A Case Study Approach www.corneryourmarket.ca Overview Today well - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Running a Marketing Plan Engagement

A Case Study Approach

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Overview

• Today – we’ll do a case study style approach
• How I’ve run marketing plan engagements
• Two main approaches
• What worked best
• Review a typical sales process
• Review a typical engagement
• The Aha moments along the way

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Workbook

• Background & activities I use can be found in my workbook:

http://www.lovewhatyoudoagain.com/dtm‐marketing‐plan/

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Why Start With Strategy?

• Key differentiator in the sales process

– The initial Marketing Audit (SBA) started the strategy conversation – already realized value – Positions me as unique – trusted advisor/consultant from the beginning – Helps guide client conversations with other firms – I ask a lot of questions – other firms tell/recommend with no info – Win against much larger and more established agencies

• Sets the stage for more wins from the beginning

– Starting with strategy can uncover bigger issues – and result in bigger and more impactful changes at a higher level from the beginning – You become more than a “marketing” vendor – become a partner & part of their team

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Why Start With Strategy?

• Creates a better working relationship

– More trust and less questioning & proving – Client allows you to try more stuff out – Potential to get more done – bigger wins/results

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Types of Clients

• B2B

– Facility Maintenance (targeting large retail chains) – Software: Medical, Optical, Construction (targeting medical universities/opticians/builders) – Medical Devices (targeting EMS & hospitals) – Corporate Insurance (targeting multiple B2B verticals) – Corporate Leadership Coach – Corporate telecommunications

• B2C

– Optical Retailer – Closet Organization Company – Resorts (x3) – University – Financial/Loans

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Types of Delivery

• Traditional: Discovery Session + Strategy Delivery

– I would go away, do all research, and come back with my findings and recommendations – Result: Gigantic marketing plan

• Collaborative/Consultative:

– I work together with the client over 4 to 8 weeks to create the strategy

• My preference: Consultative

– They see wins & results along the way – They share more information, are more engaged in the process – sets the stage for a stronger long‐term engagement – Great way to see if they are YOUR ideal client

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Sales Process

• 1. Free Mini‐Session – Signature Brand Audit

– They fill out the SBA – I do some initial research – Structured conversation – Key questions that make a difference:

• What’s your current marketing system? How do you get prospects to

know that you exist – and then move them through your sales process?

• Direct question re: the Marketing Hourglass – and identify gaps
• Questions around how many leads they get/where they come

from/how many they convert/cost per lead/lifetime customer value

– Ask if they want me to outline how we might best work together via a proposal + presentation – set the date.

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Sales Process

• 2. Proposal + Presentation

– Confirm I understand their situation/challenges – Immediately position developing a strategy + system as the most important first step – Outline exactly how we will work together to develop the strategy – Tease with potential next step options

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The Strategy Engagement

• Typically 8 weekly sessions
• Meet on‐site or via Zoom
• I do a lot of research & work in the

background

• The business owner also does some work

between sessions – usually gathering information

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Pre-Session Home Work

Once you decide to move forward with your new marketing program, we’ll immediately send you requests for the following information so we can get started on our discovery process and gather as much up front information as possible:

• A list of six ideal target clients for us to call
• A list of all of your key competitors
• Copies or links to any marketing materials or campaigns
• Links and passwords to online marketing and social media sites, including:

– Website – Google Analytics – PPC Advertising – Social Media Sites

• A filled out discovery form

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Sessions:

• Pre‐Discovery Session

1. Discovery Session 2. Ideal Client 3. Core Difference + Marketing Review 4. Product & Service Review

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1: Discovery Session

• Gather as much initial information as possible
• Confirm main marketing challenges & goals
• Review current marketing budget
• Current process & people
• Establishing a marketing baseline
• Collect all current marketing assets – both on and offline
• Gather passwords/access to tools & technology
• Gather a list of competitors
• Confirm process moving forward

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2: Ideal Client

Exercises:

• Current Client List (including revenue/time/profit)
• Ideal Client Grid (ideal/not ideal)
• Gather Names for Client Surveys

Outcomes:

• Common ideal client elements
• Clients to avoid/phase out

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2: Ideal Client

Aha Moments:

• How much time & energy some clients suck up
• How many non‐ideal clients they are working with
• How they may actually be targeting their non‐ideal

clients

• How some clients may actually be detracting from

their business

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3: Core Difference + Branding

Exercises:

• Review completed client questionnaires – identify any

common themes or “ahas” that emerge

• Identify main core difference/s
• Review current branding/messaging/marketing materials
• Conduct competitive review
• Create talking logo/update tagline/outline new core

messages

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3: Core Difference + Branding

Outcomes:

• Client survey summary/grid/recommendations
• Clarity on a true core difference
• Updated messaging – including talking logo
• Immediately fix any branding or current messaging issues
• Deeper understanding of competitors

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3: Core Difference + Branding

Aha Moment Examples:

• Dogwood: Messaging on Vans – missing contact info
• Tyax: They looked exactly the same/messaging exactly

the same as all competitors

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4: Product/Services Review

Exercises:

• Review the current product & services mix, including how

they work/flow together/messaging & presentation to the client/pricing/naming/cost of sale & implementation Outcomes:

• Recommendations on any changes/updates to

products/product flow/messaging/pricing

• In some cases – complete product/service restructuring

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4: Product/Services Review

Aha Moments:

• Medical Software: New way of presenting products (several

separate products to one product with modules) plus new naming format

• Leadership Coach: New product naming, new product

structure with overarching umbrella

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5: Customer Journey Review

Exercises:

• Map out & review all current customer touchpoints
• Actually review the customer experience (whether that’s

calling reception/customer service/contacting via website/collecting & reviewing customer material Outcomes:

• Identify any issues in the customer journey – missing

touchpoints/flow, etc

• Recommendations on any changes to the current flow

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5: Customer Journey Review

Aha Moments:

• Almost always issues with website contact forms – or

response to info@ emails

• Often issues with response time to phone messages
• Sometimes personnel issues with main customer contact

person – example – acting receptionist doesn’t really want to do that – part of another job

• Missed opportunities in regular communication ‐ invoicing

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6-7: Marketing Hourglass Strategy

Exercises:

• Review current marketing process using the Marketing

Hourglass & identify any gaps

• Create ideal high level Marketing Hourglass strategy
• Outline how the Marketing Hourglass would work in the real

world

• Identify the specific content, offers & marketing tools needed

to make this happen

• Create a detailed plan & budget

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6-7: Marketing Hourglass Strategy

Outcomes:

• Flow on website/changes needed
• Online assets needed
• Sales process
• Offers & content required
• Tools required
• Resources required
• Budget

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6-7: Marketing Hourglass Strategy

Notes:

• This is where I typically present my website & online

marketing review

• In the background, I’ve usually been working on an online

review (local assets/social media/competitors/paid advertising, etc.), keyword analysis, and a complete SEO review of their current website

• So the results tie in here and inform the strategy

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8: Ongoing Marketing Plan

Exercises:

• Outline ongoing steady‐state marketing activities and

campaigns for a 12 month period

• Create editorial calendar for content
• Identify internal resources/subject matter experts
• Discuss ongoing tracking & measurement along with potential

budget

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8: Ongoing Marketing Plan

Outcomes:

• Completed editorial calendar
• Marketing strategy summary document (including everything

we’ve worked on to date)

• Recommended marketing plan moving forward, including:

– Budget – Resources – Set‐up & implementation – Ongoing management

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The Resulting Marketing Plan Doubled as My Ongoing Services Pitch They Asked Me if I Would Do It No Sales Needed – Seamless Process to a Retainer Engagement

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Typical Costs:

Marketing Strategy:

• Traditional Model:

– $5 to $18K – Two months to complete

• Consulting Model:

– $2500 to $10,000/month – Two months to complete

• Retainer:

– $2500 to $10,000/month depending on time – Set the stage so retainer = same monthly cost of plan 

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Summary of Outcomes from 2 Month Marketing Plan Engagement:

• Ideal Client Profile + Customer Survey Summary
• Competitive Review
• Core Difference/Messaging/Branding Review + Recommendations
• n New Messaging
• Product + Services Flow Review + Recommendations
• Customer Journey Review + Fixing Key Touchpoints
• Marketing Strategy + Marketing System Outline
• Sales Process Outline
• 12 Month Marketing Plan + Editorial Calendar
• Metrics Tracker with Baseline Metrics in Place

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Summary of Outcomes from 2 Month Marketing Plan Engagement:

• Often a single win during the marketing plan engagement

more than paid for the entire plan

• The business owner understands marketing at a deeper level

– including how it links to all aspects of the business

• The business owner has a clear understanding of exactly what

is going to happen over the next 12 months, why, and how it will be tracked and measured.

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Aha Moment Examples:

• HeliSki/Resort Operator:

– They weren’t attracting their ideal clients – families – who would use the heli‐ski services but also stay at the luxury resort and partake in the spa & other activities – Competitor & messaging review revealed that they were speaking to the wrong ideal client – experienced & primarily male extreme heli‐skiers – similar to other

• perators without luxury resorts attached.

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Aha Moment Examples:

• Medical Software Company:

– They were about to switch customer service models – from a dedicated agent per client – to a ticketing approach – Customer surveys revealed their main differentiator was the single agent approach – it was the main reason they switched from competitors

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Aha Moment Examples:

• Optical Software Company

– Customer surveys & product review revealed that customers were confused about their multiple products – and were buying just one lower priced product at a time

• vs. all the products

– Repackaged into a larger solution with modules – which significantly increased revenue per transaction

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Aha Moment Examples:

• Facility Management/Renovation Company:

– The were in the process of updating the wraps on all their vehicles – During our marketing review – we discovered there was no messaging on the wraps that spoke to what they did or who they were (just said “Dogwood”) – No contact information – Ended up getting many calls from the corrected wraps

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Aha Moment Examples:

• Medical Device Company:

– Core difference review revealed that they were competing

• n the same product features & benefits messaging used

by the larger companies with huge budgets – Changed core difference to focus on the benefits of the anatomical differences and clinical results – Launched a grass routes education campaign focused on the anatomical route vs. the product per se

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Examples of Outcomes:

• Marketing strategy workbook & exercises
• Large marketing plan example
• Small marketing plan example
• Marketing Hourglass example
• Editorial calendar example
• Marketing calendar example
• Marketing tracker example

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Questions?