Shoestring Marketing Chris Houchens www.ShotgunConcepts.com Low Budget / High Impact Marketing

Cheap vs. Effective ROI is more important than cost

Marketing? To communicate a consistent intended message to a specific intended audience. Marketing is NOT just advertising. Marketing is NOT just PR. Marketing is NOT just sales. Marketing helps CREATE the sales opportunity. Successful marketing develops long term relationships

To communicate a consistent intended message to a specific intended audience.

Marketing is NOT just advertising.

Marketing is NOT just PR.

Marketing is NOT just sales.

Marketing helps CREATE the sales opportunity.

Successful marketing develops long term relationships

Healthcare Marketing Trends One word :: Choices Consumers in charge of healthcare decisions Self-Diagnosis is on the rise Google tried to outdo the CDC last flu season “Doctor says” no longer the force it was Consumers have more disposable income Insurance / HMO / Flex Account / etc The idea of Customers vs. Patients Everything is about to change

One word :: Choices

Consumers in charge of healthcare decisions

Self-Diagnosis is on the rise

Google tried to outdo the CDC last flu season

“Doctor says” no longer the force it was

Consumers have more disposable income

Insurance / HMO / Flex Account / etc

The idea of Customers vs. Patients

Everything is about to change

Do you have a marketing plan ? Do you ever look at it?

A Marketing Plan... Defines Marketing Costs Shows Marketing Value Defines Mission / Provides Focus Written Game Plan Evolving Document A Marketing Plan is On Paper…On Purpose

Defines Marketing Costs

Shows Marketing Value

Defines Mission / Provides Focus

Written Game Plan

Evolving Document

Where do we want the money to go? as opposed to Where did the money go?

Most prevalent marketing mistakes “ Me Too” Competitive and following fads Campaigns designed around cutesy or non-relevant centers Marketers trying to reach themselves Money Issues Focus on costs rather than effectiveness Thinking that $$$ = Success Accepting proposed prices Forgetting multiple media maximizes the message No marketing plan

“ Me Too” Competitive and following fads

Campaigns designed around cutesy or non-relevant centers

Marketers trying to reach themselves

Money Issues

Focus on costs rather than effectiveness

Thinking that $$$ = Success

Accepting proposed prices

Forgetting multiple media maximizes the message

No marketing plan

Save Money with Media Buys You should always BUY advertising Never be SOLD advertising (There’s a difference) Salespeople are NOT “ Marketing Consultants ” Ask for a rate card, but never use it

You should always BUY advertising

Never be SOLD advertising

(There’s a difference)

Salespeople are NOT “ Marketing Consultants ”

Ask for a rate card, but never use it

The key to cheap marketing Think Small Narrowcasting vs. Broadcasting

Think Small

Narrowcasting vs. Broadcasting

Working with a Small (no) Budget There’s never enough people, time, or money Solutions Media Relations and PR Brand Strategy Guerilla Marketing Online The true key is to have a (marketing) plan and spend smart through Strategy Segmentation Leverage Measurement

There’s never enough people, time, or money

Solutions

Media Relations and PR

Brand Strategy

Guerilla Marketing

Online

The true key is to have a (marketing) plan and spend smart through

Strategy

Segmentation

Leverage

Measurement

Budgeting #1: Strategy Is this marketing initiative a priority? What is the LONG TERM goal ? More members? More exposure? More credit? How much of the pot should this get? What’s the needed ROI?

Is this marketing initiative a priority?

What is the LONG TERM goal ?

More members?

More exposure?

More credit?

How much of the pot should this get?

What’s the needed ROI?

Budgeting #2: Segmentation Who are we really trying to talk to? Stop wasting money / time / resources: playing to the board trying to retail a wholesale product firing canons instead of rifles Figure out who is making the decision and find the best / cheapest / quickest way to reach them at the right time

Who are we really trying to talk to?

Stop wasting money / time / resources:

playing to the board

trying to retail a wholesale product

firing canons instead of rifles

Figure out who is making the decision and find the best / cheapest / quickest way to reach them at the right time

Budgeting #3: Leverage Use current customers to gain new Word of mouth Cross - promotions CRM: always collect e-mail addresses and other contact info (and follow up) Use the web Let viral and other networks grow the investment exponentially

Use current customers to gain new

Word of mouth

Cross - promotions

CRM: always collect e-mail addresses and other contact info (and follow up)

Use the web

Let viral and other networks grow the investment exponentially

Budgeting #4: Measurement Measure actual ROI as well as responses Measure satisfaction and “stickiness” as well as the actual numbers Use the info to make adjustments You can’t manage what you can’t measure

Measure actual ROI as well as responses

Measure satisfaction and “stickiness” as well as the actual numbers

Use the info to make adjustments

You can’t manage what

you can’t measure

Every marketing budget should be developed using a Zero-Based Strategy

Does this belong in MY marketing budget ???!!! Employee programs The Christmas party? Waiting Room magazines Chamber of Commerce / Association dues Classified employment “ads” Travel Etc. Etc. Etc.

Employee programs

The Christmas party?

Waiting Room magazines

Chamber of Commerce / Association dues

Classified employment “ads”

Travel

Etc. Etc. Etc.

Your table of brochures ain’t workin’ (and is expensive)

Low Cost “Guerilla” Marketing #1 Method - Word-of-Mouth / “Buzz” Referrals from customers, friends, vendors, etc Brochures / Posters / Printed Literature Build marketing into current paper trail Business cards, fax sheet, letterhead, e-signatures On-Hold Message Community Events / Trade Shows Articles / Publishing Ad Specialties / Gifts Cross Promotions / Alliances Networking Seminars / Workshops Public Relations - Press Releases - Media Show

#1 Method - Word-of-Mouth / “Buzz”

Referrals from customers, friends, vendors, etc

Brochures / Posters / Printed Literature

Build marketing into current paper trail

Business cards, fax sheet, letterhead, e-signatures

On-Hold Message

Community Events / Trade Shows

Articles / Publishing

Ad Specialties / Gifts

Cross Promotions / Alliances

Networking

Seminars / Workshops

Public Relations - Press Releases - Media Show

Strokes Happen Baptist Health System in San Antonio 80 Mannequins # of San Antonio stroke deaths annually Actors at restaurants had “strokes” Web e-cards

Baptist Health System in San Antonio

80 Mannequins

# of San Antonio stroke deaths annually

Actors at restaurants had “strokes”

Web e-cards

3 weird guerilla ideas that would take bravery, but just might work

Do an Informercial

Heart Attack Coupons

Develop a Loyalty Program

Database marketing has high ROI Direct Mail Email Telemarketing Watch out for HIPAA! Most “marketing” activities are excepted Just buy a list

Direct Mail

Email

Telemarketing

Watch out for HIPAA!

Most “marketing” activities are excepted

Just buy a list

Public Relations What is PR? Coverage in the media NOT public perception (that’s your brand) A PR program is PART of your marketing strategy....... not the other way around Extremely effective & credible OVERALL GOALS of a PR Program: Establish credibility and become a “source” Media Coverage

What is PR?

Coverage in the media

NOT public perception (that’s your brand)

A PR program is PART of your marketing strategy....... not the other way around

Extremely effective & credible

OVERALL GOALS of a PR Program:

Establish credibility and become a “source”

Media Coverage

Media Relations 3 key roles on your media relations and PR team Media Coordinator Makes contacts and develops relationships Spokesperson Face / Voice of the Organization Writer / Producer Provides consistent content

3 key roles on your media relations and PR team

Media Coordinator

Makes contacts and develops relationships

Spokesperson

Face / Voice of the Organization

Writer / Producer

Provides consistent content

Successful branding makes other aspects of marketing easier and cheaper.

Brand Consistency Touchpoints All interactions with the target Messaging Slogans / Taglines Advertising Design Logo / Identity Packaging Colors / Fonts Pricing

Touchpoints

All interactions with the target

Messaging

Slogans / Taglines

Advertising

Design

Logo / Identity

Packaging

Colors / Fonts

Pricing

Branding Success Microwave vs. Slow Cooker

You’re spending too much money in the wrong place with your online strategy

Online budget here? Or there?

Fundamental E-Marketing Online Spending Budget for Website Banner Ads Contextual Search Advertising SEO – Search Engine Optimization E-mail Marketing Phishing / Spam Permission-Based Blogs / Social Media

Online Spending

Budget for Website

Banner Ads

Contextual Search Advertising

SEO – Search Engine Optimization

E-mail Marketing

Phishing / Spam

Permission-Based

Blogs / Social Media

The Website Cannot just be an online brochure Must be dynamic Content is King Simple is best Just because you can – doesn’t mean you should When was the last time you visited your own website?

Cannot just be an online brochure

Must be dynamic

Content is King

Simple is best

Just because you can – doesn’t mean you should

When was the last time you visited your own website?

Search Engine Optimization Text not graphics Write text with SEO in mind Inbound links Metadata Keywords Descriptions <title>Title Tags</title> Graphic alt tags

Text not graphics

Write text with SEO in mind

Inbound links

Metadata

Keywords

Descriptions

<title>Title Tags</title>

Graphic alt tags

Email Marketing Anticipated, personal and relevant messages delivered to people who actually want to get them PERMISSION Sign-ups Opt-outs Keys to success The List Subject and “from” Permission

Anticipated, personal and relevant messages delivered to people who actually want to get them

PERMISSION

Sign-ups

Opt-outs

Keys to success

The List

Subject and “from”

Permission

What do you mean by Social Media? Blogs Microblogs Twitter Video Google & YouTube Revver Social Networks MySpace Facebook Wikis Photo Flickr Photobucket Virtual reality Second Life Social / News Bookmarks Digg Reddit Del.icio.us Community / user generated content

Blogs

Microblogs

Twitter

Video

Google & YouTube

Revver

Social Networks

MySpace

Facebook

Wikis

Photo

Flickr

Photobucket

Virtual reality

Second Life

Social / News Bookmarks

Digg

Reddit

Del.icio.us

Brand Strategy PR Efforts Advertising Corporate Messages Media & Press Gatekeepers Consumers & Public Word Of Mouth Traditional Marketing

Social Media Marketing Brand Strategy PR Efforts Advertising Corporate Messages Consumers & Public Word Of Mouth

“ Blogs, short for weblogs” “ Juicy”

Social Media are NOT mass media.

Warhol Revisited “ In the future, everyone will be famous for 15 minutes .” With social media, everyone is famous to 15 people.

“ In the future,

everyone will be famous for

15 minutes .”

With social media,

everyone is famous to

15 people.

Blogs work when they are based on: Candor Urgency Timeliness Pithiness Controversy If you can't be at least four of the five things listed above, please don't bother. --Seth Godin

Candor

Urgency

Timeliness

Pithiness

Controversy

Do NOT use Social Media as a press release machine

Kaimana Shanti Aurora Humphrey Mikaela Kaimana

Kaimana

Shanti

Aurora

Humphrey

Mikaela

Kaimana

Mr. Splashy Pants

Tracking / Effectiveness &quot;I know that half my advertising works. I just don't know which half.&quot; John Wanamaker (1838- 1922) If you say the same thing... STOP ADVERTISING.

Shoestring Marketing Low Budget / High Impact Marketing Download these slides for free at: www.slideshare.net/shotgunconcepts Blog: ShotgunConcepts.com Web: ChrisHouchens.com Twitter: @shotgunconcepts Thank You