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Author: Sheila Rondeau

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Advice Case Studies Marketing

Gen Z: How to Market to This Financial Powerhouse

Many aren’t yet old enough to vote, but Gen Z wields a mighty economic sword. Savvy brands are onto the reality that this new generation is becoming the developed world’s largest-ever generation of consumers. Market researchers have announced astonishingly high buying-power numbers for Gen Z — as in $143 billion in direct spending, with another few hundred or so billion in influencer spending.

In other words, Gen Z has enormous influence over how their parents and peers spend money — I’d venture to say, more so than any previous generation. Gen Z is also demanding different attributes from the brands they are willing to support, so it is essential to know how to market to them.

Who is Gen Z?

Most market researchers identify Gen Z as the group born roughly between 1997 and 2012. According to a 2020 Pew Research Center study, they are also the most racially and ethnically diverse generation ever, with roughly 25% Hispanic, 14% Black, 6% Asian, 5% other races and 52% white. In addition, one study (registration required) by Barkley found this generation is more interested in global trends and issues, connecting with others around the world via social media and apps.

Characteristics of Gen Z: The duality generation

Ironically, in some ways, Gen Zers have more in common with baby boomers and Generation X than millennials. Like these two older generations, the Barkley study found that Gen Zers tend to demonstrate more conservative views regarding personal responsibility, dependability, work ethic, finances and independence. However, according to the same Pew Research Center study above, they are more liberal and open-minded than any previous generation regarding social issues such as racial, gender and LGBTQ equality.

So, while these young consumers hold “old-school” values regarding financial independence, education and personal responsibility, they also hold progressive, non-conformist beliefs — and they aren’t afraid to speak out against brands that fail to authentically support issues important to them.

Top things to know about marketing to Gen Z

Gen Z grew up with the internet and they’ve become masters at instantly sorting through the deluge of information they receive, meaning they can tune out traditional advertising. Marketing to them requires a different approach than previous generations, so understanding the following attributes will help you connect with them.

Gen Z lives online. They have short attention spans, so your messages must be brief and catchy — short-form videos with music, visual effects and overlays are king. The Barkley study also found that these young consumers operate in FOMO (fear of missing out) mode, so using time-sensitive posts, such as the Stories feature on Instagram, often engage them. Keep in mind, Gen Z uses each social media app differently, so your online messaging approach needs to fit each platform. Regardless of which platform you use, be respectful of their privacy and ask permission before you share their content or data.

Gen Z needs opportunities for engagement and personalization. Interactive features such as quick polls, questions or contests in your social media advertising are a great way to get Gen Z’s attention. Provide opportunities for feedback and respond quickly, whether the feedback is positive or negative. It’s also essential to allow them to contribute ideas for product design and co-creation. Best of all, provide opportunities for them to experience your brand in an experiential marketing campaign such as product sampling and pop-up events. Make your experience spontaneous and delightful so participants will naturally want to snap and share hashtagged selfies of their interactions with your brand.

Gen Z values authenticity and uniqueness. Gen Z is more accepting of non-traditional beauty ideals and prefers to see realistic portrayals from advertisers and celebrities, according to the Barkley study. To connect with them, avoid hiring paid actors or “perfect-looking” celebrities and instead work with micro-influencers on social media (someone with 1,000 to 100,000 followers). Another excellent strategy is to work with in-person influencers on college campuses, concerts and extreme sports events.

Gen Z cares about social responsibility and positive change. As previously mentioned, Gen Z cares deeply about racial, gender and LGBTQ equality. They will not hesitate to call out a brand on social media that embraces a cause inauthentically or refuses to take a stand against inequalities. Their global connectivity and instant access to information have made them more aware of global, national and local inequalities compared to previous generations. As consumers, Gen Z leverage that information when making decisions about which brands to support. If you haven’t already engaged in cause marketing (e.g., partnering with a nonprofit), it’s time to do so.

Gen Z engages with brands they find ethical. Again, due to their ability to access information, these young consumers can often find out where, with what and how things are made. If a company claims to be “green” or support diversity but can’t transparently demonstrate its stated principles, Gen Z may turn its back. Gen Z sees a brand as a whole and doesn’t distinguish between owners, partners, distributors and suppliers. The takeaway here is that even if your brand behaves ethically, you could still lose Gen Z support if any link in your network appears not to do so.

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Advice Case Studies Marketing

4 Ways Fractional CMOs Can Help Develop Your Brand

Building a strong market presence is essential for companies to thrive. Effective brand development plays a pivotal role in establishing a distinct identity, creating customer loyalty, and driving business growth. To achieve these goals, an increasing number of businesses are turning to fractional Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) for their expertise in brand development. In this article, we will explore how fractional CMOs contribute to building a strong market presence and why they have become invaluable resources for companies seeking to elevate their brands.

Understanding Fractional CMOs

Fractional CMOs are experienced marketing professionals who provide strategic guidance and executional support on a part-time or project basis. Fractional CMOs bring knowledge and skills, collaborating with companies on brand development strategies. They understand market dynamics, consumer behavior, and industry trends, enabling impactful branding initiatives.

Developing a Solid Brand Strategy

One of the primary roles of a fractional CMO is to help businesses develop a solid brand strategy. They work closely with company leadership to define the brand’s core values, positioning, and unique selling proposition. By conducting thorough market research and competitor analysis, fractional CMOs identify opportunities to differentiate the brand and create a compelling value proposition. They collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders to develop a cohesive brand strategy that resonates with the target audience and aligns with the company’s goals.

Crafting Consistent Brand Messaging

Consistency is key when it comes to building a strong market presence. Fractional CMOs play a vital role in ensuring that the brand’s messaging is consistent across all touchpoints. They help define the brand voice, tone, and visual identity, ensuring that it remains consistent in marketing collateral, advertising campaigns, social media channels, and customer communications. By maintaining a unified and cohesive brand message, businesses can establish trust, recognition, and loyalty among their target audience.

Implementing Effective Branding Initiatives

Fractional CMOs bring their expertise in implementing effective branding initiatives. They oversee the execution of marketing campaigns, ensuring that they are aligned with the brand strategy and objectives. Fractional CMOs leverage their marketing expertise to identify effective platforms for reaching the target audience. They guide businesses in selecting the right initiatives for brand visibility and engagement, including digital marketing, content creation, public relations, and event marketing.

Measuring Brand Performance and Iterating

Building a strong market presence requires continuous evaluation and refinement. Fractional CMOs utilize data-driven insights and metrics to measure the performance of branding initiatives. They analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as brand awareness, customer perception, and market share to assess the effectiveness of the brand strategy. Based on these insights, fractional CMOs collaborate with businesses to make data-backed decisions, iterate on branding efforts, and optimize strategies for better results.

Final Thoughts

Building a strong market presence is crucial for companies aiming to stand out in a competitive landscape. Fractional CMOs play a pivotal role in developing and implementing effective brand development strategies. Fractional CMOs use brand strategy, messaging, initiatives, and data evaluation to help businesses build a strong market presence. With their specialized skills and guidance, companies can elevate brands, gain a competitive edge, and achieve long-term success.

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Branding Case Studies Marketing

How Experiential Marketing Builds Brand Loyalty

More than any event or situation, the COVID-19 pandemic forced millions of customers to throw brand and customer loyalty out the window. As the pandemic swept across the world, global supply chain disruptions, business closures and panic buying changed buying behavior. Unsurprisingly, Americans changed their shopping habits, switching to online, curbside pickup, meal delivery and other contactless methods — trends that are continuing even as the economy slowly reopens and recovers.

The more difficult challenge for marketers is the 30% to 40% of Americans who continue to switch brands, particularly younger generations, according to a recent McKinsey survey. Some abandoned their brands because of product availability issues or confusing ordering processes with apps and websites, but others switched to brands that better matched their values. So while it may be tempting to chase customer loyalty, you may generate higher returns on investment by securing brand loyalty. In my experience, one of the most effective ways to build brand loyalty is through experiential marketing.

Brand loyalty versus customer loyalty — there is a difference

Customer loyalty and brand loyalty are essential to customer retention. However, they differ in significant ways.

Customer loyalty: Customer loyalty relates to customers who transact with a business regularly and frequently. Pricing is the primary motivating factor in customer loyalty — customers buy from you because they feel satisfied that your products or services fit their needs and budgets. While they tend to buy more products or services, the profit margins are typically lower. Additionally, retention rates tend to be low because customers will quickly shift to a competitor who offers a better deal.

Brand loyalty: Brand loyalty is not driven by price. Brand loyalty describes devoted consumers who repeatedly buy because they perceive that your brand offers a higher quality experience, product or service than all other brands in the market. As a result, they are often willing to pay more, generating higher profit margins despite sometimes buying fewer products. These valuable customers are also more likely to try your brand’s other products.

Purpose-driven brand loyalty: Consumers are also pitching their loyalty behind brands that support social, environmental and health causes that matter to them. These consumers are also willing to pay more, knowing their purchase is supporting a cause.

Regardless of the motivation, brand loyal customers remain loyal because they trust your brand’s reputation, leading to high retention rates. Lastly, brand loyalty is much easier to maintain once achieved than customer loyalty.

How experiential marketing builds brand loyalty

Experiential marketing, sometimes called engagement marketing, aims to create surprisingly delightful opportunities for your target audience to engage with your brand and make emotional connections. Examples include unique events, pop-ups, tours, product sampling, public relations stunts, brand activations/sponsorships, hospitality lounges and product showcases. Experiential marketing campaigns allow consumers to interact directly with your brand in an authentic, two-way conversation versus the traditional one-way deluge of marketing noise — noise that consumers can tune out more easily than ever before.

When your target audience can touch, see, smell, hear, taste or experience your product or service in a meaningful, positive way, they will remember it. The primary goal is to create experiences consumers will remember and share with others in photos, tweets and conversations. These loyal consumers become unofficial brand ambassadors or advocates, which is the holy grail of any marketing campaign. Today’s consumers are far more influenced by their peers and social media influencers than by traditional advertising.

Experiential marketing isn’t only for product-based businesses

When we think of experiential marketing, we think of people milling around a tent or booth, touching, hearing, tasting and participating in a sensory experience with a brand’s product. However, experiential marketing campaigns can be very effective for service-based and media businesses as well.

Hollywood movie studios and streaming services are masters at creating experiential events to promote the launch of a new movie or series. A few notable examples include Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale campaign at the 2017 South by Southwest Festival in Austin, where a group of actors dressed in the main character’s iconic red and white clothing silently strolled around. This simple, relatively low-cost effort created significant buzz and plenty of free publicity.

In another example, North Carolina-based Ally Bank hosted a “You’re in Charge” campaign to celebrate National Online Bank Day that involved a brand-themed drone delivering free phone chargers to shoppers in a busy mall. Another effective way a service-oriented brand can engage with consumers is by hosting VIP hospitality lounges at bustling events where attendees can take a break, enjoy refreshments, get chair massages or have fun virtual reality experiences.

The takeaway – cost and time factors to consider

Brands are continually challenged to cut through the noise and differentiate themselves from competitors — and experiential marketing creates those opportunities by attracting new customers and converting them to loyal ones. Experiential marketing focuses more on providing a personalized, positive experience than on selling products or services. In addition, campaigns don’t have to be wide-scale, expensive efforts, so even smaller brands can reap the benefits. And lastly, the returns on investments can take longer to materialize but are often much higher than with other marketing strategies.

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Advice Human Resources Marketing

Fractional CMO vs. Traditional CMO: Which Is Right for Your Business?

In the rapidly evolving world of marketing, businesses are constantly seeking effective strategies to gain a competitive edge. The digital landscape, evolving consumer behaviors, and emerging technologies demand companies stay ahead. Choosing between fractional and traditional CMOs is crucial for organizations of all sizes. Each option brings distinct advantages and considerations, requiring careful evaluation of needs and resources. Businesses must assess their requirements before making a decision.

Traditional CMOs

A traditional CMO is a full-time executive who assumes overall responsibility for an organization’s marketing activities. They are seasoned professionals with extensive experience and a deep understanding of various marketing channels, strategies, and industry trends. Traditional CMOs are typically well-suited for larger enterprises with substantial marketing budgets and complex marketing needs. They provide strategic guidance, build high-performing marketing teams, oversee large-scale campaigns, and drive brand awareness in a cohesive manner across multiple channels.

Fractional CMOs

On the other hand, a fractional CMO is a part-time or outsourced professional who works with multiple clients simultaneously. Fractional CMOs provide cost-effective and flexible solutions for small and medium-sized businesses in need of senior-level marketing expertise. With their extensive experience, they offer targeted guidance and specialized skills to meet specific marketing objectives. These professionals can be engaged on a project basis or for a specific duration, bringing valuable expertise to the table.

Factors to Consider

To determine which option is right for your business, it is essential to consider several factors. Budget is a significant consideration, as hiring a traditional CMO involves a substantial financial commitment. Alongside a competitive salary, benefits, and potential equity or bonuses, traditional CMOs often require additional resources to build and manage a marketing team. This investment may be well-justified for larger organizations with extensive marketing budgets and long-term growth strategies. Fractional CMOs, on the other hand, can be engaged at a fraction of the cost, making them a more accessible choice for businesses with limited budgets or specific short-term marketing needs.

Marketing Needs

Another critical aspect to evaluate is the scope and complexity of your marketing needs. In highly competitive industries or with a global presence, a traditional CMO is equipped to handle extensive marketing campaigns across multiple channels. Their full-time dedication enables a deep understanding of unique challenges, opportunities, and long-term strategies aligned with company goals. Traditional CMOs often excel at building and managing marketing teams, fostering collaboration, and driving cohesive marketing initiatives across various departments. Fractional CMOs, however, excel in providing targeted expertise for specific marketing projects. They offer fresh perspectives and specialized skills for product launches, rebranding campaigns, and digital marketing strategies. Working across clients and industries, they leverage diverse experiences and best practices, providing invaluable solutions to marketing challenges.

Time Requirements

Time is yet another factor to consider. If your business requires ongoing marketing support, strategic decision-making, and continuous monitoring of marketing initiatives, a traditional CMO’s full-time dedication can ensure consistent progress. They can effectively lead the marketing function, adapt to market changes, and drive long-term growth. Conversely, if you need specialized guidance for a limited period, such as conducting a marketing audit, developing a short-term campaign, or addressing a specific marketing challenge, a fractional CMO can provide the necessary expertise without the long-term commitment. This arrangement allows businesses to tap into senior-level marketing talent without incurring the costs associated with a full-time executive.

Collaboration and Company Culture

Collaboration and company culture also play a significant role in the decision-making process. Traditional CMOs become an integral part of the company, working closely with other executives, team members, and external stakeholders. They contribute to building a marketing culture, mentor junior staff, and drive the organization’s overall marketing vision. Their deep integration allows them to align marketing strategies with broader business objectives and foster a cohesive brand identity. Fractional CMOs, while temporary, can still integrate well with existing teams, provide fresh perspectives, and offer valuable insights based on their broad experience working across different industries and businesses. Their external perspective can challenge the status quo and infuse new ideas into the organization’s marketing efforts.

Key Takeaways

The choice between a fractional CMO and a traditional CMO depends on factors like budget, marketing needs, time requirements, and company culture. Traditional CMOs offer full-time dedication, comprehensive strategies, and deep industry expertise, suited for larger companies with complex marketing needs. Fractional CMOs provide flexible and cost-effective solutions, specialized expertise for projects, ideal for small and medium-sized businesses with limited resources or short-term objectives. Understanding your business’s unique requirements, growth trajectory, and marketing goals is key to determining the right fit for marketing success in today’s dynamic and competitive landscape.

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Advice Leadership Networking Strategy

Unleash the Power of Micro Events to Grow Your Business

Think about the last time you attended or hosted a big, grand event. You probably don’t remember every person you met or every word from the presenters. You likely remember the personal connections you made and nuggets of helpful information you learned that have enhanced your personal or professional life. You likely made those meaningful connections during smaller, more informal encounters throughout the event, not during the large presentations — in other words, in a micro event setting. Micro events foster the potential for brands and target audiences to make mutually beneficial connections. Hosting or attending a micro event is a powerful tool to have in your marketing strategy toolbox. Here’s why.

What are micro events?

While there is no definitive definition of micro events, most event planners consider them short in duration (less than a day), focused on a limited or niche topic and carefully tailored. Micro events can happen during large, multi-day events (e.g., workshops or breakout sessions within conferences) or be stand-alone functions. They involve a smaller audience and fewer presenters but may be virtual, hybrid, or in-person. Examples include lunch-and-learn sessions, workshops, webinars, happy hours, VIP events, discussion panels, experiential events, guest speakers and expert Q&A sessions.

Micro events allow you to make meaningful connections with your target audience.

As marketers, we’re always trying to cut through the noise and differentiate ourselves from our competitors to attract and engage with our target consumers. If you’ve ever meandered around a big trade show or convention, you probably don’t remember most of the brands you encountered. Brands compete next to one another for your attention, and unless one offered you something highly beneficial or made a personal connection with you, you likely ignored or forgot them.

By hosting a micro event, you cut through the noise — and if done well, you connect with the right people at the right time with the right message. Instead of wasting your efforts on consumers who are not interested in your product or service (or are too distracted to pay attention), your micro event provides your target audience with relevant, meaningful information or experiences.

Micro events save you considerable money.

It should come as no surprise that a multi-day or even a single-day “wow” event comes with a hefty price tag. Renting event space, catering, presenters, marketing, audiovisual support, event staff, entertainment and transportation costs add up fast, and sometimes the ROI fails to deliver. Furthermore, the pandemic shut down big events for quite a while, and as a result, many people have realized that attending or participating in them isn’t always necessary. Even as mega-events ramp back up, attendance is down in some markets. Micro events are appealing for hosts and attendees because they require far less money to plan and attend.

Micro events can happen more frequently, showcasing your brand more often.

Complex events take several months or even years to plan (and, as noted earlier, are expensive), and most brands can only do them once every year or two. Micro events typically take far less time and effort to plan, so you can hold them as often as necessary. For example, instead of hosting a multi-day conference, consider splitting up the topics you were planning to cover into single micro events held over a series of weeks or months. Attendees can choose which ones to attend instead of having to commit to a time-consuming event. Another option is to take your event on the road and host small events in multiple cities. Keeping your brand in front of your target audience regularly and beneficially builds long-term connections — gold in marketing speak.

Micro events naturally allow for better networking.

One of the primary reasons people attend business events is for networking opportunities. Micro events often provide less formal, more social activities, so attendees have more opportunities to meet others and have memorable encounters. Additionally, small events have fewer people, so making connections with presenters and others is more manageable than at a large-scale meeting. Instead of meeting dozens of people for a few short moments, participants have time for lengthier, more in-depth conversations.

Micro events increase engagement and participation, especially for introverts.

Most of us have wanted to ask a question during a presentation but didn’t feel comfortable asking it in front of a room full of people, or perhaps many others were asking questions and time ran out. Micro events are often more relaxed, making presenters and attendees feel more comfortable engaging with one another. You may also attract new, valuable yet introverted members of your target audience who avoid stressful, high-energy events.

Micro events allow for more control over content and experiences.

When your brand participates in a large-scale event, you often have limited influence over topics, presenters, entertainment, venues, catering and overall feel. With a micro event, your team has significant control over the design and execution of all aspects. You can hyperfocus on specific objectives and create custom experiences. Additionally, micro events are nimbler, which means they can be timelier, especially in industries such as tech or fashion. Because large-scale functions take so long to plan, what’s new and hot may be different by the time the event occurs.

Micro events provide excellent experiential marketing opportunities.

Experiential marketing is all about creating memorable, meaningful experiences for target audiences. Due to the smaller number of participants, micro events can be fabulous places to allow consumers to touch, taste, feel, hear, see and interact with your brand’s products, services and brand ambassadors in memorable ways that aren’t possible at crowded functions.

Micro events are here to stay and on the rise.

Out of necessity, during the pandemic, marketers turned to micro events for safety. But now people are starting to realize their immense potential. The ROI can be worthwhile, and not just financially. Your staff and consumers are seeking more meaningful activities and opportunities to re-engage with others: micro events can fulfill those desires.

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Advice Best Practices Human Resources Marketing Strategy

How Fractional CMOs Adapt to Changing Marketing Needs

Organizations seek marketing leadership that can swiftly respond to changing needs. Fractional Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) provide a flexible solution, allowing businesses to leverage expertise on demand. In this article, we explore the advantages of fractional CMOs, enabling organizations to navigate shifting marketing landscapes and stay ahead.

The Rise of Fractional CMOs

Fractional CMOs are experienced marketing professionals who work part-time or on a project basis, offering strategic guidance and executional support as needed. Businesses can access their expertise without the commitment and cost of a full-time executive. This flexibility is especially valuable in fast-paced industries or uncertain market conditions, where adaptability and responsiveness are crucial for success.

Quick Response to Changing Needs

One of the primary advantages of fractional CMOs lies in their ability to respond swiftly to changing marketing needs. Fractional CMOs, with their extensive knowledge and experience, quickly analyze market dynamics, consumer behavior, and industry trends. They swiftly adjust marketing strategies and tactics based on these insights, allowing businesses to seize opportunities and tackle challenges promptly. Unlike traditional hiring processes, fractional CMOs provide an immediate solution, enabling businesses to capitalize on market shifts without unnecessary delays.

Affordable Expertise

Fractional CMOs offer an affordable solution, providing top-tier marketing expertise without the financial burden of a full-time executive. Engaging them allows businesses to access specialized skills and experience, receiving strategic guidance and leadership at a fraction of the cost. By optimizing marketing budget and resource allocation, businesses achieve higher ROI and maximize the impact of their marketing efforts.

Strategic Marketing Execution

Fractional CMOs bring a wealth of strategic insight and industry experience to the table, offering businesses a distinct advantage. Collaborating closely with organizations, fractional CMOs assist in developing and implementing effective marketing strategies that align with the company’s overall goals and objectives. They excel in areas such as market research, branding, digital marketing, and campaign execution, providing comprehensive support throughout the entire marketing process. Their expertise allows businesses to navigate the complexities of the modern marketing landscape with confidence and precision.

Embracing New Technologies and Trends

Staying up-to-date with the latest technologies and trends is crucial for sustainable marketing success. Fractional CMOs excel in this area, as they possess a deep understanding of emerging tools, platforms, and methodologies. Their expertise enables businesses to leverage innovative marketing techniques, capitalize on digital advancements, and adapt to shifting consumer preferences. By embracing these new technologies and trends, fractional CMOs ensure that businesses can maintain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving marketplace, fostering continuous growth and expansion.

Seamless Collaboration and Knowledge Transfer

Fractional CMOs seamlessly integrate with existing marketing teams, fostering collaboration and facilitating knowledge transfer. Their presence brings fresh perspectives and best practices from various industries, injecting new energy and ideas into the marketing function. Additionally, fractional CMOs can mentor and guide in-house marketing professionals, enhancing their skills, capabilities, and overall performance. This collaborative approach strengthens the marketing function as a whole. It also ensures a smooth transition as business needs evolve over time.

Last Considerations

In an era where adaptability and responsiveness are paramount, fractional CMOs offer a flexible and adaptable solution for businesses seeking marketing leadership that can swiftly respond to changing needs. Their agility enables organizations to navigate the ever-shifting market dynamics and industry trends, seize emerging opportunities, and address challenges promptly. By accessing cost-effective expertise, benefiting from strategic guidance and executional support, and embracing new technologies and trends, businesses can position themselves ahead of the curve and achieve sustained marketing success. With the flexibility advantage of fractional CMOs, organizations can effectively adapt to the ever-changing marketing landscape and drive sustainable growth in today’s competitive business world.

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Advice Marketing Strategy

Selling Services Instead of Products? Don’t Rule Out Experiential Marketing

Experiential marketing is all about creating opportunities to invoke your customers’ senses as they interact with your brand — seeing, touching, smelling, hearing and tasting your products. When executed well, customers walk away from an experiential marketing experience with a positive, meaningful memory of their interaction with your brand. But what if your business sells services that can’t be touched, smelled or tasted?

As it turns out, many experiential marketing tactics successfully employed by product-based companies work equally well for service- or other non-product-based companies. After all, service-based companies also aim to create delightfully memorable experiences to engage with their target audiences. Let’s delve into three ways service-based businesses can incorporate experiential marketing to attract customers and build brand loyalty.

1. Try a different take on product sampling.

Most of us are familiar with product sampling, typically at a store, tradeshow, festival or street corner. Brand ambassadors invoke our senses by talking with us and showing us their product, handing over a sample to taste (or smell) or letting us try something on. Then the ambassadors answer questions and offer a discount coupon or sample to take home.

You can employ this same tactic as a service business, either by performing a small service sample or by using enticing freebies to attract potential customers. For example, a physical therapy practice might offer free five-minute chair or foot massages and then a discount coupon for later use. A pediatric dental practice might attract families by handing out fresh-baked cookies, branded dental hygiene sticker reward charts and a chance to win a free dental cleaning. The cookies have nothing to do with a dental practice, but customers may remember how good they smelled and tasted.

Be sure to launch your product sampling campaign where your target audience is likely to be. Using our pediatric dental practice example, it should be somewhere parents of young children congregate, such as a parade, school event, soccer game, etc. The physical therapists should choose a location like a gym or a park where amateur athletes (who tend to get frequently injured) or patients recovering from joint replacement surgeries are likely to spend time.

2. Sponsor or create engaging opportunities at events.

Street fairs, town festivals, concerts, sporting events, tradeshows and conferences are teeming with people expecting to interact with multiple brands. Make yours stand out by creating appealing hospitality suites where attendees can take a break from the crowds, sit in comfortable chairs and enjoy a refreshing beverage or snack. Play brief, engaging videos demonstrating your service offerings that customers can watch as they relax. Entice them to enter a giveaway or give them a discount code to use later for your services.

Another wildly successful option for businesses of all types is to use cutting-edge virtual and augmented reality technology to create immersive experiences at events. For example, each year at the U.S. Open, American Express runs legendary tennis fan experiences, where fans can do entertaining things such as compete virtually against artificial intelligence opponents. Unfortunately, creating these memorable experiences comes at a hefty price and is out of reach for most businesses. However, smaller companies can host low-tech, affordable activities such as old-fashioned county fair games — think softball throws, beanbag tosses and dunk tanks. The essential idea is to create pleasantly surprising opportunities for your target audience to engage with your brand so they walk away with a favorable impression.

3. Plan stand-alone experiential marketing events.

Unlike a booth at an event where you’re competing with many businesses for attention, a stand-alone event or series of events may result in a higher ROI. State Farm ran a successful smaller-scale campaign to increase brand awareness in Florida years ago called “Get to a Better State Campus Tour.” During stressful midterm and final exam weeks, they sent brand ambassadors to four university campuses. To help students get to a more relaxed “state,” they hired yoga instructors to conduct short classes and took photos of students in front of green screens depicting dreamy vacation destinations.

Another example: In 2014, New York City-based TD Bank created three pop-up art galleries featuring 10 pieces of environment-focused art as part of a campaign to support MillionTreesNYC, an initiative to plant one million trees across New York City. TD Bank’s services are unrelated to trees or art, but the campaign was effective because it created positive impressions of its brand and increased awareness.

Businesses with more limited budgets can run less costly stand-alone events. For example, mobile vehicle tours and pop-ups (temporary tents or booths) are typically nimble, affordable ways to get your brand where your target audience is. Focus on creating authentic experiences that will be meaningful and uniquely suited for your customers and your brand. Handing out a free pen or tote bag is pretty ho-hum these days, whereas running a game or contest or providing a sample service makes a longer-lasting impression. For example, a dog grooming service could launch a pop-up near a dog park and perform free nail trims or other quick grooming services.

Final thoughts

It’s crucial to avoid gimmicky or inauthentic offerings or activities, or you risk having your campaign backfire. Consider your brand from your customers’ perspectives: How do your service offerings benefit them? Then design your experiential marketing campaign thoughtfully and creatively to deliver the right message at the optimum time and place for the best results.

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Advice Leadership Marketing

3 Ways Fractional CMOs Can Empower Marketing Teams

In today’s competitive business landscape, effective marketing plays a pivotal role in the success of any organization. However, not all companies have the resources or need for a full-time Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). This is where fractional CMOs come into the picture. Fractional CMOs, also known as part-time or interim CMOs, offer a unique solution by empowering internal marketing teams, fostering skill development, and building long-term marketing capabilities within organizations. In this article, we will explore the concept of fractional CMOs and delve into how they can transform marketing teams into dynamic, agile, and growth-oriented units.

What is a Fractional CMO?

A fractional CMO is an experienced marketing executive who works with an organization on a part-time or contract basis, providing strategic guidance, expertise, and leadership. These professionals bring a wealth of industry knowledge and a broad perspective gained from working with various companies. Unlike traditional consultants, fractional CMOs actively collaborate with internal marketing teams, embedding themselves in the organization’s culture, and focusing on building internal capacity.

1. Empowering Marketing Teams

One of the key advantages of fractional CMOs is their ability to empower internal marketing teams. By working closely with existing team members, fractional CMOs foster a collaborative environment that encourages skill development and knowledge sharing. They provide guidance on marketing strategies, tactics, and execution, ensuring that the team is aligned with the organization’s overall goals.

Fractional CMOs bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the table, challenging the status quo and encouraging creative thinking within the team. Their expertise and industry insights help teams stay up-to-date with the latest marketing trends and best practices. This collaborative approach not only enhances the capabilities of the marketing team but also boosts their confidence and motivation, leading to improved performance.

2. Fostering Skill Development

Fractional CMOs act as mentors and coaches to internal marketing teams, fostering skill development at both individual and team levels. They identify gaps in knowledge or expertise and provide targeted training to bridge those gaps. Through ongoing guidance and feedback, fractional CMOs help team members refine their skills, expand their knowledge base, and enhance their overall marketing acumen.

Moreover, fractional CMOs transfer their industry knowledge and best practices to the team, ensuring that the organization benefits from their expertise long after their engagement concludes. This knowledge transfer creates a lasting impact and equips the team with the tools and capabilities needed to tackle future marketing challenges independently.

3. Building Long-term Marketing Capabilities

Fractional CMOs not only strengthen the marketing team’s skills but also focus on building long-term marketing capabilities within the organization. They work collaboratively with senior management and other departments to align marketing strategies with the overall business objectives. This holistic approach ensures that marketing efforts are integrated into the organization’s larger vision, fostering sustainable growth.

Additionally, fractional CMOs assist in establishing scalable processes, frameworks, and systems that enable the marketing team to operate efficiently. They help implement measurement metrics, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and analyze data to make data-driven decisions. By setting up these systems and imparting their strategic thinking, fractional CMOs create a solid foundation for the marketing team to thrive in the long run.

Wrap-Up

Fractional CMOs have emerged as a powerful solution for organizations seeking to strengthen their marketing capabilities without the need for a full-time CMO. By working closely with internal marketing teams, fractional CMOs empower team members, foster skill development, and build long-term marketing capabilities. They bring industry expertise, fresh perspectives, and collaborative approaches that transform marketing teams into agile, growth-oriented units.

The role of fractional CMOs extends beyond providing strategic guidance; they actively invest in the development of internal talent, ensuring that the organization continues to thrive in the ever-evolving marketing landscape. By leveraging the strengths of fractional CMOs, organizations can position themselves for long-term success and create a culture of continuous learning and innovation within their marketing teams.

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Advice Best Practices Human Resources

How to Make Your Event More Diverse and Inclusive

Event planners must pay attention to a whole host of components when planning events where attendees will spend valuable time and money. However, one crucial aspect that planners sometimes gloss over or overlook entirely is ensuring that events champion diversity and inclusion. Adding a woman, person of color, and/or LBGTQ individual to your speaker panel is important, but not enough. The following tips can help make your events more appealing, diverse, and inclusive.

1. Choose diverse speakers.

Long gone should be the days when event speakers are primarily white, male, heterosexual, and non-disabled. Companies that make this mistake might end up on blogs, news, and social media sites such as Tumblr’s “All Male Panels” account. Avoiding “manels” (all-male panels, especially all-white ones) is an important way to add diversity. However, as noted earlier, simply adding a female, LGBTQ or BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color) speaker can come across as insincere unless they and their expertise are centered and the event as a whole “walks the walk” of diversity and inclusion.

If you want to prioritize a diverse group of speakers and don’t know where to begin, send out a call on Twitter or LinkedIn asking for speaker recommendations and review members of trade associations relevant to your event’s industry. You can also review the history of speakers and inclusion efforts at events such as SaaStr, which openly commits to inclusivity. And don’t forget to prioritize diversity among your emcees, moderators, entertainers, and announcers as well as panelists and speakers.

2. Work with minority- and women-owned vendors.

Events typically involve hiring multiple vendors, including caterers, florists, signage companies, audiovisual production teams, experiential marketing agencies, entertainment, service personnel, and transportation. If you’re required to use your event venue’s in-house staff during your event, look for opportunities to hire minority and women-owned vendors for other needs. A helpful place to find minority- and women-owned businesses is the Chamber of Commerce in your event city. You can also search the Small Business Administration’s Federally Certified Women and Minority-Owned Business Directory, filtering your results by industry or state. LinkedIn is another place to connect with women and minority business leaders.

3. Prioritize accessibility.

Fortunately, the American Disabilities Act requires public facilities to include accessible restrooms, ramps, elevators, and other features that make attendance easier for those with disabilities. While it might seem tempting to host an event in a privately owned or historical venue, you must ensure these basic needs are met. Forcing an attendee or speaker in a wheelchair to use a service elevator because it’s the only accessible one, for example, won’t feel very inclusive. Aspects you might not consider, like narrow doorways, uneven pavement, curbs, loose gravel walkways, background music, flashing lights, and low lighting can impede people with disabilities. In addition, attendees with disabilities may need other services or accommodations such as transportation, more spacing between chairs and tables, accessible event website and registration process, closed captioning, assistive listening devices, braille-printed materials, allowance of service animals, and/or sign language interpreters.

Provide opportunities for attendees to share their accessibility needs ahead of time and make sure there will be personnel on-site trained to assist people with disabilities. Finally, educate your team and anyone interacting with attendees with disabilities so they use appropriate terminology. For example, it’s no longer considered polite to refer to someone as “handicapped.” Instead, use “a person with a disability.” The National Disability Authority offers a helpful list of appropriate terminology.

4. Get diverse with your food offerings.

Instead of serving typical “event food” such as continental breakfasts, sandwiches/wraps, and standard buffet items, consider offering ethnic foods. Caribbean, African, Latin American, and Asian foods are loaded with savory flavors. Food trucks are all the rage these days, so hiring a lineup of diverse food trucks (often owned and run by BIPOC individuals) is an effortless way to offer attendees a variety of hip, authentic foods while also fulfilling tip no. 2. Check out Roaming Hunger or your local city site to book food trucks.

Make vegans and vegetarians feel more welcome by serving more than garden salads or steamed vegetable dishes. Some attendees will have dietary needs that might include low-sodium, gluten-free, lactose-intolerant, and free of common allergens (nuts, peanuts, dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, and shellfish), so be sure to provide suitable options, and wherever possible, include ingredient lists. Last, be mindful of religious food restrictions, particularly during holidays, which may prevent attendees from eating certain meats and non-kosher or non-halal foods. On that note, choose an event date that doesn’t conflict with religious or cultural holidays. Do an online search for religious holidays to learn the dates of unfamiliar ones.

A few final tips

Attentive details can go a long way toward making people feel welcome and comfortable at an event. Here are some examples:

• One simple way to avoid discomfort over mispronounced names or misunderstood gender identity is to ask attendees to provide their pronouns and phonetic spellings of their names; then you can include these on nametags and online event profiles.

• If the venue does not have gender-neutral restrooms, create some by changing the signs on existing bathrooms and blocking off urinals.

• If you expect non-English speakers, make sure your event includes bilingual signage, materials, and presentations.

• Another thoughtful gesture to welcome neurodiversity is to provide cozy, quiet spaces where people feeling overwhelmed can relax and take a break.

• During your event-planning phase, ask people with disabilities or who are vulnerable to feeling marginalized what you can do to make the event more enjoyable.

• Finally, follow up with a post-event survey to learn how you can improve next time.

Don’t pursue the objective of an event that embraces diversity and inclusion simply to avoid negative publicity or attract more attendees — diverse and inclusive events often deliver more meaningful and beneficial experiences and outcomes. But more importantly, everyone attending an event, whether it’s a tradeshow, festival, convention, or expo, deserves to feel welcome.

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Advice Human Resources Marketing

The Benefits of Having a Fractional CMO for Small Businesses

Small businesses operating in today’s highly competitive business landscape often encounter substantial obstacles when it comes to effectively marketing their products and services. With limited resources, tight budgets, and a lack of in-house marketing expertise, they face significant challenges in developing and executing successful marketing strategies. These obstacles can hinder their growth potential and prevent them from effectively reaching their target audience.

Amidst these challenges, small businesses can overcome barriers and access top-tier marketing guidance by hiring a fractional CMO. This experienced marketing professional works on a part-time or project basis, offering strategic insights, guidance, and execution expertise.

Unlike a full-time CMO, a fractional CMO allows small businesses to access the expertise of an experienced marketing leader without the high costs. This arrangement grants them high-level marketing knowledge, strategic thinking, and industry insights that drive growth and enhance their competitive position.

Engaging a fractional CMO allows small businesses to access valuable experience and specialized skills not found internally. This external expertise helps navigate marketing challenges, identify opportunities, and develop targeted strategies aligned with their goals.

In the following sections, we’ll explore the benefits of having a fractional CMO for small businesses. From cost-effectiveness to fresh perspectives and scalability, this arrangement has diverse advantages that transform marketing efforts. Let’s delve into the details and discover how a fractional CMO maximizes small businesses’ marketing potential.

Cost-Effectiveness

One of the primary benefits of a fractional CMO for small businesses is cost-effectiveness. Hiring a full-time CMO may be financially out of reach for many small businesses, but a fractional CMO offers a flexible and affordable solution. With a fractional CMO, small businesses only pay for the services they need, providing access to expert marketing guidance without the burden of a full-time executive salary and benefits package.

Expertise at Your Fingertips

Fractional CMOs bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. These highly skilled professionals have worked across various industries, mastering marketing principles and best practices. Engaging a fractional CMO grants small businesses access to seasoned professionals who understand their unique challenges. This expertise empowers them to develop comprehensive marketing plans, identify growth opportunities, and execute tailored strategies for their goals and target audience.

Fresh Perspectives and Innovative Strategies

Small businesses often struggle to break free from stagnant marketing approaches. A fractional CMO injects fresh perspectives and innovative strategies into the mix. These marketing experts provide an outside viewpoint, introducing new ideas, industry insights, and emerging trends that can revitalize a small business’s marketing efforts. With a fractional CMO, small businesses can stay ahead of the curve, adapt to changing market dynamics, and gain a competitive edge.

Scalability and Flexibility

As small businesses grow and evolve, their marketing needs change. Fractional CMOs offer scalability and flexibility to accommodate these shifting requirements. Whether it’s for short-term projects, seasonal campaigns, or ongoing strategic guidance, small businesses can tap into the expertise of a fractional CMO on demand. This scalability ensures that small businesses can access high-level marketing support when needed, without the constraints of long-term commitments or excessive costs.

Knowledge Transfer and Team Empowerment

Working with a fractional CMO goes beyond strategic guidance; it enables knowledge transfer and team empowerment. Fractional CMOs offer training, mentorship, and upskilling to enhance the capabilities and professional growth of the marketing team. This collaboration strengthens the organization, building a stronger marketing team and expanding in-house expertise.

Access to a Diverse Skill Set and Network

Fractional CMOs often come with a diverse skill set and a vast network of industry connections. This can be invaluable for small businesses looking to expand their reach and explore new opportunities. Fractional CMOs can harness their network to establish partnerships, secure media coverage, and connect with industry influencers. By accessing this network, small businesses can enhance brand visibility and unlock collaboration opportunities.

Strategic Planning and Data-Driven Insights

Fractional CMOs excel in strategic planning and data-driven decision-making. They can analyze market trends, conduct competitive research, and identify gaps and opportunities for small businesses. Fractional CMOs utilize data to develop tailored marketing strategies that resonate and drive meaningful results. This strategic approach ensures that small businesses make informed decisions and allocate their marketing

End Thoughts

Small businesses need to maximize their marketing potential to stand out and thrive. Hiring a fractional CMO offers small businesses expertise, strategic guidance, and fresh perspectives to navigate challenges and seize growth opportunities. The benefits are numerous, from cost-effectiveness and scalability to access to top-tier marketing talent. Small businesses can elevate their marketing efforts, enhance brand positioning, and achieve sustainable growth by leveraging the knowledge and experience of a fractional CMO.