Printing Company Marketing Execution Plan
RIT Student Team Project
Abby Austin, Mitchell Morgan, Emma Strongin, Kat Zic
PROBLEM OVERVIEW
The business is an established print company founded in 1931. They have successfully been selling their printing services using traditional marketing tactics ever since. With the recent and drastic shift toward technology, the printing company must adapt their services and marketing strategies to fit with the changing times. Companies are now selling over the internet and those without an online presence simply won’t stay afloat. It is up to the printing company and their marketing team to come up with new and exciting ways to reach their target markets, creating a brand image focused on personalization, transparency, and customer engagement. How can the printing company modify their marketing strategies to work for today, while keeping their organizational goals consistent and relevant?
Problem Statement
Take the printing company Marketing Plan and implement a related Execution Plan to systematically manage all marketing initiatives including a customer engagement and lead nurturing program.
OBJECTIVES
- Build on customer relationships
- Expand brand awareness
- Acquire new clients
- Introduce digital services
- Increase revenue
MISSION STATEMENT
“Be our client’s’ most valuable resource. By understanding our clients’ marketing and graphic communication needs, and consistently delivering on the promise, we drive value and growth for their business” (Mansor, 2017).
BRAND IDENTITY
Brand Personality
- Genuine
- Fair
- Respectful
- Humble
- Helpful
- Flexible
- Diligent
- Dependable
- Trustworthy
- Credible
Functional Benefits
- Full-service print and direct marketing solutions
- Accessible expertise and guidance
- Responsive
- Transparent
- Client-first approach
- Industry leading print
- Finishing and mail services
Emotional Benefit
- Valued
- Trusted
- Confident
- Well-informed
Brand Differentiators
- Experts in print and direct marketing
- Accessible and responsive service
- Consistently strong
- Proven performance
- High client retention
- Employee longevity
- Integrity
- Generous
Financial Goals
- Generate $12M in total revenue
- Generate $4M in new business revenue
- Close approximately 95 sales/jobs per month
(316 leads x 30% closure rate x $3,500 value)
Non-Financial Goals
- Maintain consistency in branding and messaging across all touchpoints
- Increase brand awareness to drive sales leads
- Clearly define roles and responsibilities (sales/marketing, customer service, estimating)
- Strengthen relationships with current clients
- Implement a process to streamline sales efforts
- Implement a CRM system to manage prospects and clients
Strategies
- Blog posts
- Social media posts (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram)
- Direct mail
- Quarterly newsletter
- Events
Services
- Commercial printing (static)
- Commercial printing (digital/variable)
- Finishing
- Direct marketing (mailing)
- Direct marketing (email)
- Data processing
- Marketing strategy and analytics
TARGET MARKET PERSONAS
The first step in persona development is to define the customer lifecycle (O’Connor, 2011). A set of four personas have been created based on a lifecycle marketing model, which identifies different stages of the buyer’s journey and outlines different levels of awareness of the the printing company brand. The goal is to continuously move clients from Persona 1 on through to Persona 4 by using direct and effective marketing strategies.
Persona 1 includes potential clients who are unaware of the printing company and the services offered, but would be interested in the value that the printing company can provide for their business. This group consists of in-house marketing groups at surrounding companies, marketing firms, and other local businesses in the greater Rochester, NY and surrounding areas. They are interested in knowing about the printing company because they may need print or digital marketing communication services, but they may not be aware of the extensive services offered at the printing company. The calls to action, CTA, for the Persona 1 group is educating them about the printing company and their services, as well as getting them to start using the printing company’s services.
Persona 2 includes potential clients who are aware of the printing company, would be interested in using the printing company services, but are not current clients. This group consists of companies who use print services at other printing companies, who are unaware of the scope of services offered, or who no longer use the printing company services. These groups may be looking for a new print service provider who can offer them a more convenient location, better price, or higher quality. They may also be looking to take advantage of other services but are unaware that the printing company has more to offer them. The CTAs for this group are to educate them on the wide variety of services available to them through the printing company, as well as get them to bring their business to the printing company.
Persona 3 includes current clients who are aware of the printing company and are interested in the printing company’s services. This group consists of companies who trust the printing company with their printing needs, but may not be aware of other services offered. These clients should be educated on some of the new and improved services offered at the printing company, as well as building on the relationship with these clients to ensure that they are highly satisfied with the services they are using. They should feel confident and encouraged to refer other businesses to the printing company.
Persona 4 includes current clients who are aware of the printing company, are interested in the printing company, and advocate for the printing company. This group consists of companies who print at the printing company, as well as advocate for the wide range of services and high quality outcomes offered. This group is interested in continuing to work with the printing company because they are highly satisfied with the work the printing company completes for them. They care to bring in new business so that the printing company can maintain stable relationships and continuously upgrade to new capabilities, which will be mutually beneficial. The goal is to have these highly satisfied clients continue to advocate for the the printing company brand and refer new clients.
The next step in persona development identifies user behaviours and groups similar respondents together (O’Connor, 2011). Professionals at a local digital marketing agencies identified four target groups for the printing company’s clients; development and fundraising, the creative, the marketer, and the print buyer (webSURGE, 2017).
Development and fundraising is the persona group with the smallest number of users, with a size of roughly 6,400 potential customers. This persona targets those living in Rochester, New York, between the ages of 25-54, either with a college degree, or enrolled in a graduate or master’s degree program. Their income falls between either $50,000-74,999 or $75,000-$99,999. Example job titles these individuals may hold include marketing director, CEO, development director, fundraiser, community engagement coordinator, charity fundraiser, and business development officer.
The Creative is the persona group with the largest number of users, with a size of roughly 73,000 potential customers. This persona targets those living in Rochester, New York, between the ages of 25-54, either with a college degree, or enrolled in a graduate or master’s degree program. Five different income brackets make up this persona; $50,000-$74,999, $75,000-$99,999, $100,000-$124,999, $125,000-$149,000, or $150,000-$249,000. Example job titles these individuals may hold include graphic designer, art director, creative director, creative designer, chief creative officer, creative consultant, and designer/illustrator
The Marketer persona group comprises of roughly 23,000 potential customers. This persona also targets those living in Rochester, New York, between the ages of 25-54, either with a college degree, or enrolled in a graduate or master’s degree program. Their income falls between $50,000-74,999, $75,000-$99,999, and $100,000-$124,999. Example job titles these individuals may hold include brand marketing, event manager, VP marketing, licensed real estate broker, marketing director, communications specialists, and business management.
The Print Buyer persona group comprises of roughly 36,000 potential customers. This persona targets those living in Rochester, New York, between the ages of 25-54, with incomes falling between either $50,000-74,999 or $75,000-$99,999. This persona group works in consumer services, education, finance or the healthcare industry.
CUSTOMER SURVEY
It is suggested that the printing company send out a company-wide customer survey to clients in persona groups 3 and 4. The purpose of the customer survey is to get feedback on how the printing company is performing from the viewpoint of the clients. With this feedback, the printing company can improve in areas their clients have problems or struggles with, gain general information about their clients, be able to better tailor to them specifically, and increase sales. The survey should be used in two ways; after a specific job is completed and annually to each client. The simplicity of the survey is intended to increase response rate and optimize the effectiveness, as clients would be less inclined to participate if the survey is complex.
Below are the questions prepared in the initial draft of the survey. Modifications should be made as results come in from the initial responses.
- On a scale of 1-5, how satisfied are you with the printing company services?
- Not Satisfied
- Slightly Satisfied
- Neutral
- Somewhat Satisfied
- Very Satisfied
- Do you use any other printers to complete your work?
- Yes/No
- Approximately what percentage of your printing work is completed at the printing company (Optional)
- Write-in
- Do you use any other mailing shops to complete your work?
- Yes/No
- Approximately what percentage of your mailing work is completed at the printing company (Optional)
- Write-in
- How would you rate the importance of these qualifiers when deciding on a printer?
- Job Completion Time
- Not Important
- Slightly Important
- Neutral
- Important
- Very Important
- Quality
- Not Important
- Slightly Important
- Neutral
- Important
- Very Important
- Price
- Not Important
- Slightly Important
- Neutral
- Important
- Very Important
- Customer Service
- Not Important
- Slightly Important
- Neutral
- Important
- Very Important
- Range of Services Offered
- Not Important
- Slightly Important
- Neutral
- Important
- Very Important
- Job Completion Time
- Would you be willing to be contacted to talk more about your experience with the printing company to help them better their services?
- Yes/No
- Rate your interaction with the printing company staff:
- Sales Representatives
- No Contact
- Below Average
- Average
- Neutral
- Above Average
- Exceptional
- Customer Service Representatives
- No Contact
- Below Average
- Average
- Neutral
- Above Average
- Exceptional
- General Staff
- No Contact
- Below Average
- Average
- Neutral
- Above Average
- Exceptional
- Sales Representatives
- Comments (optional)
- Short answer box
STRATEGIES
Business to business, B2B, marketing involves a different approach and strategy than business to consumer, B2C, marketing. Reaching out and maintaining contact with business consumers is very different from reaching out to the average consumer, as the sales cycle is longer and more involved. While the tools are the same, the application is different (Miller, 2012). The following seven direct and indirect marketing strategies were created considering B2B marketing best practices to outline communication with current and potential clients in order to execute the printing company’s marketing plans and reach their specific goals. Each strategy targets different persona groups and emphasizes specific services and processes available at the printing company.
Company Blog
Blog posts can be a successful way for companies to communicate with their clients, while educating readers and highlighting services. Blog posts will allow the printing company to stand out as an industry leader, as well as boosting search engine optimization, SEO, ratings on search results by developing content that is relevant and includes industry keywords. HubSpot completed a survey which found that “60% of businesses who blog acquire more customers,” helping meet the goal of obtaining new clients (Watts, 2017).
Consistent blog posts give the opportunity to share a variety of content including original articles about industry standards, customer testimonials, tips and tricks, digital and print marketing tactics, and specific best practices. Posts can highlight a wide variety of services including static printing, digital/variable commercial printing, finishing, direct mailings, email marketing, data processing, and marketing strategy and analytics. Because blogs are an online medium, they allow interactive features such as video and page links to be embedded into the post. The content created for the blog can also create content to be shared on social media accounts such as Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
Readers may find the printing company’s blog through the website or on various social media platforms. Blog posts can be used to reach clients in all stages of the buying process. Persona 1 and Persona 2 clients will be redirected to the printing company’s blog from a sponsored social post. Persona 3 and Persona 4 clients are more likely to land on the printing company’s blog organically or directly from the website.
Blog posts will help to create a personality for the the printing company brand of being credible and trustworthy. They will highlight the functional benefits of the printing company’s accessible expertise and guidance as an industry leading print company, and will touch of the emotional benefits of being trusted and well-informed clients. Blogs can help to accomplish objectives including raising awareness of services while also maintaining the status of being an industry leader.
Social Media
Social media posts allow companies to communicate with their clients in a more candid and frequent manner. Social accounts can be used to post photos showing examples of products, direct people to their blog posts, share posts related to industry news, and sponsor ads on Facebook and LinkedIn.
It is extremely important to create a consistent brand presence on the social platforms that the target market groups are utilizing to ensure potential clients can find information on whichever site or platform the frequently search or browse. A strong social media presence will reach clients in all stages of the buyer’s journey, but posts will be seen most frequently by current clients, or those who are already following the brand. It is recommended that certain social media posts are promoted or sponsored, which means ad dollars are spent to boost a post to the tops of users feeds, including customers falling in Persona 1 and Persona 2 groups who may not necessarily follow the brand. To determine which platform to sponsor a post on and what type of content is worthy of your dollars, examine which past posts receive positive feedback from current followers and focus on content that highlights the printing company’s services. Some of the services that should be highlighted on social media include commercial printing (static and digital/variable) and marketing strategy and analytics. The posts will encourage viewers to continue their search for more information about the company and their services, eventually linking them to a specific landing page on the company website.
A consistent social media presence will create a brand personality of being flexible, diligent, and dependable. Social accounts will highlight the printing company’s functional benefits of transparency, a client-first approach, full-service print and direct marketing solutions, and responsiveness. Followers should feel a valued and well-informed emotional benefit from the brand. Maintaining a consistent social media presence will help to work toward the financial goal of generating new business revenue, while maintaining consistency in branding and messaging across all touchpoints, which will increase brand awareness, drive sales leads, and strengthen relationships with current clients.
When creating content for social media, it is important to stay consistent. To help with consistency, images can be used across multiple platforms. For example, when sharing an image to Instagram, it is incredibly easy to share the post to Facebook and post the same image to Twitter. However, this does not mean that all social accounts should have the exact same content, and not every post should be shared to every platform. It is important to be aware of the purpose and best practices for business accounts on each platform. “In terms of ROI, more than 95 percent of social media managers say Facebook offers the best return, followed by Twitter and Instagram.” (Hootsuite, 2016)
Facebook is the social platform with the highest number of users, therefore it is important to maintain a strong presence to reach the largest audience. Facebook business accounts have capabilities to post photos and videos with longer captions, links to the company website and blog, and customer reviews. Utilize the “About” section to share contact information, hours, a company overview, and history. Post and/or share to Facebook 3-5 times per week with industry news, customer testimonials, new blog posts, content highlighting the printing company services, and upcoming events (Constant Contact, 2014).
Twitter is a social platform with a high volume of content and traffic. On Twitter, quantity is usually valued over quality, provided your content is relevant. It’s generally suggested you post to Twitter around five times a day, however this is a lot for a commercial printing company, which is focused on B2B marketing, rather than B2C. Although the printing company does not need to engage that frequently with their followers to maintain a presence on Twitter, it is important to post whenever there is relevant content (Constant Contact, 2014).
Instagram is an image heavy platform that should be used to showcase aesthetically pleasing photographs of past works. The images found under the “Our Work” section of the printing company’s website are all very high quality, eye catching photos that have a consistent look and feel. These images would look great on an Instagram feed and would help promote the overall company brand while showcasing available services.
Linkedin is an important platform for companies focused on B2B marketing. Content for LinkedIn should be more professional and polished than some of the other social media networks. It’s generally recommended that companies post to LinkedIn 2-5 times a week. LinkedIn is a great place to share company and industry news, as well as blog posts and important company updates. A consistent presence on LinkedIn is important for the printing company because they are trying to build and maintain relationships with professionals at other companies who purchase their services (Constant Contact, 2014).
National holidays are also a great time to post to social media. Posts saying “Happy New Year!” or photos that celebrate fun holidays, such as National Donut Day, are a way of keeping your social media accounts approachable, blending in with everyday users. They also serve as a great lead for generating content for that day – the theme of the post is already a given!
Sharing or reposting content from the company blog is a great way to have relevant and consistent content across your social media profiles, without spending extra time coming up with a new idea and creating an entirely new post.
Email Marketing
When it comes to email content, boring emails won’t attract attention- interesting and fun emails will. Telling an interesting backstory regarding production, while communicating services will encourage customers to keep reading. Including information and commentary from the industry will also justify services offered and place the printing company as an industry leader. Regardless of how interesting and provoking the email copy is, it is important to have a catchy and informing subject line to increase the open rate of emails.
B2B email marketing is much different than B2C as the relationship is based on logic, rather than emotions. Utilizing email will allow the printing company to spread the word about the services they have to offer to their clients and potential clients. However, diving deep into the needs of each individual business and researching what matters most to each business, whether that be cost, time, or money will help to create a more personalized value proposition.
The main audiences for direct emails would be clients falling in Persona 3 and Persona 4 groups. Target market research and purchasing contact lists can help to gain contacts of those in the Persona 1 and Persona 2 groups as well. Since Persona 2 consumers are likely unaware of the extent of services, highlighting all services that the company offers is crucial in convincing recipients that they can better fit their needs. Showing the value that the company can bring to the business by educating them and focusing on services that will benefit them the most will create a relationship built on trust and credibility. Clients in Persona 3 and Persona 4 groups already utilize the printing company services, but should be reminded of the extent of services offered. Personalizing each email to include information about services they have previously purchased from them and recommending additional services that they may benefit from will create appeal and interest. Company updates, industry information, and commentary will ensure that this group is highly satisfied and kept up to date with the company.
Strategically placed CTA buttons, such as “More info” linking to a landing page on the company website, will prompt recipients to learn more about the services offered. In most cases, telling before selling will increase action and lead to increased conversions and sales. These CTAs are important when measuring the effectiveness of email marketing.
Successful emails will include an exciting subject, enticing offer, personal feel, and social proof. Showing off examples of work or services provided to successful companies will increase the printing company’s credibility. Offering a first time customer sales promotions can nudge business and convert the client into a regular paying customer.
Direct Mail
Direct mailings can be used to personalize and directly approach the printing company’s known target market, more specifically clients in Persona 3 and Persona 4 groups who already have an established and shared relationship with the company. In an article by Aleks Peterson, direct mailing is said to be one of the “most efficient ways to reach a defined audience” (Peterson, 2017).
Direct mailings can be used to show the high quality printing and finishing services offered at the printing company, while reminding recipients of the brand and requesting that they follow a specific action such as calling, emailing, or visiting facilities. Postcards or brochures can be personalized to each recipient using variable data printing and can highlight services that the customer may be interested in based on past purchases and market research. As an established printing company, this is a great way to “show” instead of “tell”. Placing a physical promotional item printed at the company in the hands of clients will act as a friendly reminder of the high quality services that each individual customer has received from them.
Services that should be featured on direct mail pieces include unique finishing techniques, commercial printing (digital/variable), and direct mailings. Direct mailings should always include a CTA for measuring the success of the campaign. This can be something as simple as calling in and mentioning a discount code or following the printing company on social media accounts. They could also include a link to a microsite created specifically for the recipient.
Direct mail campaigns will help establish the printing company’s brand personality as helpful and flexible, while providing the functional benefits of industry leading print, finishing, and mail services. Recipients will gain the emotional benefits of staying well informed of new information and building confidence in quality. Direct mailings can help to reach the company’s financial goal of generating new business revenue by closing new sales, and their non-financial goals of strengthening relationships with current clients and increasing brand awareness to drive sales leads.
Microsites
Personal URLs, or PURLs, should be used in direct mail and email campaigns to highlight specific services and target specific personas. PURLs will link to microsites, which are landing pages created for a niche target market, usually focusing content on a specific topic.
Emails and direct mailings containing PURLs will be sent to clients in Persona 2, Persona 3, and Persona 4 groups showcasing how they can utilize PURLs in their own marketing strategy. The PURL would direct to a personalized microsite that caters to each businesses needs with specific services they have used and recommending additional services that would benefit them. Customers expect services, products, and information that are catered to their specific needs (O’Connor 2011). Personalized microsites will help in building a client-first approach, therefore building stronger relationships.
Quarterly Newsletters
A quarterly newsletter is a unique way to interact more intimately with clients, while preserving the brand identity of the printing company. It creates a strong relationship between the company and their clients and allows information to be shared on a deeper level. The newsletter will keep frequent buyers involved, while keeping those more infrequent buyers interested, by reminding them of the brand on a quarterly basis.
The newsletter will be directly mailed out to clients in the Persona 3 and Persona 4 groups, and shared digitally via email and social platforms with clients in Persona 1 and Persona 2 groups.
As the printing company advertises themselves as an industry leader, the newsletter will help them promote their expertise within the printing industry, while at the same time being entertaining and personable. A quarterly newsletter has the option to be digital or physical, is extremely versatile in its use, and keeping informative contact with clients. Specifically with the digital version, it is an extremely cost effective way to advertise the printing company in a positive light.
Networking Events
Hosting events, such as the Community & Craft event, is an excellent way to interact with and market to both current and potential clients. Events create awareness for the printing company among the community and foster a place for face-to-face interaction with industry professionals. Hosting the event at the company’s facilities can showcase the state-of-the-art equipment and work samples from specific jobs. Hosting events will truly enhance relationships that the company may have with attendees. Events can creates a sense of community within the area, while establishing the printing company as a business who cares about the city, and their clients.
It is suggested to the printing company that they join a digital marketing group, such as a local association that is geared towards companies in the area with emerging technology. These groups sponsor various events around the city, hosting keynote speakers, educating on specific topics, and fostering interaction and communication between industry professionals. This would allow the printing company to connect with potential clients within the area, as well as potentially host events at their office.
METRICS
With any extensive marketing execution plan, there are various numbers and metrics that should be carefully watched and trended in order to ensure that the marketing strategies are proving to be successful at accomplishing organizational goals. Key Performance Indicators, or KPIs, are specific data points that measure the effectiveness of marketing efforts (Reh, 2017), all of which are different for each of the seven strategies detailed above.
Company Blog: impressions, clicks, bounce rate/timing, traffic sources
Social Media: impressions, likes, mentions, followers gained, clicks, website referrals
Email Marketing: open rate, clicks, website referrals
Microsites: impressions, clicks, bounce rate/timing, traffic sources, CTA response
Quarterly Newsletters: CTA response
Networking Events: attendees, new contacts
Direct Mail: CTA response, PURL visitors
The company’s main organizational goals include expanding brand awareness, acquiring new clients, and increasing revenue (Mansor, 2017). Some common KPI’s used in business-to-business marketing include landing page views, bounce rate, clicks, number of followers, mentions, likes, and impressions. All of these data points can be parsed through numerically or graphically using proprietary social media analytics pages or paid softwares such as Google Analytics. It is also important to take note and analyze website traffic sources. For example, site visitors may land on your page through a direct link, an organic search, a social media post, or a referral from another site. Understanding where your audience is coming from is key to placing ads on the screens of the right people.
To maintain a frequent and consistent brand image online, it is beneficial to utilize one of the main social media scheduling platforms available for business use. Websites such as HootSuite, IFTTT, HubSpot, SproutSocial, SEM Murge, and SOCI are all platforms that allow users to manage all of their social media accounts in one place. These sites allow users to write and preview content, add attachments, schedule posting dates and times, and even send the same post out to multiple social platforms at once..
SUMMARY
This business has been a successful print company in the area for over 80 years. To maintain this reputation, a marketing strategy and execution plan that adapt to the changing digital world are required. By creating lifecycle marketing personas, the printing company will be able to target the appropriate groups. Implementing a customer survey for the first time in almost 10 years will allow the company to gather intel from their client base on their strongest areas, as well as areas that could use improvement. The seven recommended strategies – blog posts, social posts, email, direct mail, microsites, newsletters, and events – giving the printing company seven different ways to reach potential and current clients. Different platforms can be used to target different group and highlight different services. To measure the success of these strategies, the printing company can use online analytics softwares to trend results such as follower count, clicks, SEO ratings, and new clients. The provided social media calendar provides a daily plan for the first month of 2018 and can be reused as a template and guide for how often to post to social media for the rest of the year.
REFERENCES
Mansor, J. (2017, June). Cohber Marketing Plan.
Miller, M. (n.d.). B2B Digital Marketing: Using the Web to Market Directly to Businesses.
O’Connor, K. (2011, March 25). Personas: The Foundation of a Great User Experience. UX
Magazine.
Peterson, A. (2017, January 06). Why Direct Marketing is Still Relevant for B2B. Retrieved
November 26, 2017, from
http://technologyadvice.com/blog/marketing/direct-marketing-still-relevant-b2b/
Reh, F. J. (2017, October 14). What You Need to Know About Key Performance Indicators.
Retrieved November 28, 2017, from
https://www.thebalance.com/key-performance-indicators-2275156
Social Media Advertising: The Complete Guide. (2016). Hootsuite Social Media Management.
Retrieved 28 November 2017, from https://blog.hootsuite.com/social-media-advertising/
Watts, D. (2017). 19 Reasons Why Your Business Should Be Writing a Blog. Sproutcontent.com.
Retrieved 28 November 2017, from https://www.sproutcontent.com/blog/19-reasons-why-
your-business-should-be-writing-a-blOg
webSURGE Digital Marketing. (2017, October). Monthly Report for Cohber
What and How Often Should You Post on Social Media? | Constant Contact Blogs. (2014).
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