ULedger is a blockchain platform company rewriting the script for what it means to be a blockchain company. They’ve created new technology that makes blockchains more flexible, scalable, and environmentally sustainable than ever before. Theirs is the first blockchain platform to deliver public trust and authentication for private data.
But simply having great technology doesn’t automatically lead to business success. That’s where product marketing comes in.
“We had built our technology, had assembled our teams, and were working with a fractional CMO,” says Sarah Yang, COO at ULedger. “But we still found ourselves wondering how to communicate what we do.”
Tight Deadlines and Just the Right Mix of Structure and Flexibility
The clock was ticking. ULedger had a major product release planned for the summer. The company’s marketing team knew they needed to communicate how their blockchain approach was new and different.
ULedger CEO Joe Honan had worked with Fulcrum Group’s founder and CEO Ian Hameroff when Ian had been at Microsoft. Recognizing that Fulcrum’s tech product marketing services might be just what ULedger needed, Joe reached out and setup a meeting with Ian in March 2023.
“When I first met Ian, I thought, ‘Wow. He gets it,” says Sarah. “He understands our struggles and challenges. He wants to get things done, not just talk about things. He understands our situation.”
Sarah was also impressed by Fulcrum’s approach blending rigor with customization.
“We learned that Fulcrum has its own framework — the 5+1 methodology — for developing a compelling product narrative,” Sarah adds. “But Ian made it clear that they could adapt their processes for our situation. That was important to us, because we didn’t just want a cookie-cutter approach to our marketing. We needed something that would let us push something out fast and then make adjustments in the future if necessary.”
A Fast Pace and a Close Partnership with Fulcrum
“We really appreciated the way that Fulcrum stepped up and made us feel that we were part of their team, working with us and knocking things out and doing their best to meet the deadlines we were facing internally,” says Sarah. “June was a crunch time for us. Just the willingness to work with us and get things out the door in that crunch was amazing.”
Fulcrum’s product marketing consultants interviewed ULedger executives and engineers and, from those interviews, developed a narrative framework and messaging strategy for ULedger and its unique blockchain platform. Next, the Fulcrum team produced a vision white paper that unveiled the company’s new messaging and explained why its technology was so important. Fulcrum also supported the rollout of ULedger’s new messaging by developing web copy, building on the narrative framework and the white paper.
“The white paper is key collateral for us and often the first document a potential investor or customer will get from us,” says Sarah. “That shows how important it is for us for showing our vision for what we’re trying to build.”
Fulcrum’s work addressed all the key audiences in ULedger’s orbit, including prospects and investors. Once the narrative framework was defined and the white paper written, Fulcrum worked closely with ULedger principals to develop a high-impact first call deck to support the company’s outreach to customers, partners, and investors.
“We appreciated the commitment to doing quality work and to asking questions to make us better understand what we were facing,” says Sarah. “That was helpful for our team.”
With the ULedger team moving fast and working hard on its major release and its new messaging, close coordination between ULedger and Fulcrum was critical.
“Having Fulcrum available to provide a sense-check for us has been really valuable, especially for team members who are stepping into greater responsibilities and who can really benefit from the expertise that Fulcrum brings,” says Sarah.
Real Results: A Successful Launch and a New Identity in Under 6 Months
In early July, ULedger launched its new platform, unveiling a wholly new approach to using blockchains for business.
“We’re thrilled to have had the chance to work with the Fulcrum Group in preparing for this launch,” says ULedger CEO Joe Honan. “Working under incredibly tight deadlines, the whole Fulcrum team rolled up their sleeves and delivered great work. We’re lucky to have them as a partner.”
Thanks to several months of close collaboration with Fulcrum, ULedger has a new marketing foundation to build on.
“Now we have a solid narrative structure to describe what we’re doing,” says Sarah. “I think these narrative structures and marketing foundations will be there to help us adjust our language and tell our story in the future.”
Sarah and her team enjoyed working with Fulcrum and appreciated Fulcrum’s willingness to collaborate so closely.
“Ian is fun to work with. He keeps things light while being focused on what we’re really trying to say,” says Sarah. “And you can see that [Fulcrum Principal Product Marketing Consultant] Andy O’Donald is very focused and committed to doing great work. We appreciated that and the ideas that he comes up with.”
Summing up her work with Fulcrum over the past few months, Sarah says, “This whole experience just cements the mindset that Fulcrum is really trying to work with their clients, not just extract value from them. That’s evident through all the interactions we’ve had with Fulcrum.”