A one-day workshop presentation on marketing tactics to support a higher return on sales efforts, presented in Salem, Oregon by Job Growers and Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry. Presented by Jennifer Larsen Morrow of Creative Company. Learn about: What audiences are looking for How to frame an audience persona How to communicate more effectively The difference between features and benefits Why to focus on "What's in it for me?" How to find your "wow!"

1. Job Growers and CCBI
October 11, 2012
Better marketing
= bigger sales

2. What we’ll cover
• Why should you care about marketing and
branding?
• What is a brand?
• Your target audiences—perception is reality
• Generational perspectives and their impact on
communications
• What should you communicate? Going beyond
the “stuff”
• What actions do you want to inspire?

3. Where are you now?
• Where do your customers come from now?
• How are you finding and reaching new
customers?
• What’s your sales process?
• What’s working?
• What’s not working?
• Where are your biggest challenges?

4. Better marketing = bigger sales
If someone is looking
for what you offer,
where are they
looking?

5. Better marketing = bigger sales
If they find you,
what will they see?
Will they understand
why they should
choose you?

6. Better marketing = bigger sales
Today B2B buyers
contact you only
after 60% of the
purchase decision is
already made.

7. What do they want from you?

8. Better marketing = bigger sales
A surprise … quick,
simple, easy …
information… answer
my questions … talk to
me …WIIFM

9. What’s unexpected?
Surprise me!

10. It’s just a garbage truck

11. Or it’s a WOW truck!

12. Why should I care? How does this work?
I get it!

13. What’s in it for me?
Looks easy, simple!

14. Make it easy to choose
Good
information!

15. I know what they sell …

16. And here’s how to buy

17. Be relevant to your audience
Engage me

18. Architects want to see
it and understand …

19. Architects need information…

20. Maintain consistency
Who are you?

21. Before … old name, old logo … transformed

22. After … visible, consistent, recognized

23. After … information,
communication, entertainment

24. Marketing is branding
Why branding?
Why bother?

25. We live in an
overwhelmed,
time-starved
culture
packed with
too many choices

26. Focus your marketing
A brand
brings focus

27. Glance
and scan
Sound bites
First
impressions
are the only
impressions

28. Target audiences
Position in your category
Benefits to the
audiences
Where’s the “wow!”?

29. A brand is an asset
What is
a brand?

30. What is a brand?
What is a brand?
• The name of a product or service
• A warranty, trusted concept or essence
• A preference in the mind of your audience
• An expectation of a certain level of service
• Confidence in knowing what to expect
• Value in the mind of the audience
• A bottom-line asset

31. The Starbucks brand
A brand becomes more than a cup of coffee … “let’s
get a Starbucks”
It’s about the experience, the total of all elements

32. The Apple brand
A brand builds an
emotional connection …
people who share the story
… an expectation of a
specific kind of interaction
and experience

33. What is a brand?
A brand is more than a logo
A brand requires a visual and verbal
vocabulary
• A distinctive “ look and feel”
• A common voice, tone and style
• A system of colors and typography
• A series of images that build a cohesive whole

34. What is a brand?
What builds brands?
• Brands are being built with or without
management
• Publicity build brands
• Blogs, social media, marketing and websites
build brands
• Environments build brands
• Each contact with the organization builds the
brand

35. Your marketing must be branded
Why should you
build a brand?

36. Too many choices
CLARITY
There are too
many choices
for everyone. A
strong brand
helps you stand
out and connect
with those you
seek to reach

37. Create visibility and recognition
VISIBILITY
A strong brand
system sets you
apart and creates
recognition

38. Add value to all communications
“A brand means the
difference between VALUE
selling a white T-shirt
for $10 and selling a A strong brand
white T-shirt with a means a higher
Nike logo on it for perceived value…
$20.” for whatever you
Debbie Kennedy
have
Brand Oregon to offer

39. Simplify and streamline
SAVINGS
A strong brand
provides structure
and ties
communications
together so you’re
more effective

40. Building a brand
but we’re not
selling to
consumers,
we’re selling to
businesses

41. Perception is reality
• Your brand is based on what people
think about your organization
…it’s still
• Communicate clearly from the
audience’s point of view
about people
• Provide value to those you serve
and communication

42. Audiences
Perception is reality
• Your brand is based on what people think
about your organization
• To be effective you must communicate clearly
from your audience’s point of view
• You must create a brand that is visually
appealing and communicates the essentials,
answers their questions

43. Audiences
Do you know your audiences?
• Do you know everyone you need to
communicate with?
• Do you know what they expect from you?
• Do you understand their concerns?
• Speak in the their language; be clear and
concise (no acronyms!)

44. Audiences
Business to business
• People are still people
• Roles might be different, not the final decision
maker
• Sales process might be longer, more people
and information involved
• It’s still trust, confidence, relationship

45. Brand building
Defining your brand
character and persona

46. Defining your brand
What personality do you want to
present?
• How do you want to be perceived, known
and remembered?
• It is this “persona” that will be remembered
• It’s the character/personality of your brand
communication that will create recognition
and attention

47. Defining your brand
Made up of the combination of
numerous elements
• Overall style of the
presentation/communication
• Details such as
• colors, image
• language, tone
• style and overall quality
• Key messages and phrases

48. Defining your brand
Is your image what your audience
wants, expects, will respond to?
• What’s the “playing field”? What’s
expected?
• You may want to appear as a complex,
intelligent and powerful company
• Your audience might prefer a simple, folksy
persona they can relate to

49. Exercises | Defining your brand
A. Think of your brand as a car
What brand of car would you be?
• Rank your brand on a scale
• Consider: image quality, price,
distinctiveness
• Exercise (Using the car metaphor helps
you visualize where you fit.)

50. Exercises | Defining your brand
B. Consider your brand as a person
Describe that person as they walk
towards you
• What kind of impression do they project?
• What is their appearance?
• What is your sense of their capabilities?
• What do you believe about them?

51. Lunch break!

52. Your audiences
Each
generation
is different

53. The Generations
Effective marketing requires first
understanding the audiences you’re
trying to reach.
For the first time in history there are four
different generations in the workplace, each with
different values, perspectives and expectations

54. Target your audiences
Consider
motivations,
lifestyles, attitudes
and expectations
Different for each
generation
Select the right
method of
communication for
each generation

55. Generations
The Silent Generation – 1925 to 1945
• 2005 Census – 63 million, now aged 67 to 87
• Have always done “the right thing”
• Reliable and show up for work on time
• Looking for a “great adventure”
• Second middle age …“now or never”
• 45% of age 70 to 74 use the
internet
• 58% of age 65 to 69 use
the internet

56. Generations
The Boomers – 1946 to 1964
• 2005 Census – 78 million, now aged 48 to 66
• The “Me Generation”
• Boomers are driving the marketplace
• Control 70% of the nations wealth
• Want to stay healthy, keep youthful appearance
• Career focused
• In the midst of intense
transitions
• Address lifestyle
preferences and life stages
• Online and connected,
85% of those 50-64 are online

57. Generations
Gen X – 1965 to 1984
• 2005 census – 48 million, now aged 35 to 47
• First generation of latch-key children, learned to rely on
themselves
• More results-oriented, less process-oriented
• Will change jobs more frequently
• Savvy and cynical consumers
• No brand loyalty, earn confidence
every time
• Want direct communication
• 93% of 30-49 year olds are online

58. Generations
Gen Y – Born 1985 to 2010
• 2005 Census – 76 million, now aged 12 to 34
• Have honed a “sixth sense” in seeking what’s authentic,
don’t want to be “sold”
• Always looking for the next “cool” thing
• “One of smartest, tech savvy and idealistic generations of
our time”
• Girls grew up participating in
sports, more self-assurance
• Multi-tasking is natural
• 96% of 18 to 29 are online

59. Generations
Trends and statistics
Smartphones mean mobile internet access
• 83% of U.S. adults have a cell phone of some kind, and
42% of them own a smartphone
• 58% between ages of 25 and 34 own a smartphone
• 44% of those ages 35-44
• 49% of those ages 18-24
Social media has wide adoption
• 55% of Twitter users are 35 or older
• 63% of Pinterest users are 35 or older (79% female)
• 65% of Facebook users are 35 or older
• 79% of LinkedIn users are 35 or older

60. Building a brand
communicate
your value
not just what you do

61. Features vs. Benefits
You must be clear about the services or
products you’re offering, what are the
benefits?
How can you frame the benefits to connect with
the expectations of each generation?
How does each generation prefer to
communicate? (reading vs. watching vs. sharing)

62. Features vs. Benefits
Features:
Here’s what the product does, or what the
service is. Descriptive.
Benefits:
Here’s the outcome, what you audience will
receive from the product or service.
Often emotional or personal.

63. Features vs. benefits
They’re not buying
a drill
They’re buying the
hole it makes

64. Audiences
What is needed and wanted by your
audience(s)?
• What’s the primary reason each audience
wants/needs/uses your products or services?
• What do you provide immediately, and over
the long-term?

65. Define the message
What value do you provide?
• Go beyond the “stuff”
• Identify ideas, messages that address “why
should I care?” or
• “What’s in it for me?” (WIIFM)
• Where’s the “wow!”?

66. Audiences
Think about why instead of what
• Why do they need to connect with you?
• What purpose do you serve?
• Avoid just listing the “stuff” you do
• Consider their perspectives – who are they?
How do they communicate or take in
information?
• What’s the role in the purchase?

67. t ’s y our
Wha
mess age?
(WII FM )

73. Generating response is the goal
Connect
with your
audiences

74. Building your brand
Brand building (effective marketing)
requires focus
• Focus on your audiences and the benefits
• Branding requires consistency in message and
visuals
• You will get tired of it long before your
audiences do

75. Building your brand
A visual vocabulary ties it together
• Choose a strong color palette
• Select typefaces that are distinctive and use
them consistently
• Identify the “look and feel” that will stand out
and create recognition

77. NYSAC | Identity Guidelines

78. NYSAC | Identity Guidelines

79. Communicate
You will see all the messages and
tools, your audience won’t
• Consistency creates a connection
• Visually connect all elements, from website to
mailings to office environment to stationery
to displays, Emails and brochures…
• Define messages that are specific and unique
to you, that tell a story
• Uncover stories and information to share
(social media, blog, website, white papers)

80. A longer sales cycle
Today the buyer is in charge
• Explosion of information sources (websites,
blogs, reviews, discussion boards, social)
• An era of self-serve information
• Talking to a person is a last resort, not a first
step
• B2B – 60% of the purchase decision is made
before contacting a sales person
• 2010 – 5.3 sources of information needed,
2011 – 10.4 sources needed before making a
buying decision

81. How to address the focus on information
Be relevant and valuable
• Help vs. sell, make a customer for life
• Discover customer needs first – listen,
research, talk to front line people
• Integrate offline and online information
• Provide resources to inform, educate,
enlighten

82. Building a brand
where are
your contact
points?

83. Contacts
Where are the contact points?
• Where do your target audiences connect with
you?
• At what level, for what purpose?
• How are those contact points branded?
• Which contacts are critical to the organization,
the points of choice?

84. Contact points
Small contacts influence perceptions
• Reception, how the phone is answered
• Personal presentation
• Voice mail message
• Letter format
• Fax cover sheet
• Quality of literature
• Email format
• Environment

85. Contact points
Essential contact points
• Printed materials—folders, brochures,
handouts
• Your website … a primary point of choice
• Newsletters, magazines and Emails
• Internal contacts from the handbook to
employee newsletters
• Trade shows
Where do you have the opportunity to present
your message and engage with your
audiences?

86. Contact points
What is a “point of choice”?
A point of choice is the situation where
someone will take action, to move to the next
step in working with you. The point of choice
is focused on immediate response—taking
action.

87. Contact points
Focus first on the “point of choice”
By leveraging your message and your brand
when someone is deciding, you’ll increase
your return on investment, and you’ll increase
response
•What response do you need?
•How/where will your audience respond in that
way?

88. Worksheet
Define your “points of choice”

89. Building a brand
build your
brand
message

95. Brand positioning
The brand positioning
• Reflects where you fit in the market
• Separates you from the competition
• Clarifies key messages for staff and sales
teams
• Establishes the foundation and framework for
ongoing communication
• Ties together visual and verbal

96. Brand positioning
The brand positioning …
Is supported by the brand persona
•A collection of authentic visual and verbal
assets, actions and beliefs
•Your audience recognizes your persona
through:
• Colors and images
• Language and tone
• Look and feel
• Quality of interactions

97. Brand persona
What brand persona is right for your
audience?
• Is your image what your audience wants,
expects, will respond to?
• What’s the “playing field”? What’s expected?
• How can you go beyond the expected to
generate recognition and loyalty?

98. Pumilite Hardscape and Masonry | Identity
Better attitude. Best selection.

99. Pumilite Website

100. Brand persona
Defining your brand persona
• Supports the strategy and tactics used to
implement branding
• Will help you define the communication tools
you use
• Reduces the number of options by focusing on
your audiences and brand
• Makes each communication more effective
• You’ll provide what your audience needs to
connect with you

101. Build your brand
Understanding your audience’s
expectations
• Makes each communication more effective
• You’ll provide what your audience needs to
make a decision
• Each point of contact must build on the others
• Each communication tool and every tactic and
channel must build the experience

102. Build your brand
Defining your brand persona
• Directs the visual vocabulary of your brand
• Supports the strategy and tactics you choose
• Will help you select media and define the best
tools to get results
• Reduces the number of options by focusing on
your audience, the best contact point and most
effective medium/tool to communicate your key
messages

103. Build your brand
Building your brand
• Will create clarity with internal and external
audiences
• Builds perceived value
• Generates increased recognition at a lower cost
• Identifies messages that resonate
• Reinforces the “wow!”
• Establishes a stronger presence and clearer
communications with all audiences

104. Build your brand
Go forth and market!
• Brand responsibly
• Provide value to your audiences
• Connect where they communicate
• Build content that builds trust
• Integrate online and offline
• Evaluate website, mobile, social media

105. Questions?
Jennifer Larsen Morrow
President
Creative Company

106. Give us a call to talk about your brand!
Creative Company, Inc.
726 NE 4th Street
McMinnville, Oregon 97128
503.883.4433
Toll-free 866.363.4433
Creativeco.com
Email to jlmorrow@creativeco.com