Build sales from the inside out

DOING MORE
WITH(A LOT)   

LESS
presented by Martha Bartlett Piland

president + ceo

!
@MarthaPiland

martha@mbpiland.com

4 LEARNING 
OBJECTIVES
1. importance of brands + consistency

2. how employees can help build your brand

3. diﬀerences in shotgun vs. targeted strategies

4. non-traditional tactics to stretch your budget 
© MB Piland Advertising + Marketing. All rights reserved.

BRAND
GROW SALES:  
BE THE #1 CHOICE

IMPORTANCE 
OF A BRAND
what is a brand?

IMPORTANCE 
OF A BRAND!
A brand is “you” in a package. A way  
to stand out from the competition.  
 
It makes you noteworthy.  
 
It offers a promise.

IMPORTANCE 
OF A BRAND
LOYALTRUST
ASSOCIATE
PAY MORE
TALK
ABOUT

Brands don’t just happen. They are  
created, sustained and become legendary  
only with a long-term investment in a  
consistent look, feel, messaging and  
experience.

IMPORTANCE 
OF A BRAND

STRONG 
BRANDS

IMPORTANCE 
OF A BRAND
breaks through the clutter

!
helps ﬁght competition

!
increases credibility

!
becomes “shorthand”

assess your current eﬀorts:

look and feel

colors, fonts, photography

logo and slogan usage

writing style

sound eﬀects or music

what else?
SELF 
EVALUATE

Everything speaks:

signage, CD labels, name tags, apparel

mugs, pens, mouse pads, premiums

phone answering and on-hold messages

cars or vans? bumper stickers?

Yellow Pages listings (print and online)

e-mail tags

what else?
SELF 
EVALUATE

BUILD OR 
ERODE? ﬂeet graphics
facebook
online
w
eb
phone brochure
uniform
s
PR
events
nam
e
tags
parking
lot
em
ail sigs
ads
m
ugs
signage
correspondence
handouts
intranet
newsletter
google+
invitations
em
ploym
ent ads
eNewsphoto
nners
build consistency everywhere

EMPLOYEES
GROW SALES:  
INTERNAL BRAND AMBASSADORS

how can I help you?

why do we do it this way?

what do you need?

what do our customers need?
from Harvard Business Review 7/7/2014 
http://hbr.org/tip/2014/07/07/3-questions-executives-should-ask-front-line-employees
ASK 
EMPLOYEES

share your plans + vision

ask for their input

give them the tools

show them new things ﬁrst

report back regularly
INVOLVE 
EMPLOYEES

Nordies  
Martians

Groovies
BUILD + BRAND
YOUR 
CULTURE

TURN THEM 
LOOSE
POW!
they will believe, shout it  
from the rooftops and sell!

SHOTGUN
/ 
TARGETED
GROW SALES:  
ZERO IN ON THE AUDIENCE

who is your audience? (not “everyone”)

what do they care about?

what are their lives like?

where are they?

do you understand them?

how do you rank them?
DEFINE THE 
AUDIENCE

surveys

focus groups

observation

social media

secondary research

POS data

what else?
LEARN TO 
LISTEN

EXERCISE BREAK

SHOTGUN    
VS. TARGETED
What’s the diﬀerence?

!
Why is it important?

SHOTGUN    
VS. TARGETED
Shotgun eﬀorts are often more expensive.  
They reach a lot of people, but many of  
them may not be your target = waste.

!
broadcast

newspaper

some outdoor

consumer magazines

seeing what sticks


SHOTGUN    
VS. TARGETED
Targeted efforts give you more impact 
for your time and money.

!
nontraditional or grassroots efforts

direct mail

online ads and PPC

social media

trade shows

specific PR

trade pubs or segmented newspapers

cable TV

select outdoor

List your tactics

Rate them

Do the math and reconsider:

- what’s the CPM?

- what’s sure to hit the audience?

- can you aﬀord to waste any eﬀorts?

Sometimes you have to test.
DOTHE  
MATH

Cheap media deals aren’t cheap if your  
message doesn’t reach your audience.

BEWARE  

LOW COST
STRATEGIES
GROW SALES:  
SPEND STRATEGICALLY

… hmmmmm
BE  
STRATEGIC
integrated marketing / business plan

budget – both money and time

create a promotional calendar

be sure strategies are targeted

stick

Plan from the inside out. You’ll 
have ever widening circles that  
overlap, change and grow.

BRAND-ALIGNED

TACTICS

NONTRADITIONAL

TACTICS
They can create “buzz” and help you stand out.

They can help gain media attention, if they’re not frivolous.

They can help support your message.

They will help stretch your budget.

NONTRADITIONAL

TACTICS !
!
Think way outside your  
comfort zone…

(dare to be stupid).

!
WHAT IF?
what if?
WHAT IF?

NONTRADITIONAL

TACTICS
announcements in church newsletters

door hangers

posters in coffee shops, salons or ...

stuffers in electric bills or bank statements

sandwich boards at busy intersections

“Burma Shave” signs

special events

fleet graphics or vanity tags

custom coffee cups or sleeves

Kansas Action for Children

Report Card Release

!
Kansas Action for Children

Children’s March

LOW COST

TACTICS adopt a highway

podcasts/vodcasts

speak to groups

write a column for print pubs

blog

“new mover” welcome packs

co-promotion

contests

break a record

parade ﬂoat

referral program

!

!
Fleet graphics for Boy Scout Council


!
CiCi’s Pizza – Dancing Display

photo from Topeka Capital-Journal

!
Silver Lake Bank Grand Opening

!
Girl Scouts PR Stars

!
Girl Scouts Honorary  
Legislative Troop

!
MB Piland Halloween

golﬁng

!
Academy Awards party

!
Gecko at sports events: 6’ tall

!
Gecko book forthcoming

!
The Container Store wears its heart  
on its sleeve!

WEB+ 
SOCIAL


Don’t just talk—listen, too

!
It’s not all about you—it’s a relationship:  
conversation and building community

!
WEB+ 
SOCIAL


Groupon, Deal Garden etc. can be good, or deadly!

!
• Use sparingly and strategically (generate trial, move dated inventory)

• Know your real cost

• Don’t let them become a crutch
BEWARE


Tactic/Item
Budget
option A
Budget
option B
Budget
Phase 2
Who Action When Notes
1. Strengthen Positioning &
Communications
Wikipedia
Update language
Develop coursebook
Streamline alumni
communications
More publicity about alumni
Pubs for posterity
2. Update/Enhance Website
Search engine optimization
Reorganize site/information
architecture
3. Targeted Advertising
Statewide public radio
“House ads” in publication
“House ads” on website
Paid search
Paid ads
•Hawver
•Business Pubs
Online ads/news outlets
Creative development: ads
Sponsorships
2012 2012 2013
DOC + intern 3/1/12 This could be managed by intern
with supervision.
DOC + intern Begin now with next piece, and
update rolling forward
Ongoing Use input from communications
audit and messaging matrix
DOC + SS +
PMs
4/1/12 Budget for development,
distribution and printing TBD.
DOC + PMs DOC to set up system to
involve Program Managers and
coordinate.
1/31/12
DOC Ongoing
DOC MB to send current issue to
State Library. DOC to
continue working on L of C
Ongoing Complete with State Library. as of
1/17/12. DOC to send future issues
as they’re developed.
MB Piland Follows site reorgFollows site reorgFollows site reorg
MB Piland DOC to work with MB,
Thomas and other staff.
ASAP Needs to be high priority.
MB Piland 4/1/12 Non-negotiated cost: statewide
DOC
DOC
MB Piland 4/1/12 Or after website is updated.
Well targeted, but costly. But is
this the right target? Let’s discuss.
MB Piland 4/1/12 Only after website is updated.
MB Piland Creative: 3 animated ads
DOC Begin now. 5/1/12 Modest, but could work for select
events.
Marketing Blueprint—budget, time and action
As of 1/20/2012
FAT FREE ADVERTISING
TM

Client – Marketing Timeline 2007Client – Marketing Timeline 2007Client – Marketing Timeline 2007
Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Brand enhancement
Web site
Brochure
E-mail Template
PR TO BE DETERMINED - LET'S DISCUSSTO BE DETERMINED - LET'S DISCUSSTO BE DETERMINED - LET'S DISCUSSTO BE DETERMINED - LET'S DISCUSS
In-person calls, networking
Topeka Chamber
Manhattan Chamber
Service Experience Tactics
Marketing Timeline 2008Marketing Timeline 2008
Web site - update/refresh
Direct Mail
E-mail Template
PR TO BE DETERMINED - LET'S DISCUSSTO BE DETERMINED - LET'S DISCUSSTO BE DETERMINED - LET'S DISCUSSTO BE DETERMINED - LET'S DISCUSS
In-person calls, networking
Topeka Chamber
Manhattan Chamber
Service Experience Tactics
DevelopmentDevelopment
DIstributionDIstribution
Attendance/CallsAttendance/Calls

!
• Nurture and build your brand.

!
• Be very targeted.

!
• Identify and use non-traditional tactics to stretch your bu
!
!
JUST 
DO IT
be strategic
cultivate
employees
be targeted
build the
brand

QUESTIONS 
THOUGHTS?
@MarthaPiland

martha@mbpiland.com
… hmmmmm

THANK YOU
@MarthaPiland

martha@mbpiland.com

Build sales from the inside out

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