Extending Marketing Capacity Saves $650K in Hiring Costs
- Professional Service
- SaaS
Scaled Agile is a global consulting firm based in Boulder, Colorado, working with over 20,000 enterprises including 70% of the Fortune 100. Their expertise lies in modernizing legacy processes through the Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®), having trained 1 million professionals in modern, Agile ways of working.
4+
years in partnership
2K+
social posts published
100+
email campaigns sent
40+
premium content pieces created
20+
custom landing pages built
Challenge
Growth without compromise
In 2021, Scaled Agile was at a critical juncture. After 10 years amassing expertise in their niche, upper management faced a dilemma.
They needed to extend their marketing capacity quickly to capitalize on their market position. At the same time, bringing on a full in-house team would be risky and time-consuming. They began seeking out an agency that could:
- Think and act as an extension of their own
- Navigate multiple stakeholders across different departments
- Scale content production while maintaining quality
- Drive engagement with Fortune 100 prospects
- Execute sophisticated multi-channel campaigns
After learning about us through a mutual connection, Scaled Agile was intrigued by the fact that CleverFunnel offered something different from traditional agencies—no lengthy onboarding, no rigid processes. Just a lean, senior-level team ready to dive deep into their business.
Our technical background meant we could grasp complex concepts quickly. Our track record in technical B2B marketing meant we could bring proven ideas to the tale. Our Agile methodology mirrored their own values. And our focus on business impact over billable hours aligned perfectly with their goals.
We needed a marketing partner who could match our technical expertise and bring fresh ideas. CleverFunnel has exceeded our expectations in every way. They’ve seamlessly become part of our team—from global ad campaigns to managing our social media accounts to creating premium white papers. They’ve shown us that the right partner can deliver better results at a lower cost than building an in-house team.”
Solution
Agile Minds, Nimble Execution
CleverFunnel quickly proved that we could adapt to their environment and add immediate value. Within the first year, our team became deeply embedded in all aspects of Scaled Agile's marketing efforts.
We managed their paid media strategy across LinkedIn, Google, and programmatic platforms. We became the primary contributor to their social media channels, creating and posting new content daily and engaging with followers.
For three consecutive years, we were entrusted with designing the keynote presentation for Scaled Agile's flagship Global SAFe Summit, a job that entailed working directly with their CEO and executive team.
We crafted premium content pieces that drove conversions. Built sophisticated email nurture campaigns. Designed custom landing pages for Fortune 100 prospects. Wrote technical documentation that spoke to enterprise leaders. And much more.
Three Key Projects
1. Account-based lead generation
To reach certain high-value targets and extend Scaled Agile’s marketing capacity in key industries, we worked with internal teams to develop a series of targeted campaigns. The approach included:
- Custom web pages and content for executive decision-makers
- Complex LinkedIn and programmatic campaigns
- Advanced attribution tracking and optimization
2. Ongoing Social Media Management
We became the primary content generator across Scaled Agile’s social media accounts, tasked with creating net-new thought leadership content and promoting key company initiatives. This included daily social posting and responding, as well as presenting custom reports on the success of various campaigns.
3. 2024 SAFe Careers Snapshot
When a senior Scaled Agile leader envisioned a definitive report on SAFe career opportunities, we delivered their most impactful content piece to date. Through deep collaboration with stakeholders, we:
- Led comprehensive data analysis
- Developed custom infographics and visuals
- Created a compelling narrative structure
- Finalized an impactful 27-page document
Results
Numbers that speak volumes
1. Account-based lead generation
Within the first year, we secured C-suite engagement across several of their key accounts that led to double-digit increases in closed won deals. This enhanced visibility also led to the placement of Scaled Agile speakers at internal business conferences.
We also built out a series of targeted emails that consistently outperformed the company’s other campaigns, with open rates as high as 66% compared to the industry standard of around 30%. Overall, we were able to enhance their pipeline by developing personalized experiences to key accounts in their network.
2. Ongoing Social Media Management
In close partnership with Scaled Agile’s internal marketing teams, CleverFunnel has helped scale their LinkedIn presence by leaps and bounds over a four-year period, even with the increasing competitiveness of the platform:
- Grow post engagement rate by 73% (from 3% to 5.6%)
- Increased posting frequency by 60%
- Drove 41% increase in post clicks
- Grew their follower count from less than 50K to over 150K
3. SAFe Careers Snapshot
The Careers Snapshot became the centerpiece of their 2024 new business campaign—featured in multi-channel campaigns and across a series of community webinars attended by hundreds of aspiring SAFe professionals. It became the top driver of new business in top-of-funnel marketing campaigns and a cornerstone of their future 2025 marketing efforts.
Overall Impact
- Double-digit increase in percentage of closed won deals across key accounts in the first year
- 100K new LinkedIn followers gained over the course of four years (well above the platform’s growth rate)
- $650K estimated annual savings by partnering with CleverFunnel versus building this capability in house
Learnings
A strong partnership
What began as a solution to extend marketing capacity has evolved into a deeply integrated partnership that continues to drive enterprise growth and ROI. By combining technical expertise with strategic vision, CleverFunnel has helped Scaled Agile capitalize on their market leadership position while maintaining the quality and precision their brand demands.