.png)
.png)
Client Overview
iMarketing is an integrated marketing services company with clients in the not-for-profit, political & association sectors.
They use lead generation techniques in a unique way to facilitate communication with potential and actual donors. They are a fundraising company that lacked a clear understanding of R&D within their operations without a dedicated R&D team.
Challenge
Innovation was embedded in day-to-day tasks managed by the IT department with the team juggling support duties and new product development interchangeably.
This blurred the lines between R&D and routine work and therefore the engineering team struggled to identify eligible R&D activities. And historically, their innovation efforts were not systematically documented.
Additionally, the fundraising sector is not typically associated with R&D and as result, there was internal skepticism about claim eligibility that had to be overcome. This would have been compounded by the fact that most SR&ED providers would likely have dismissed iMarketing’s efforts as ineligible early in the process.
Solution
Unlike traditional SR&ED providers that filter clients for obvious eligibility, the team at Zero to One Strategic spent time analyzing iMarketing’s work, uncovering hidden opportunities. They were able to reframe their operations and showcase measurable optimization.
They focused on data-driven innovation that highlighted cutting-edge processes, including a proprietary algorithm that analyzed vast datasets to optimize operations based on specific team member skill sets and schedules.
Finally, the Zero to One team was able to demonstrate how to best document work properly for SR&ED eligibility. In turn, the IT team realized that the “routine activities” they thought were ineligible were addressing uncertainties, exceeding industry standards, and demonstrating innovation in their niche.
This empowered iMarketing to see their work through an R&D lens, paving the way for future claims.
Impact
Determined to highlight this innovative company, the Zero to One team conducted detailed interviews to analyze two years of work. They isolated innovative processes from routine operations, building a defensible narrative for SR&ED eligibility. This resulted in the filing of a successful claim, aligned with CRA guidelines, focusing on the most innovative aspects of their operations.
The iMarketing team secured funding for previously unrecognized innovation efforts. This reinforced the importance of operational optimization as an R&D expense, transforming iMarketing’s view of their work. They have positioned themselves as a tech-enabled innovator in the fundraising space.
.png)
.png)
