INTRANSA CASE STUDY

Business Strategy
To reach potential customers, Intransa needed to cut through increasing message clutter from competitors.

Though Intransa had recently delivered a groundbreaking technology solution in a fast-growing market (networked data storage using Internet Protocol), it had not clearly articulated the advantage of its technology. Competitors were attempting to claim ownership of the category with “hybrid” solutions that cobbled together old and new technology.

Because Intransa operates in a highly complex field, it needed to create messages that operate on two levels: to simply explain what it does to non-specialists, while providing the level of detail that customers and analysts need in order to grasp Intransa’s differentiation. Intransa’s two-stage challenge was to both evangelize a broad technology sub-category and to differentiate itself within that sub-category.

Positioning
Boston Communications conducted its PostionAudit with Intransa. We interviewed top Intransa executives, reviewed Intransa’s existing product strategy and messages, studied competitors’ positioning, and identified and stress-tested Intransa’s unique, significant, defensible strengths.

We helped Intransa develop a revised positioning that encapsulates its strengths: Intransa is the only provider of end-to-end native IP Storage Area Networks (IP SAN). Because only Intransa’s product lets customers run native Internet Protocol from the server across the network to the disk – unlike its competitors’ “hybrid” solutions – only Intransa delivers the full range of benefits enterprises are seeking as they extend their IP networks into the storage arena.

Boston Communications then created a reference document of key questions and answers to walk customers, investors, analysts and journalists through Intransa’s revised positioning, focusing on the direct, and measurable benefits Intransa’s technology delivers to customers.

Leveraging the PR channel
We set to work winning over trusted third-party influencers, arranging interviews with key analysts and trade journalists to carry the revised message to the market. We helped Intransa achieve 60 press placements in the first three months after taking on the account, including key trade journals covering storage technology and the reseller channel. After meeting with Intransa executives, IDC gave a powerful recommendation to venture capital firms considering a mezzanine financing round.

Business Outcomes
Intransa successfully raised $25 million series D funding, struck deals with IBM, Sun, Ingram Micro and other partners for distribution, support and technology cooperation. The company also was selected as a RED HERRING top innovator finalist and one of the top ten private storage companies by Byte&Switch.