One software engineer training program. A specific niche to target. Three months to find new participants. Excited to find out what happens next? 

We were as well. Now, when software engineers are putting their knowledge into practice, we’re ready to tell more about our social selling collaboration with Bobocode.

The Client 

Bobocode is a specialized training program that helps experienced Java developers scale their value in the talent market, acquire new skills, and embrace continuous learning.

Rather than overwhelming you with a theory like other online courses on Java, Bobocode is on a mission to build a community of like-minded professionals who learn from each other and practice on real projects together. 

What started as a small training course 6 years ago has turned into Java Ultimate, a 6-month program that guarantees results. 

Dedicated to adding value, Bobocode has an active and thriving YouTube channel, open-source education GitHub repository, and an extensive alumni network. 

So, why a marketing agency?  

Being popular within a specific niche can be tricky. Working exclusively with Java engineers who already have experience in the field, Bobocode was looking for driven and enthusiastic candidates ready to invest time and money in their growth. 

And your network can only get you so far. That’s exactly when a cold outreach strategy became a solid option: using customer knowledge and content to let more people know about Java Ultimate. 

Crafting a social selling strategy  

Unlike traditional B2B outreach, our task was to develop an outreach tactic targeting directly the prospects eligible for the program. 

Considering that the founder of Bobocode already had an established personal brand within the niche, we decided to use it for outreach and combine content creation with a messaging strategy. 

Customer research

The first task was to find out as much information as we could about the prospects and include the pain points and concerns (such as time or money) in our outreach. 

Our team conducted several interviews with software engineers to see how they would respond to a similar program, while the Bobocode team gathered feedback from the program alumni. 

Personal branding and content

By the time we started working on the campaign, our client had already gained the recognition and trust of the network by sharing relevant and useful content. Having a well-defined tone of voice, our client continued to post updates regularly.

To reach more prospects with Bobocode’s content, we focused on two aspects: 

• Profile optimization. For both personal and corporate profiles, our goal was to add more relevant keywords and update information on Bobocode’s social proof and results. 
• Corporate content. Since Bobocode’s corporate page had many followers meeting our ICP criteria, we created a content strategy to share the latest news, helpful educational resources, and videos. 

Outreach (but make it social selling)

Using this data, we collected a database of potential prospects: Ukrainian Senior Java Developers, Java Developers with 3+ years of experience in the industry, and Team Leads working with Java engineers. 

The brand, expertise, and content produced by Bobocode helped us create a messaging strategy that focused on: 

• Sharing insights 
• Creating a strong community 
• Gathering quality feedback on Bobocode’s approach to learning

Based on this information, we helped the client create personal and compelling messages, dwelling more on the benefits of the training program.  

When you have a limited pool of potential customers, wasting them with a straightforward and in-the-face offer is never a good strategy. 

That’s why the social selling approach to the campaign was the best possible option: rather than generating prospects with little account for their awareness, we planned a campaign that: 

• Focused on building relationships with the customer 
• Included valuable and relevant educational videos and insights
• Accounted for the stage of the funnel 

With experience and a knowledge base from previous iterations of the course, the Bobocode knew the fundamental principle of marketing: you can’t sell a solution that doesn’t show you the value upfront. 

To make sure the value is out there, our client set up a free webinar and two offline events to give participants a chance to feel what the training will look like. 

The strategy afterward included re-engaging with event attendees and people who attended the webinar, asking them about their impressions and career growth. 

Did it work? 

There’s no point in suspense: it did. Just look at the results yourself: 

The program started in August with 35 participants ready to dedicate 6 months of their time to become better professionals and connect to a community of people driven by the same goal. 

What at first seemed like simple communication about the buyer (rather than a thought-out strategy to convert leads) has turned into an effective plan to build long-term relationships and trust with the audience.

Because that’s exactly how marketing should work today: you leave the purchasing part to the buyer and handle the parts you’re in control of: 

• Educating your audience 
• Improving your brand’s recognition 
• Building a solution people want and need to have 

While we’re not experts on the last one, some of the things from the list are exactly our cup of tea. Just let us know if you need a hand with building brand awareness among your audience.