I S S U E N O . 1 / / V O L U M E N O . 1 / / M A R C H 2 0 1 8 POWERUP D I G I T A L E B O O K

E F F E C T I V E M A R K E T I N G & B R A N D S T R A T E G Y

Written by Ray Wilcox Page 3 What is ? Page 3 Importance of Strategy Page 4 Why Strategic Development? Page 4 Branding is Strategic. Marketing is Tactical Page 5 The Marketplace Page 7 Print & Traditional Marketing Page 8

Page 10 Recommended Digital Marketing Mediums S T

Page 11 Event & Experiential Marketing N E

Page 12 Media Based Mediums T N

Page 13 Three Tips for Effective Marketing O C

F O

E L B A T WHAT IS MARKETING PAGE 3 As entrepreneurs, we learn the importance There’s levels to this, son. And this is why of integrating marketing into every we created this eBook specifically for the business plan. We frequently juggle ideas novice marketer. back and forth, attempting to determine the most effective ways of incorporating a What we’d like to do in this аrtiсlе is mix of media or platforms into the explain branding & marketing in the . simplest but most precise terms.

From print and out of home (OOH) We will then еxрlаin why it is so important marketing or combining digital and mobile to incorporate brand development and a strategies, to coordinating the biggest marketing strategy to enhance the experiential event for your brand; success of your business. everything should be given the opportunity and budget. BRANDING & BRAND STRATEGY In explaining the fundamentals of marketing, it is best to take a step back and first get an understanding of what a brand is and why a strategy dedicated to development is crucial to the success of your business. If your brand’s identity isn’t established, it’s pointless to discuss any marketing initiatives.

Therefore, we start with the question, “What is a Brand?” A brand, your brand, is your identity.

Your company’s logo; the mission statement; the slogan or catchphrase; your packaging and product presentation. WHY STRATEGIC BRAND DEVELOPMENT? PAGE 4

Let’s be real, if you’re not strategically your brand to succeed you’re going to fail, especially at a time where transparency is at its all time high. You couldn’t sneeze quietly without it being tweeted by someone. We’re living in an era of social media and content, and if your brand can’t compete with those in your market space, yourself and your brand will feel its effects. These effects can translate to loss or gain running into millions of dollars in revenue.

As a business, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve and have the ability to identify and adapt to trends, there’s no excuse after the fact. It is best to figure out a way to track these trends before the masses do.

*Ahem Bitcoin* (ugh don’t remind me) BRANDING IS STRATEGIC. MARKETING IS TACTICAL. It may take years for you to develop the brand identity that best suits your business, and the best way to learn this, in our opinion (and Gary V’s), is losing. Taking those L’s. Touching back on how transparent the world has become, if you are marketing your brand and spending 60% of your budget on expansive activations, and yet receive little to NO return on investment (ROI), then it’s about time to reevaluate your brand identity.

How many times has Amazon switched up their brand’s identity? They’ve gone from selling only books to selling EVERYTHING. They are now selling groceries that can arrive at your doorstep the very next day. Yeah. I know. P A G E 5

The best way to describe branding & marketing is to picture branding as the passenger, while marketing is the vehicle or method of transportation to get the “passenger” [brand] from point A to B. The brand has the option of taking one or more of these methods of transportation to get to the desired destination. And these methods, or mediums, can range from print to digital and mobile, and may also include experiential events and more!

“ A U T H E N T I C B R A N D S D O N ’ T E M E R G E F R O M M A R K E T I N G C U B I C L E S O R A D V E R T I S I N G A G E N C I E S . T H E Y E M A N A T E F R O M E V E R Y T H I N G T H E C O M P A N Y D O E S . ” – H O W A R D S C H U L T Z ,

‘ P O U R Y O U R H E A R T I N T O I T : H O W S T A R B U C K S B U I L T A C O M P A N Y O N E C U P A T A T I M E . ’

Your brand’s identity resonates and relates, whether it’s a good or bad feeling. Learn how to win from taking L’s early.

THE MARKETPLACE Remember, your brand is only as strong as its in the marketplace. Simply put, if there’s no need or demand for your brand, the value of your brand is little to nothing.

This would be determined in the strategic construction of the business and . If you have no idea what a SWOT analysis is, you might be in the wrong business. P A G E 6

It’s еаѕу tо take the title of a mаrkеtеr, but tо bе considered a mаѕtеr marketer, you have to be someone who can identify the perfect demo for your brand’s market, identify trends and trendsetters, know how to build relationships and strategic partners; all these while still maintaining your adaptability.

This person can develop and distribute content relevant to your T H E M A R K E T P L A C E brand’s industry. This person is a CONTINUED natural person without being On the flip side of that same equation the abrasive “salesperson” and would be something that’s described as you know exactly what I mean by disruptive marketing. This happens when that statement. you are strategic enough to create a demand from something that is currently nonexistent i.e. The PowerLab.

This type of marketing can be tremendously impactful and would resonate longer than a lot of the referenced marketing media which we’ll touch on shortly.

But if you’re in the position to create your own lane for your brand to grow and prosper, then by all means do so yourself to ensure you and your brand are in great T H E P O W E R L A B 2 0 1 9 shape! P A G E 7 PRINT & TRADITIONAL MARKETING Print and out of home marketing activation, despite what the trends may signify, isn’t a dying marketing medium. There are plenty of smart marketers taking full advantage of print and integrating it into their branding and marketing strategy. Whether it’s a business card, a direct mail flyer, or even a poster you may see at the bus stop, marketers are activating campaigns with ‘call to action’ and ‘direct response’ opportunities.

These campaigns either drive a person to a website, contest or sweepstakes, social media platform or landing page that provides the consumer with the chance to engage with your brand. Now, the smarter marketer would find a seamless way of utilizing print to drive to digital and from digital to experiential, all in one campaign.

The overall experience of getting that consumer familiar with your brand, however clever the method will bring tremendous research to your brand’s clout, and satisfactory customer retention.

THE STATS Via Marketing Technology, News Print continues to have a place in the - because it works. Four-fifths (79%) of consumers will act on direct mail immediately, compared to only 45% who say they deal with email straightaway. Targeted directed mail boasts a 4.4% response rate, compared to email’s rate of 0.12%.

That is why online like Airbnb launch print magazines to reach important stakeholders. Print catalogues are on the rise, 10bn business cards are printed in the US each year and print totaled $45.2bn globally in 2013. Growth averaging 4.5% per year is predicted to continue to 2024. P A G E 8 WHAT WAS OLD IS NEW AGAIN! Keep up with the trends!

Social media, online content and digital applications are all part of the marketing mix today. Still, what excites marketers and media buyers most is what IS NOT being done! They want to do something different… something new. It’s hard to believe, but the print medium is new again and is seeing a rebirth. Could we possibly be seeing a golden age in print, like we are seeing in television?

DIGITAL MARKETING A means where most businesses are finding the majority of their success lately has been through digital marketing. The cost effective platforms for distribution allows startups and new businesses the opportunity to maximize the potential of their ROI. This is due to the fact most social platforms are free.

Now let’s be clear here, we know that it does cost a bit to use these platforms to their greatest potential, but a creative, clever, and strategic approach could allow for a person with $0 to become a success story utilizing platforms like Instagram or Snapchat. P A G E 9

DIGITAL MARKETING STATS

According to ComScore’s 2017 Cross Platform Future in Focus report, the average American adult (18+) spends 2 hours, 51 minutes on their smartphone every day. Another study, conducted by Flurry, shows U.S. consumers actually spend over 5 hours a day on mobile devices! About 86% of that time was taken up by smartphones, meaning we spend about 4 hours, 15 minutes on our mobile phones every day.

Now with stats signifying that people are spending this much time on their phones, we understand why the smart marketers are placing theirs and their client’s brand content on digital media. From social media content to streaming apps, marketers are optimizing potential and taking full advantage of these cost effective platforms.

Staying ahead of your consumer base is crucial. That is what will set your business apart from the competition. This is the avenue that will allow for more opportunities for growth in your brand or business. It is from these platforms that your brand garners the awareness for building your brand’s social clout.

Picture this scenario, you’re driving around a city street and see a restaurant line wrapped around the block. Just the fact that the restaurant is garnering that much attention, is enough to attract new customers, if for no other reason than to heighten the preconception of exclusivity. Same principles are at play with social media follower count. All you have to do is distribute quality content, make sure you develop a great strategy for distribution and watch those follower numbers skyrocket! P A G E 1 0

OUR RECOMMENDED DIGITAL MARKETING MEDIUMS SEO, Google Adwords, Pay Per Click (PPC) Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Youtube, LinkedIN) Facebook Mobile Newsletters & eMarketing Sweepstakes Content Streaming Platforms P A G E 1 1

EVENT & EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING

Back to the smart marketer. This marketer knows that one of the best ways to leave a lasting impression that resonates with your consumer base is to allow for them to experience your brand first hand. Whether that is testing the product or service for themselves or attending launch event of the offering, it’s always important to ‘show out’, so that those in attendance have a memorable time. Customer retention is important, so it is imperative to do whatever you can to make sure they engage with your brand and ensure they come back again, and again.

This type of marketing and brand activation most often, costs more to execute but if done correctly can have significant return on investment or ROI. Here is where you’d want to integrate as many mediums as possible to maximize on the experience. From all types of print, collateral in and around the venue, to a strong social media push during the event to streaming options and finally an effective way to aggregate user data, these are all effective mediums in garnering awareness of your brand. The smart marketer knows the follow up is as important as the lead up.

CHECK THE STATS

Compared to traditional marketing channels, experiential campaigns offer incredible payoffs. Research has shown that consumers are significantly more likely to align themselves with your brand through purchases, tune-in, or alignment. According to EventTrack, 65% of the consumers surveyed, said live events helped them have a better understanding of a product or service, vastly surpassing digital efforts and TV advertising as methods of recognizing and learning about a brand.

Finally, The Department of Labor predicts that the event industry will grow by 44% from 2010 to 2020, exceeding most growth predictions for other industries. The event industry is booming, with millions of dollars being spent annually to ensure a brand’s presence and awareness is strong in their relative marketplace. P A G E 1 2

EVENT & EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING Brands like Nike, Redbull, Samsung, and Heineken take full advantage of this medium, which has allowed for each brand to have significant stakes in the market. Not only does each patron leave these experiential events with a sense of satisfaction, most of these events are private and exclusivity is always a great marketing driving force for ‘desired’ inclusion. People will go the extra mile to be a part of something great. If your brand is strong….you do the math.

BROADCAST MEDIA Broadcast media. The most popular platform for content distribution, has been the staple of marketing and branding campaigns for decades. Utilizing the likes of television and radio for advertising purposes has been THE medium to activate, thereby making the cost for placement to go astronomical. P A G E 1 3

However, the catch22 to this platform of distribution is the ability now, to record, fast forward, and DVR your favorite shows, limiting the full optimization of the potential of your impressions.

Radio, another medium that has been around for decades, has been an excellent tool used to distribute content. While placement for ads may not be as expensive as broadcast television. It can still serve as an excellent marketing tool to garner .

Last but not least on our list of media channels, and of course I had to include this into this document, is cinema advertising. As someone who previously worked in one of the biggest cinema advertising agencies in the country, I recognize the power in this medium. And I can prove this with a real-time scenario. With the upcoming release of the highly anticipated movie, Marvel’s Black Panther, smart marketers would benefit from placing their ads, brand collateral and in-lobby activations in or around theaters. Why not? The movie has already broken pre-sale records! Any smart marketer would know to take advantage of any opportunity to generate brand awareness when you have a large number of any demographic, aggregated at one location.

This is why you see branding activations all over the place at festivals, conventions, stadiums and arenas, and even malls! So, be a smart marketer.

Seize the opportunity!

THREE TIPS FOR EFFECTIVE MARKETING

The thing to remember is this, marketing iѕ nоt a оnе-оff thing, it must be ongoing and continuous. It should be built into your lifestyle. You need to learn how to become a sales person without being a “salesperson.” Marketing is a рrосеѕѕ, and аѕ such should bе саrriеd оut regularly tо get thе best results; to generate mоrе сuѕtоmеrѕ and revenue.

On the next page you'll hear what we feel are tips for an еffесtivе marketing process. P A G E 1 3

1. Have a marketing рlаn. It mау appear ridiсulоuѕ to point out ѕоmеthing ѕо basic, but mаnу businesses mаrkеt thеmѕеlvеѕ without a рlаn, аnd in such a situation, еvеrуthing iѕ dоnе on an аd-hос bаѕiѕ. Whеn уоu dо thiѕ, it оftеn means уоu аrеn't tracking your rеѕultѕ, whiсh implies уоu dоn't knоw whаt'ѕ wоrking and what’s nоt. Thе good nеwѕ is thаt уоur marketing plan doesn't need tо bе complicated. In fact, simple саn be best.

Chооѕе what marketing media you’ve established as the preferred method of distribution, аnd thеn put аll уоur energy intо uѕing those, аnd measure whiсh of them gives you the bеѕt rеѕults. Keep true to the ones that garner the most awareness, and limit the usage of thоѕе thаt dоn't. Thеn, you can attempt activating new channels and track their progress.

2. Be disciplined. Dо something every day. Because mаrkеting is a рrосеѕѕ, it'ѕ еѕѕеntiаl you dо ѕоmеthing regularly, аnd thе bеѕt thing tо do is invest in your media channels еvеrуdау. This соuld mеаn posting on social media, sending an email (a very еffесtivе marketing medium), writing an article relative to your industry for an online publication or blog; or еvеn уоur lосаl рареr; or distributing a рrеѕѕ rеlеаѕе аbоut something уоur Cоmраnу has dоnе.

3. Stay diligent. The еffесtѕ and results of your marketing initiatives are сumulаtivе. When you begin marketing уоur buѕinеѕѕ, уоu might find that you get very little response and might become discouraged because уоu aren’t yielding returns worth the еffоrt you put in. You have to stay diligent and trust the process. P A G E 1 4

None of thiѕ nееdѕ to be difficult. Just mаkе уоur plan аnd make ѕurе уоu ѕеt aside a сеrtаin amount оf time еасh dау tо dо оnе thing. Even оnе hоur a dау spent on marketing activities саn have huge аnd роѕitivе effects оn уоur business. Givе thiѕ ѕimрlе strategy a trу fоr ѕix mоnthѕ, аnd you may well bе рlеаѕаntlу surprised at the rеѕultѕ уоu gеt.