Web Studio / Agency Marketing Strategy
Hi, Habr! We continue our cycle of materials about the business of web-studios as part of the Autumn Acceleration with NetCat and today we are talking in detail about the marketing strategy of the web-studio, and also publish the template of the card of marketing activities.
Our market is going to be a complete nightmare with the positioning and marketing of studios / agencies. Each first company proudly declares itself to be a “young, dynamic, full-cycle digital agency” - and as a result, all players merge into a single gray faceless mass. We will discuss how to avoid this, and how to form a competent marketing strategy for the development of your company. I do not claim that such a structure of the document is the only correct one, but in my experience such a format has always justified itself.
Strategy is a living document you write for yourself. His goal is to determine the development vector, set key goals and describe ways to achieve them from the point of view of the marketing aspect.
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To begin with, we need to fix the current situation - in order to understand from which point we will start our development vector.
After fixing the current situation, we need to specify the second point of the vector - what we are striving for. It makes sense to set the planning horizon in the range from six months to one and a half years. A longer term does not make sense; the market, instruments, competitive environment and macro-factors of the economy are changing too quickly.
We accompany all this with simple understandable comments and explanations where it is needed.
In this section we need to indicate the most important points of application of our efforts to achieve our goals. A certain overview of everything that we will talk about further. The section can be formed / adjusted at the stage of finalizing the strategy when the details are thought out.
For example, such points can be “Emphasis on the development of customer service and support”, “Actively increasing brand awareness in a professional party”, “Holding your own customer events”, “Emphasis on the development of current employees, improving their skills.”
Now we have to describe the current (and planned) to launch services that our studio / agency provides to the client. It is very important to correctly rank them - and in the process of routine work, do not forget that we have the key, what is secondary, and what we don’t undertake at all.
One of the important sections is the segmentation of our target audience (taking into account the range of services, positioning, goals). In general, even though the sections on services, goals, central positioning and positioning go in a sequential order - they should be worked out iteratively. They clarified the positioning - slightly adjusted the target audience and services, described the target audience in more detail - affected services, etc.
Customer audience . We distinguish various segments of the target audience.
Professional audience . An important part of our target audience for brand promotion. We describe companies and personalities that will be interesting to us. For example, “top managers of popular CMS”, independent market experts, “heads of network agencies”, etc.
Media audience . Same. For example, “journalists of online media about business”, “authors of blogs about SMM”.
We turn to our positioning. Remember that this is what can distinguish us from the general mass of competitors.
Key accent . That, on which we will do the main emphasis.
Key points . Specify a list of other important key points of the company. For example, “Asterisk is the best mobile movie sites,” “Asterisk is an expert in engaging audiences in the film industry,” “Asterisk is an expert in building fan communities.”
Positioning for customers . A list of important things about us that we want to convey to the client audience. May include many items, including “battered” - the truth will be born at the intersection.
Positioning in the market . The same is true for professional work - how we want to look in the eyes of the professional community.
After determining the goals, services, audience positioning, we need to clearly define what our key advantages over competitors are.
Now we describe the competitive environment and the market in which we operate.
Now we proceed directly to listing the specific actions, channels and activities necessary to achieve our goals.
We describe the main communication channels with our groups / sections of Central Asia. We give a general overview of the channels, as well as detailing for each of them specific actions and measures, points of application of efforts. We indicate the planned budgets in the sales funnel. We form the general marketing budget (including, considering values ​​from the previous section).
The picture below shows a general list of channels with an assessment of their effectiveness and speed of response (in attracting new customers).
We form a list of operational activities. I recommend combining two formats:
Separately, we once again list the company's key KPIs (based on the business plan and financial model). We indicate the list and toolkit of analytical reports that we deal with with a certain regularity, fixing the plan / fact for the period.
We describe the rules and schedule for making adjustments to our strategy, do not forget to implement it.
We write the conclusion in a free, convenient and understandable form for us and our employees.
I would like to remind once again that the formation of a strategy is a zero point, it is very important to follow it and constantly make adjustments. Only then the marketing unit will work at full capacity.
We also filmed a video lecture on this topic; it complements this material well. To watch this video (as well as other lectures of the cycle) - register at http://promo.netcat.ru . It's free.
Sincerely, Andrei Terekhov
Our market is going to be a complete nightmare with the positioning and marketing of studios / agencies. Each first company proudly declares itself to be a “young, dynamic, full-cycle digital agency” - and as a result, all players merge into a single gray faceless mass. We will discuss how to avoid this, and how to form a competent marketing strategy for the development of your company. I do not claim that such a structure of the document is the only correct one, but in my experience such a format has always justified itself.
Introduction
Strategy is a living document you write for yourself. His goal is to determine the development vector, set key goals and describe ways to achieve them from the point of view of the marketing aspect.
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- The strategy must be constantly updated, supplemented and revised. The market is changing rapidly, the situation in the company too - and if you write a “document-monument” just to be there, then this is unlikely to help. Needless to say, we must try to fulfill everything that is written in the strategy, otherwise, again, the meaning will be lost.
- Write in normal human language, without bureaucracy - you write for yourself, your employees, people who understand the specifics of the business.
0) Fixing the current situation
To begin with, we need to fix the current situation - in order to understand from which point we will start our development vector.
- Indicate a few key points that characterize your current situation. For example, “Strong technical team”, “great demand for mobile development services”. Identify weaknesses, for example, “small management experience in management”, “lack of high-quality customer service”.
- List the values ​​of the main indicators. In each company, KPIs may differ, but we will list the basic ones:
- Gross revenue turnover
- Company staff
- Normal hour cost + overhead ratio
- Number of completed projects for the period
- Number of clients on support
- Site Attendance
- Number of leads / presales
1) Strategic goals, KPI, Milestone
After fixing the current situation, we need to specify the second point of the vector - what we are striving for. It makes sense to set the planning horizon in the range from six months to one and a half years. A longer term does not make sense; the market, instruments, competitive environment and macro-factors of the economy are changing too quickly.
- Select the most important, 2-4 points. For example, “Go out to the turnover of 1 million rubles” or “enter the top 10 companies specializing in corporate sites of industrial companies in Novosibirsk, or“ form a promotion department of 3 people, get 5 clients in the direction ”
- We list the planned KPI values. The composition is more convenient to take the same as in the previous section - it will be more convenient to compare.
- We distinguish a number of Milesstones - these are semantic points (not KPIs) that do not pull on strategic goals, but are also important. For example, “Redesigned your own site”, “Launched SLA in support”, “Built cold sales process”, “A series of business breakfasts for customers”, “The Company joined A & R” was organized.
We accompany all this with simple understandable comments and explanations where it is needed.
2) Achievement strategy
In this section we need to indicate the most important points of application of our efforts to achieve our goals. A certain overview of everything that we will talk about further. The section can be formed / adjusted at the stage of finalizing the strategy when the details are thought out.
For example, such points can be “Emphasis on the development of customer service and support”, “Actively increasing brand awareness in a professional party”, “Holding your own customer events”, “Emphasis on the development of current employees, improving their skills.”
3) Service line, development vector
Now we have to describe the current (and planned) to launch services that our studio / agency provides to the client. It is very important to correctly rank them - and in the process of routine work, do not forget that we have the key, what is secondary, and what we don’t undertake at all.
- Key . Several driver services, for which we rely mainly on the client’s point of view of our own marketing activities. 2-4 flagship product. For example, “Development of online stores on NetCat”, “Mobile versions of restaurant sites”, “Support for projects on third-party CMS”, “Agile development of media sites”.
- Secondary . The total range of services that we provide, but do not focus on them and do not consider flagship. For example, "development of corporate sites", "SEO-promotion", "SMM".
- " Grocery block ". If we have any blanks (or we plan to create them) - which can be replicated and offered to customers (as a blank with a subsequent dopilka) - we describe them. For example, “a module of fitting clothes for online stores”, “integration of a bank site with SharePoint”, etc.
- Experimental block . No experiments - no development. Some amount of company resources should be allocated to conduct experiments with cutting edge technologies. For example, "integration with Google Glass", "besklikovy module of the order of goods", etc.
- Do not undertake . It happens very useful to prescribe those services for which we do not undertake, and they do not fit our vector, even though customers sometimes ask them. For example, "3D-modeling", "copywriting".
4) Definition of the target audience
One of the important sections is the segmentation of our target audience (taking into account the range of services, positioning, goals). In general, even though the sections on services, goals, central positioning and positioning go in a sequential order - they should be worked out iteratively. They clarified the positioning - slightly adjusted the target audience and services, described the target audience in more detail - affected services, etc.
Customer audience . We distinguish various segments of the target audience.
- By type of business. For example, "large b2c", "medium b2b".
- According to the general indicators. For example, "brands from the world TOP-100", "Companies with a budget of one million per year for the Internet direction", "companies with a large network of promotional sites and a budget for their support"
- By industry. Select the key for us, choose the secondary.
- According to the positions of decision makers.
- We register 5-7 maximum detailed portraits of target addressees, it helps a lot to clear the brains. For example, “The brand manager of a large FMCG company, a girl, 28 years old, graduated from the Moscow State University social department, has agency experience, a vegan, loves to travel and ride a bicycle, watches the TV series“ Game of Thrones ”, married".
Professional audience . An important part of our target audience for brand promotion. We describe companies and personalities that will be interesting to us. For example, “top managers of popular CMS”, independent market experts, “heads of network agencies”, etc.
Media audience . Same. For example, “journalists of online media about business”, “authors of blogs about SMM”.
5) Positioning
We turn to our positioning. Remember that this is what can distinguish us from the general mass of competitors.
Key accent . That, on which we will do the main emphasis.
- We form a common semantic approach. "Zvezdochka Studio is a reliable partner in creating promotional websites for film producers with the experience of the founders in the film industry."
- We prescribe the key slogan, message. “Asterisk: we will promote your film on the web and without exploding helicopters!”
- We register more detailed description. For example, “Studio Zvezdochka specializes in working with major film studios to present their products on the Internet. Creation and support of promotional sites (series up to 20 promo per year per customer), adaptation of Western solutions. The studio was founded by graduates of the Moscow Art Theater with five years of experience in Columbia Pictures. ”
Key points . Specify a list of other important key points of the company. For example, “Asterisk is the best mobile movie sites,” “Asterisk is an expert in engaging audiences in the film industry,” “Asterisk is an expert in building fan communities.”
Positioning for customers . A list of important things about us that we want to convey to the client audience. May include many items, including “battered” - the truth will be born at the intersection.
Positioning in the market . The same is true for professional work - how we want to look in the eyes of the professional community.
6) Determination of benefits and TSS
After determining the goals, services, audience positioning, we need to clearly define what our key advantages over competitors are.
- We list the benefits. For example, “The experience of the founder of the studio in the key client industry”, “The best quality of NetCat development in the market”, “SLA support”, “Low development rates due to production in the regions”.
- We list the weak points (this is also important). For example, “lack of experience in SMM”, “weak sales managers”, “Small number of cases”.
7) Competitive environment
Now we describe the competitive environment and the market in which we operate.
- Macro factors. General factors of economic development, for understanding. For example, "a high probability of the next turn of the financial crisis", "lower prices for raw materials."
- Industry factors. Factors and trends in the development of our industry. For example, “Growth of competence on the side of the customer”, “rapid growth of the market for developing mobile applications”.
- Competitors. List of competitors indicating the level of threat (low | medium | high). Do not forget that we take the development vector - and the company with which we are now pushing in tenders may cease to be our competitor in six months, and the company that now looks down on us - will be it in a year.
8) Project and process activities
Now we proceed directly to listing the specific actions, channels and activities necessary to achieve our goals.
- Select the project marketing activity list. For example, “creating a new site”, “launching a landing and launching contextual advertising”, “a big special project with Sostav.ru”. After the completion of the project phase, many of them can enter the process mode. We give a detailed description, goals, objectives, KPI, budget.
- Select process marketing activities. For example, “SEO-promotion of your own website”, “cold sales”, etc. We give a detailed description, goals, objectives, KPI, budget.
9) Channels of communication with CA, marketing budget
We describe the main communication channels with our groups / sections of Central Asia. We give a general overview of the channels, as well as detailing for each of them specific actions and measures, points of application of efforts. We indicate the planned budgets in the sales funnel. We form the general marketing budget (including, considering values ​​from the previous section).
The picture below shows a general list of channels with an assessment of their effectiveness and speed of response (in attracting new customers).
10) Basic marketing plan for the period, activity map
We form a list of operational activities. I recommend combining two formats:
- General roadmap for six months . 10–20 key milestones from a marketing point of view.
- The marketing activity map is a key operational document. I recommend to open a format template. The proposed option provides a list of everything that happens in the company's marketing on the horizon of three months. All activities are divided into process, project and reserve. The combination of Gantt charts and budgets allows you to plan the loading and distribution of the marketing budget. For all activities, you can enter an additional KPI block and measure the plan / fact separately.
11) KPI. Fixation and analytics tools
Separately, we once again list the company's key KPIs (based on the business plan and financial model). We indicate the list and toolkit of analytical reports that we deal with with a certain regularity, fixing the plan / fact for the period.
12) Development and strategy adjustments
We describe the rules and schedule for making adjustments to our strategy, do not forget to implement it.
13) Conclusion
We write the conclusion in a free, convenient and understandable form for us and our employees.
I would like to remind once again that the formation of a strategy is a zero point, it is very important to follow it and constantly make adjustments. Only then the marketing unit will work at full capacity.
We also filmed a video lecture on this topic; it complements this material well. To watch this video (as well as other lectures of the cycle) - register at http://promo.netcat.ru . It's free.
Sincerely, Andrei Terekhov
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/193502/
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