Presentation from the January 30th webinar, "How to Evaluate Social Advertising Technology Platforms." Kenshoo's Josh Dreller and Nate Luman, along with guest speaker, Forrester analyst Zachary Reiss-Davis, discussed how marketers should approach the vetting process to confidently choose the best social advertising technology platform for their marketing organization’s needs.

1. The Kenshoo Guide to Evaluating
Social Advertising Technology Platforms

2. Webinar Instructions
Audio instructions
• Listen via computer speakers or use phone numbers listed
in email from gotowebinar@citrixonline.com
• Still can’t hear the webinar? Tell us please!
• Ask questions using the Questions box
#SocialAdGuide

3. Download the Guide
Kenshoo.com/Social-Ad-Platform-Guide

4. Today’s Speakers
Josh Dreller,
Director of Marketing
Research & Content
Kenshoo
Nate Luman,
Director, Strategic Services
Kenshoo Social
Zachary Reiss-Davis,
Analyst,
Forrester Research

5. Agenda
The Forrester Wave™:
Social Advertising Platforms, Q4 2013
Social reach best practices
Overview of the evaluation process
10 tips for a successful evaluation
Q&A
#SocialAdGuide

6. Poll 1
????
#SocialAdGuide

7. Poll 2
????
#SocialAdGuide

8. The Evaluation Process

9. The Evaluation Process
Step 1: Outline your goals and needs
• What gaps are you trying to fill with a social ad platform?
• What results are you looking for?
• What are the “must haves”?
Step 2: Set up your plan
• Timelines and milestones
• Identify key stakeholders

10. The Evaluation Process
Step 3: Identify social advertising technology
platforms
• Colleagues
• Conferences/conventions
• Trade publications
• Industry research groups
Step 4: Narrow the list to a handful
• Start with the no-brainers
• Do more research to clarify the offering
• You may need to make some hard choices

11. The Evaluation Process
Step 5: Start a relationship with your short list
• Sometimes it’s a cold call or a website form
• Find your main contact and work through them
• If the company isn’t responsive, that speaks volumes
Step 6: Make sure the platforms are right for you
(and you’re right for them)
• Ask any questions you may have now before
you waste each other’s time
• Remember, it’s a two-way street

12. The Evaluation Process
Step 7: Create your Evaluation Worksheet

13. The Evaluation Process
Step 8: Send out your Request for Proposal (RFP)
• Doesn’t have to be long
• Get the answers you want to have in writing
• Be very clear; good direction with get you
the best responses
Step 9: Review the RFPs and narrow down
your choices to 2 or 3 max
• Resist the urge to do deep dives with
too many
• Do more research if you need to in
order to narrow down

14. The Evaluation Process
Step 10: The Demo
• Review How to Get the Most Out of Demos chapter of the Guide
Tips
•
•
•
•
Setup
Agenda
Real scenarios
Show – don’t just tell
the differentiators
• Roadmap

15. The Evaluation Process
Step 11: The final Evaluation Worksheet
• Make tweaks to your scoring as needed
• Doesn’t have to be your only input
• Make changes wisely
Step 12: Make your decision and sell it in to the team
• Go through the evaluation process
• Share the Evaluation Worksheet
• Begin the relationship on the right foot

16. Poll 3
????
#SocialAdGuide

18. Tip #1 - Be realistic on what’s out there
•
•
You must begin the evaluation process with the right frame of mind
Evaluate the field against what’s actually available, not your dream tool

19. Tip #2 - Follow your evaluation plan
•
•
•
Use the criteria you set at the beginning
The evaluation process will educate you
Make changes to criteria cautiously

20. Tip #3 - Keep the process a bit formal
•
•
Stay objective and bring in the right platform for the job
Watch what you say!

21. Tip #4 - Be honest as you can
•
•
Sometimes you may feel that you shouldn’t show your cards to sellers
The more you tell them, the better the information they can deliver

22. Tip #5 - Ask for differentiators
•
•
•
What sets a platform apart from the rest?
What’s memorable?
Have the provider show you during the demo

23. Q&A
Kenshoo.com/Social-Ad-Platform-Guide
#SocialAdGuide

24. #SocialAdGuide
kenshoo.com