government and the country’s largest event organizers as official technology partner of the National Fieldlab Events Studies, giving it a head-start out of the gates when restrictions were dropped again in early 2022.
Testimonials
“Elwin’s strategic marketing advise has been valuable to Close’s success since our early concept stage. After sharpening our initial positioning, brand and product design, Elwin educated us on the event industry dynamics, sharpened our sales-decks and successfully landed our launching customer contracts with A-list event companies from his network.
Furthermore he assisted in creating a compelling investment pitch deck that successfully raised our first 3 million euro funding.
I would highly recommend working with Elwin for his clear sense for persuasive marketing communication, his vast marketing experience and network and his persistence to continue to push for maximum results!”
- Kiliaan Toorenaar, Close Founder & CEO
Strategy: Elwin Stevelink