DTSB Summer Learning: A Marketing Plan in 9 Easy Steps

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1 DTSB Summer Learning: A Marketing Plan in 9 Easy Steps Presented by Alan Steele Evaluate and segment the overall market All buyers are not alike. Identify the different groups, or segments, that comprise the overall market. Targeting Decide which market segments are most attractive and suitable. Differentiation How do you truly stand out from the competition? Why should the customer buy from you? Positioning/Branding How will you position your offering in the mind of the consumer? How will you visually represent your company/organization? Define the value proposition Craft a statement capturing why you are relevant, valuable, and different Develop a budget Allocate funds for marketing to ensure it remains a priority. Consider goals and competitive factors. Select communication/promotion channels Determine which techniques and tools you will utilize to communicate to your target customer. Scheduling Develop a plan for communicating/promoting your offerings. Implement and evaluate Build a system to track the effectiveness of your efforts. Thank you to our session sponsors: Thank you to our series sponsors:

2 Big Brand for the Little Guy: The Visual Side of Branding Presented by Anne Berry of Anne Berry Design Thank you to our session sponsors: Thank you to our series sponsors:

3 Downtown South Bend Inc. RAS Summer Learning Series Questionnaire Name: Daytime Phone Number: I would be interested in the following topics (circle all that apply): Curb appeal & first impressions Window and store displays How to leverage downtown events to increase your sales/awareness of your business Marketing strategy How to Design an effective campaign Managing your online reputation Giving your customers reasons to return Social Media Other

4 DTSB Summer Learning Series The Formula: Focus on content that is Practical, Tactical, Immediately applicable Free to downtown businesses / $5 to non downtown businesses Create demand/urgency by limiting the # of attendees Highlight local businesses by holding each session in a different location Where appropriate, have the host business be the case study Have speakers provide a one sheet takeaway The Topics: 1. What not to do with Social Media: summer learning what not to do with social media registration Lights, Camera, Customers: summerlearning lights camera customers registration Getting the Media to Tell Your Story: learning getting the media to tell your story tickets Big Brand for the Little Guy: summerlearning big brand for the little guy registration A Marketing Plan in Nine Easy Steps: learning a marketing plan in 9 easy steps tickets Window & In Store Displays That Pop: summer learning window and in storedisplays that pop tickets The New Face of Facebook: summerlearning the new face of facebook tickets The Unexpected Customer: summerlearning the unexpected customer registration News Coverage: offers new learningseries/article_04e ac 5aed 81c cfa6e92.html The Execution: Survey your businesses for topics of interest Look for expertise in your network to deliver content Develop poster / flyer for the series Develop / gather description and presenter bio for each event Thank people everywhere you can

5 Since you are not charging, use a service like Event Brite to ticket and track the event Have presenters develop the one sheet take aways and you put them into template. Hold the sessions at a time convenient to the business owners (often early morning before they open). Gather Feedback

6 Free for downtown business owners/employees/volunteers. All others $5 at the door (cash or check).

7 DTSB Summer Learning: Getting the Media to Tell Your Story Presented by Stephanie Krol of SKPR Media How to Be a Source for Media Notes: Introduce Yourself Stand Out Be Helpful/Be a Friend Be Flexible Respond, Be a Connector Be Proactive Tips for a Better Press Release Avoid Jargon Keep it Short and Sweet.1 page! Think Like a Reporter Put All the Details In Include Key Messages Word for Word Add a Powerful Quote Use a Boilerplate About Us How to Nail a Media Interview Get All the Details Do Your Homework Practice, Practice, Practice Speak in Sound Bites or Bullets Be Yourself. Be Compelling. Tell YOUR Story Give Thanks Visit for more details! Thank you to our session sponsors: Thank you to our series sponsors:

8 Please take a moment to answer the following questions. We may offer some low cost ($10 per session), small group (4 6 people), Social Media Clinics with local experts to which you would bring your laptop and work through issues during the session. This assessment will help us determine clinic topics. DOWNTOWN SOUTH BEND QUICK SOCIAL MEDIA ASSESSMENT: Answer YES or No to the questions beneath each heading. Twitter: o Does your business have a twitter account? o Is your business interacting with followers and posting regular updates? Facebook o Does your business have a Facebook page with basic information like URL, logo, and location? o Is your business interacting with followers and posting regular updates? o Approximately how many Facebook Likes does your business have? Yelp o o Does your business have a Yelp listing with correct basic information like address, photo, and hours? Has your business claimed your yelp page and are you actively using it? Trip Advisor (if applicable) o Does your business have a Trip Advisor listing with correct basic information like address, photo, and hours? o Has your business claimed your Trip Advisor page and are you actively using it? Google Page o Does your business have a Google listing with correct basic information like address, photo, and hours? o Has your business claimed your Google page and are you actively using it? Foursquare o Is your business listed on Foursquare with the correct info like address, phone number, category and tags? o Has your business claimed your Foursquare page and are you actively using it? Blog o Does your business have an active blog? General o Does your business have a social media policy for your staff? o Do you review your social media metrics o Have you defined the frequency for updating our social media channels (blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). o Do you have a defined strategy with clear goals, targets, initiatives, and measures? o Do you monitor your competitor s social media? o Are you active in an online community centered around your industry or product? Name:

9 Downtown South Bend, Inc. Program Name: Please take a moment to fill out this short survey. Information you provide will help to better the program in the future. Thank you for your input! Was the information applicable to you? Was the information easy to understand? Yes! Somewhat. Not Quite. No Way! Did you enjoy the venue? Could you see yourself applying what you have learned to your business? Do you have any suggestions or comments for us? Comments/Suggestions Do you think the program was an adequate length? Do you wish we could have covered anymore material? What other sessions would be helpful in the future?

10 What Not to Do with Social Media: Avoiding Social Media Faux Pas Presented by Sharon Emeigh & Brianna Watts of Ugly Dog Media 5 Social Media Dos Do have a plan Make sure all employees representing your company via social media have an understanding of proper social media etiquette. Before implementing any social media campaign, consider possible outcomes and have a contingency plan in the event that something goes awry. Discuss your plan with all employees in charge of social media. Do more than sell By design, social media is more than a platform for you to sell yourself. It s a place to be social, which means actively engaging your audience in more than a sales pitch. Remember to tell a joke sometimes make people laugh and they re yours forever. Share something that inspires you, and brighten someone s day. Pop culture= popular culture. The more you identify with your clients the more likely they will be to want to stay in your network. Do have a personality Chances are, there will be more than one individual in your organization using social media on your behalf, and it s okay for those people to infuse their own unique personalities into their interactions with your clients. There s no need to assimilate like The Borg. 1. It s boring. 2. It s scary. Do respond to messages from your social media network If you receive a personal message or a question from someone on your social media account do your best to respond promptly. This shows your network that you re really there (not just virtually) and you really care about their needs. Do post at key times of day for your network Pay attention to the times your network is most active on your social media sites and try to engage them at those times. 5 Social Media Don ts Don t sound like a broken record Redundancy is pretty obnoxious and boring. There s no need to repeat the same message over and over again on any given day once a day is just fine. Don t use automated greetings Whether or not you realize that you sound like a robot, your network will. Don t use social media as a platform for personal or political beliefs You can do whatever you want on your personal Facebook page; however, we guarantee that your friends there don t appreciate it either. Don t post without checking your facts When you post inaccurate or outdated information, you definitely don t inspire trust within your network. In the same way, don t post something that isn t yours without giving credit where it s due. Don t use bad words Even if your friends are always telling you how refreshing your sailor mouth is, it will not go over well with the general public, who would rather wash it out with soap. Thank you to our session sponsors: Thank you to our series sponsors: