Some tips for startups to plan an integrated communications campaign

1. Creating Brand Value for your Business
Running an integrated and Cost Effective
Communications Program
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2. Brand Building!! WHY??
• Brand building is the QUALITY & EXPERIENCE you promise to
your customer!
• All else remains a Commodity to be purchased on pure pricing
benefits - “Premium Vs Discounts”
• Simply put … a brand is the reason why customers will choose
your product over the competition
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3. Ask yourself
Does it really matter to you which brand of petrol would you prefer
to fill in your car & WHY?
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4. Building Brand value through customer
experience
Research shows
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Since petrol will continue to remain
a commodity, brand building
happens at the petrol station level.
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They build on “customer
experiences”
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Some Examples
• Services
• Conveniences
• Swanky retail outlets within
filling stations
• Courteous attendants
• Lesser filling time
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5. When “my product is a commodity”
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In some product categories, “Brand” is not central to the purchase
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Yet they spend time and money “building the brand”
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Its about VISIBILITY, EXPERIENCE and then LOYALTY
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6. BUT the Big Problem is the BUDGET !!
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So if we don’t have the budgets CAN WE REPLACE BRAND BUILDING
with an aggressive pricing strategy?
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Experience says, it hasn’t quite worked even for players with deep
pockets
• Ultimately the product experience and quality story is KING!!
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7. This marketing experiment is now being
seen in ecommerce businesses
•
According to a KPMG report nearly two-thirds of people buy online due
to the cheaper prices and discounts
•
Too many players in categories, vying for the same pool of customers
•
Customer loyalties are low
•
In India, ‘convenience’ is still in conflict with ‘touch and feel’
•
Funding is increasingly becoming an issue and available now for the
relatively BIGGER players i.e. the more recognized BRANDS
Like it OR not…
Brand building is key to survival and success of your business!
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8. Some rules of brand building new entrants
In the digital age
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Brand building is about “distinctiveness and
Image” – It is NOT DIRECT SELLING!!
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Customers are now in charge…
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They will also coalesce around you or against you
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People will find you only if they want you
The KEY is to be visible with a great reason why they should
choose you
The KEY is to get the WOM going in your favor
It will be a slow burn & a sustained process– so
deploy it early enough
•
Must be smart and cost effective,
conversation- generating and measurable
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9. Tip 1…Get online
BUT Figure out your story first
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Your Quality story
Heritage Story (make sure it is
distinct and rooted in your
creation story)
The Experience story
The Aspiration story
Save The World Story
Banarasi/Patan Patolas
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10. And…if your story sells, your BRAND
does too…
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11. Tip 2 – Tell your story through the RIGHT
digital interface
Overt Storytelling
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About Page
Product Pages
Return Policy
Free Shipping.
Covert Storytelling
User Gen Content
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Design
Colors
Images
Headlines
People
Comments
Reviews
Contests
Polls, Surveys
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12. Engagement is important here as Google
wants you to do it
• And nothing “engages” better than great stories and
storytelling
• Heuristic Measures Include
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Time On Site
Pages viewed by an average visitor
Repeat visitors
Bounce rates
Mobile engagement
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13. Also…Keep it really really Simple &
answer a need right away!
• Every website must answer in seconds, “What does
Zipbuds.com want me to do NOW?”
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14. Tip 3…Start developing content around your
story for high digital engagement
• High Engagement led
Conversion should drive your
digital media campaign
Simple Videos can tell
powerful stories!
• Encourage Reviews
• Blog that is real time and
interesting
• Relevant real time offers
• Breaking news Stories
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15. Tip 4 – Use Networks to drive your messages
• You must be present and visible in industry forums
• You must be seen amongst your peers in conferences or
exhibitions
• You must spend time with at least 10 journalists from your
category – coverage or no coverage
• Social networking with “you” as the brand is important
Important: Be ready with your 1 single message that
highlights the USP of your business
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16. Tip 5 – get some of your stories out
in the media
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17. You can do it yourself – understand what
gets written about
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A unique idea that is the very basis of your
business
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A Unique behind the scenes story
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Story of how your product changes or impacts
lives
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Your story – a big career change
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Getting bigger brands to associate with you as
partners
Mera Gao Power aims to provide lighting
and clean solar powered energy to power
two LED lamps & mobile phone charging
point @ Rs 25 per week
Mirakle couriers
Mumbai employs low
income deaf adults
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18. Tip 6 – Own a property that relates to your
BRAND…
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Based on your business you should stand
for at least 1 thing that is your marketing
leverage
Some ideas
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A waste management company that works
with children
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A furnishing company that works with
endangered artisans of India
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A spices company that works with tribal
population
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A garments company that stands for
“ethical fashion”
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19. Tip 7 – Run some Low cost/High Impact
promotions
All you need is an Idea!! Innovate to promote
Aviva
Aircel
Ideas are free – and execution can be cheap too!!
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20. The BIG question… what does it cost to run a
communications campaign for startups?
• You need a little bit of professional help…specialists and
experts who are among your friends– NOT big budget
agencies
• You need to commit TIME– NOT Big Advertising budgets!!
• You need a bit of PR and BTL…that’s your only cost. Here
too its possible to find cost effective solutions
AND …you need to run it in an integrated manner…
CONSISTENTLY !
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21. “Jugaad” is a word we gave the world!!
Passion and need drives the low cost solutions. Creativity is KEY!!
Disclaimer
I am not asking you
to do this ever!!
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22. For more ideas visit us
www.strongkofee.com
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