PayPal aims to strengthen its position as an omni-channel payment solution for both online and offline merchants. It has made several acquisitions totaling over $2 billion to enhance its payment processing capabilities globally. However, PayPal faces competition from established digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, as well as payment platforms like Square that are well-known to small businesses. To better serve small businesses, PayPal needs to improve merchant education and highlight its security, flexibility, and value compared to alternatives in the evolving digital payments landscape.

1. Strategic Approach

2. PLANNING INPUTS
1 2 3 5
Business Review Content
Identify higher order
priority barriers, such
as adoption rates,
accessible content (as a
source of information)`
Understand state of
affairs to ensure correct
focal areas
Guide planning strategies
based on competition,
accessible content (as
success stories), and time
spent on social/ web
platforms
Account for content that
inspires, provides an
engagement
connection, and
encourages trial usage
Challenges
FUNDAMENTAL PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS
Business Review1
5
Analytics & Insights
Help guide choices
based on past activities
4
Competitive Insights

3. STATE OF THE BUSINESS
• Within the last few years, PayPal has made significant steps globally to become an Omni channel payment solution, serving both online and off-line merchants and consumers. Given that affluent millennials
spend about twice as much time online as their predecessors (with the same income level), PayPal has made a forward step approach to create a stronger digital experience that reflects the same brand allegiance
that its vendors have with their consumers. PayPal has also made strides to accompany it’s offerings with AI infused technology, with a series of global partner acquisitions – specifically within the Asian markets.
• Globally, the company has spent well over $2 billion in a series of acquisitions that aim to significantly enhance the payment process for merchant capabilities. In 2018, the company acquired iZettle for 2.2 billion in
an all cash deal. In a second related business move PayPal alongside TEMASEK, the Singaporean government sovereign investment fund — Took a minority stake in Indian payments company Pine Labs after $125,
million joint investment. Pine Labs provides smart merchant sales devices to Indian merchants which also except mobile wallet payments.
• In the United States, PayPal acquired Jetlore and artificial intelligence powered prediction platform by Stanford computer science PhD students for an undisclosed sum. Jetlore proprietary analytics are already in use
by brands such as Uniqlo and Nordstrom, which should enhance PayPal’s marketing solutions, especially for small-to-medium sized businesses, and expand PayPal’s value proposition beyond the checkpoint
experience (within the retail space).
• The above initiatives have also aided PayPal in making the transition into the credit card space, especially with brick and mortar esq businesses. The online payment venture introduces a credit card that offers
customers 2 percent cash back on purchases with no annual fee. The rewards will appear in users' online wallets and can be spent immediately on additional PayPal purchases or transferred to a bank.
• This also allows PayPal to properly compete with Apple and Google Wallet, as well as Square within the retail sector.
Source: Mintel, Synergy Research Group, RENO, NV, February 2, 2018 , IBIS World 2018- , New York Public Library
BUSINESS MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Awareness
• Raise awareness and heighten the
perception of PayPal amongst SME’s
and their consumers (as a go to
choice as a merchant sales tool)
Consideration
• Increase consideration of PayPal’s
offerings within the small business
space, and convert into prospective
sale leads
MEDIA
BRAND OBJECTIVES
• Encourage initial adoption within 3 – 6 months, with a focus on start-ups and B & M
shops
• Extend visual offerings within small and medium size businesses beyond the initial
adoption of PayPal
• Enable content to becomes a key source of information via partnerships, the social web,
and during key time periods
• Create a reward system for early adoption and participation, with influencer led success
stories
• Drive education through influencer
partnerships
• Drive awareness on the range PayPal
offerings
• Grow category by driving trial through
consideration and direct (paid)
targeting
Business Review1

4. AMAZON PAY
• The payment platform securely stores customer's information for quick, convenient checkouts. Amazon Pay is different from payment platforms like Venmo, where customers can carry a balance and transfer funds to their
bank accounts. Instead, it mirrors features found in Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and other digital wallets by storing customer payment information so users can pay for goods quickly.
• Amazon will be introducing its payment platform to some brick-and-mortar small businesses that don't directly compete in e-commerce.
• Extending this feature to non-competing brick-and-mortar businesses means Amazon is testing the waters in the digital wallet space.
GOOGLE PAY
• Allows customers to pay on websites, mobile apps, and via contactless payment terminals in stores using payment information that is already saved on the user's Google account. And it's all done from their tablet, smartphone
(Android or iOS), or smartwatch, offering the ultimate in convenience. (Which is where their advertisements efforts lie.)
• Google pay is a free service for businesses and consumers. The service is available to customers worldwide, has enhanced security, and can be set up for a business in less than a week. The only catch is that businesses must
use Google network offerings only.
APPLE PAY
• Apple has a huge and famously loyal following of fans. With more than 800 million paying iTunes subscribers, the company has momentum on its side.
• Apple Pay leverages industry-leading security technology, including near-field communication (NFC), biometrics and tokenization.
• Unlike PayPal, the tool requires more of employee training.
• Before launching its new payment technology, Apple secured agreements with more than 220,000 merchants — including big names like McDonald's, Staples, Whole Foods and Subway, who they have relied on
advertising wise.
SAMSUNG PAY
• Samsung Pay has become a worth while option for a small businesses.
• Unique technology allows it to be used at contactless payment terminals as well as older magnetic stripe terminals—it can even be used with Square.
• While this particular mobile payment offers ease of use and versatility, much like Apple Pay, it is limited by the type of smartphone or smartwatch the customer uses.
SQUARE
• Square hit the market in 2010 and disrupted the merchant services industry by becoming a payment aggregator.
• But the company also offers tools for ecommerce and appointment based businesses.
• Is already well known as merchant sales tool for businesses that accept credit card payments in person.
• Like PayPal, not all merchants are automatically approved for a merchant account. They sidestepped the traditional underwriting process for a merchant account and became a broker for an already brokered service
(merchant services) to an underserved market of micro-merchants and hobbyists
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Competitive Insights2

5. Merchant sales tools are generally not a ‘set and forget it’ tool. Which means some admin training may be
required. Research has conveyed the concerned of minimal administration learning being had and
minimal contact support being provided.
Small businesses are concerns with the high fees, and percentages rates from sales, which means any
overall benefits take a backdrop in the over all value of PayPal as a service.
There is a lack of education within the SME community on the appropriate merchant sales tool, and many
businesses will use a tool that is widely known by it’s consumer base.
New players within the market place, such as Apple Pay and Square, place PayPal at a disadvantage, as
both tools provide other offerings that either are attached to an overall web design
or mobile offering.
+
TRANSLATION
Driving Education And
Awareness For SME
Partners Who Are
Seeking Flexibility
And Value
RELEVANCY & SHIFT IN
INDUSTRY CULTURE
PERFORMANCE/
SUPERIORITY
Inexperience,
lack of
engagement,
lack of
knowledge/
understanding
Category
relevance and
competitive noise
COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
Competitive Insights2

6. • PayPal was designed to aide small businesses from conception
to delivery, as the SME grows.
• The platform and its technology is no contract, no monthly
fees, and a strong suite of tools for merchants to sell virtually
anywhere, anytime.
• Studies have shown that when compared to credit cards, debit
cards and all other relevant digital wallets, PayPal is the most
preferred payment method by consumers. As PayPal continues
to expand its services internationally, it will only help small
business and online retailers gain more customers from
around the globe.
• As innovation and technological advancements continue to push
consumers forward, digital payments continue to garner a great deal of
attention within the financial services space for small businesses.
• PayPal has has an opportunity to highlight the security and efficiency of
new payment processes, especially with younger and emerging
generations, who have yet to fully establish how they prefer to pay.
• In person payments are still an extremely prevalent part of the overall
market but with the expansion of smart phone and computer usage, a slow
drift toward increased online shopping is almost inevitable, particularly
within the within the Baby Boomer set.
• Financial service providers have an opportunity to highlight the security
and efficiency of new payment processes especially with younger and
emerging generations.
• As online payments become easier and more
secure, shoppers who would formally prefer to shop
in brick and mortar retail locations have become
more open to the possibility of shopping online.
• 22% of millennials would switch their primary
financial services provider for one with a better
digital experience.
• 59% of people who use PayPal said they have
abandoned a transaction because PayPal wasn’t
there. That is a potential huge loss for those
businesses that do not accept PayPal..
POSITIONING WITHIN THE MARKETPLACE
Challenges3
Source: Mintel,, IBIS World 2018- , New York Public Library

7. Programmatic
/Display
Online Video Mobile
Content
Creation
Influencer Social
Paid/Owned/Earned Properties:
Media:
AWARENESS
Raise awareness and perception of
PayPal amongst SME’s and their
consumers (as a go to merchant
sales tool of choice)
CONSIDERATION
Increase consideration of PayPal’s
offerings with the small business
Space, and encourage frequency
Website: Brand knowledge bank
YouTube: Engaging community tool
Facebook: Conversation starter and facilitator
Instagram: Real-time visual inspiration aggregator
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY & BRAND POSITIONING
”There’s a New Money In Town”
Encourage initial adoption within 3 – 6 months, with a focus on start-ups and B & M shops.
Extend visual offering within small and media size businesses beyond the initial adoption of PayPal
Enable content to becomes a key source of information via partnerships, the social web, and during key time periods
Create a reward system for early adoption , participation, a influencer lead success stories
“There’s A New Money In Town”
Communication Strategy Objectives
Challenges3

8. POSTIONING
MEDIA OBJECTIVES
PRODUCT SUPPORT
Venmo and SME Online Services Category attention to Brick and Mortar stores
Boost awareness and perception of PayPal amongst SME’s and their consumers
(as a go to merchant sales tool of choice)
BUSINESS OBJECTIVES
COMMUNICATION BARRIERS
COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
Recruit
Increase consideration of PayPal’s offerings with the small business space
Connect
Drive education and frequency through influencer
partnerships
Drive awareness on range PayPal offerings
Grow category by driving trial through consideration
and direct targeting
Product Industry Culture Consumer
Inexperience, lack of engagement, lack of knowledge/understanding Category relevance and competitive noise
Establish Add Value Invite
KEY TACTICS & TOUCHPOINTS
SME co-creations, influencer partnerships, and reviews Programmatic, online video, mobile, display, social media, advertorials
STRATEGIC PRINCIPLES
Challenges3

9. Role
Objective
Primary Activity
Tone
Personality
Primary Target
Media Type
Primary KPIs
Desired Behavior
Formats
Example of what content
can be found
Cost
Brand knowledge bank
Brand and product resource hub
Resource hub
Trusted
Expert and educational
Tech Enthusiast looking for information
Owned/Paid
Product and category functional adverts & text, images, and video
Time spent with content
Seek sales lead for more information
Thought Leadership, Video Reviews, Podcasts
Website
40% production| 40% distribution | 20%conversion
Conversation starter and facilitator
Build a community on a personal level
Interaction with SME’s
Personal and bite sized
Trusted ally
Tech Enthusiast looking for peer interaction
Owned/Earned/Paid
Photos, quotes, short-form videos, BTS, challenges
Likes/comments/shares/
Engagement
Engagement & Sales Lead
Photos, quotes, short-form videos, BTS, challenges
Social Media
Real-time visual inspiration aggregator
Visually storytelling and inspiration
Engagement
Bite sized and visually appealing
Expert + trendsetter (via media partners))
SME looking for visual inspiration
Owned/Earned/Paid
Inspirational, entertaining , behind the scenes images and
short videos in real-time
Likes/comments/shares/
Engagement
Engagement & Sales Lead
Photos, quotes, short-form videos, BTS
Display/OLV & Mobile
20% production| 40% distribution | 40%conversion50% production| 30% distribution | 20%conversion
ROLE OF CONTENT VIA MEDIA CHANNELS
Challenges3

10. Make Every Impression Count Further build brand personal brand
On Wednesday’s We Wear Pink Powerful
H Is For Hero
Transactional Holidays
(E.G. Small Business Week, Cyber Monday, Christmas)
Inspirational (Active) & Utilitarian (Purchase)Translation in path
to purchase
Content themes
Content Pillars
Themed occasions
(e.g. national wine day, fashion week, etc)
CONTENT APPROACH
“There’s A New Money In Town”
Establish Add Value Invite
Content Strategy:
Develop content that is search friendly, shareable, customized for the right audience and fitted with the proper CTA,
that can also be optimized thereafter.
Establish Add Value Invite
Content4
Content Consumer Behaviors
The decision of choice as a merchant sales tool is heavily dependent
on their consumer base. As innovation and technological
advancements continue to push consumers forward, digital payments
continue to garner a great deal of attention within the financial
services space for small businesses.
Content Interaction
Co-create with small businesses to produce shareable, search friendly
content that is customized to channel specific retail sectors within
the SME space.
Content Opportunity
Be part of content that they care about, and generates
conversations about the brand. Position the SME’s as hero and
it’s consumers as their champions.

11. An ongoing events calendar
under the PayPal umbrella,
engaging regularly with SME’s
as Tier 1 influencers and
supporters of the brand
CONTENT APPROACH
• Content series that features small businesses that are already using PayPal services,
and position them as influencers for co-creation.
• The series will showcase the strides small business have made within the last year, and
how PayPal has helped them better connect with their consumers.
• This ongoing series can feature both on and off line SME’s, and could have a categorical
approach to different retail sectors.
To Be The First Thought When Clients Think Merchant Sales Tool & Innovation
ü Be present and building partnerships
within coveted tech /retail spaces,
conferences, and events
ü Build strong ties with influencers
ü Carefully choosing premium placements
that elevate exposure
EstablishSME Engagement
Campaign
Content4

12. Engagement with consumer
influencers within the
retail space
CONTENT APPROACH
• As a second (influencer) tier, PayPal should feature consumer influencers who engage
with their favorite SME’s, and showcase the connection between the business and its
consumer and how PayPal has help them get there.
• This can be done through an online series as well, utilizing PayPal’s social channels, and
creating a content ecosystem between channels such as YouTube and Facebook, and
PayPal’s site as a content hub.
Bringing the latest trends to SME’s and their consumers
something to talk about
ü Bringing the latest trends to SME’s and
give their consumers something
to talk about
Ad Value
Consumer Influencer
Program
Content4

13. Monthly editorial calendar, and
media buys to keep the brand
top of mind and generate
product placements
CONTENT APPROACH
• Drive influencer and consumer engagement to create an impactful connection for the
new brand campaign (via effective media placements).
• Explore collaborations with media partners to enhance brand awareness and
positioning and sponsorships.
Be The Brand That Defies The Odds
ü Provide SME’s with the right tools to
access information so that want to
connect with PayPal frequently
Invite
Media Placements &
Collaborations
Content4

14. Key Performance
Indicator
• Adoption
• Extend Reach via Influencers
• Establish Content Ecosystem
• Create Content Plan
• SME Highlights
• Demonstrations
• Demo Videos.
• Activate Content Plan
• Further Trail and Reach
Channels & Assets
• Mobile App /Online Video
• Mobile App /Online Video
• Content Partnerships
• Influencers
• Mobile App /Online Video
• Content Partnerships
• Influencers
Communications
Approach • Connection with engagement
opportunities + reward system
• Build community, whilst driving advocacy
• Capitalize on innovation, whilst pushing
application features (in superiority to
other social platforms that may distract
• Capitalize on content partnership +
innovation
• Connection through demos
• opportunities + promotions of relevant
features for the following year
• Build community driving advocacy during
the conference, and discover new
opportunities for engagement thereafter
• Connection with innovative opportunities
• Build community driving further advocacy
there after the event
• Capitalize on content (partnerships –
thereafter)
KPI’s
• Adoption Rate%
• Views (Engagement) • User Rate %
• Heat Mapping
• Views (Engagement)
• Shares (Engagement)
• Comments/Questions (Engagement)
PHASE 1 PHASE 2 PHASE 3
COMMUNICATIONS ARCHITECTURE AND MEASUREMENT
Analytics & Insights5

15. Content Primary KPIs Secondary KPIs
VOD Views CTR
Content Partnership Reach % watched
Display Engagement Rate Reach
Mobile Rich Media Engagement Rate Reach
Paid Social Reach Engagement/Actions
Search Site Visits Impressions Share
FB/LinkedIn Innovation CTR # of new SME applicants
Tech Offerigs Engagement # of site hits
Note: Benchmarks to be provided on finalization of media plans and ideas
HOW WILL SUCCESS BE MEASURED
Analytics & Insights5

16. Thank You
Please feel free contact W. Sky Downing with any questions
wsdowning@wsdowning@gmail.com