Argentum
Event Marketing
Prepared by Green Dot Advertising — December 28st, 2016
Objectives & Marketing Strategy
Create awareness and promote registration by owner / operators for the Argentum Conference taking place in Nashville during May of 2017.
Marketing Strategy:
Green Dot Advertising has reviewed all of the marketing and conference data provided by the Argentum team and has put together a marketing strategy to help Argentum increase owner/operator attendance to achieve a ratio closer to 1:1 with vendors.
The strategy presented relies heavily on digital campaigns to drive attendance growth for 2017. The direction for this plan is based on digital marketing’s ability to identify and target very specific groups of people – both those already within the Argentum universe and those who should be a part of it.
Feedback from the 2016 conference attendee survey shows that direct mail was not indicated as a key driver of registrations, and thus recommends reducing efforts in this area. Direct mail will be focused on CEOs and an inexpensive mailer in postcard format will go out to previous attendees and Argentum members.
Green Dot has put together a strategy that will enable Argentum to use digital to reach a more targeted audience this year. This plan leverages digital to launch a new/expanded referral and recommendation program. Conference results show that “recommendation from a colleague” was a key driver of attendance in 2016 and is an area to focus on expanding.
The Green Dot team feels confident this plan will help the Argentum team reach their conference goal of significantly increasing owner/operator attendance.
Digital Marketing Campaign Strategy
Green Dot recommends allocating the digital marketing budget into five key strategic areas that collectively, will help drive awareness and attendance for the Argentum conference.
- Google AdWords
- Social Media Ads (primarily Facebook)
- Email Marketing
- Content Marketing (primarily blogging)
- Retargeting Ads
Google AdWords and the social media ads will be used to drive targeted visitors to the Argentum website, while emails and content will be used to educate and nurture the visitors to encourage them to attend the event.
Retargeting ads will be used to ensure the conference stays top-of-mind as prospective attendees consider whether to attend or not.
Green Dot sees advanced email marketing and blogging as essential elements of the overall marketing strategy as the SWOT analysis provided shows that:
“Vendor attendees outnumber provider attendees by 20% and provider attendees, especially C-Suite/Business area leaders see little need to engage with exhibitors. The show often is criticized for being about the big guys (largest owner/operator companies) in senior living.”
To improve attendance from both large and small operators Argentum must educate prospective attendees about the benefits of the conference. This must be accomplished with specific messaging in emails and on the website (landing pages) that addresses prospective attendees based on their organization size as large and small organizations face different challenges and have different expectations and needs.
Referral Program
Argentum research indicates that referrals are a key driver for attendance. Peers clearly influence one another to attend. Green Dot strongly recommends developing an engaging referral offer and promoting the referral program through all touch points, including social media, email and display ads.
Event Ads & Messaging
Event Ads & Messaging
Creating a compelling case to owner / operators as to why they should attend the event is critical. At the outset, Green Dot will develop the overall messaging theme and visual concepts for a mix of print and digital display ads.
Two distinct audiences will be targeted with distinct messaging relevant to them. Corporate executives and executive directors will require ad messaging focused on communicating the benefits of attending for their organization’s goals. Additionally, Argentum will utilize their relationship with exhibitors, Premier Sponsors, Corporate Partners and Media and Industry Trade groups to have other entities support the organization in its marketing efforts
This project includes:
- Full page print ad concept – Corp. Executives and display ads
- Full page print ad – Executive Director and digital display
- Exhibitors ad package
- Resize Corp. Executives print ad to various sizes
Includes the Following:
- Account service
- Copywriting
- Design & visual concept development
- Layout and final production
- (2) sets of revisions
- Resizing as needed
Direct Mailers
Direct Mailers
Target CEOs, past attendees and Argentum members with a printed direct mail communications.
Since Argentum has an extensive list of members and past attendees for the conference, sending a printed communication provides a touchpoint beyond digital channels ensuring key constituents and influencers within companies are aware of the upcoming event.
Inspiring CEOs to champion conference attendance with their teams is the goal. Argentum intends to send a modest gift along with an inspiring message to CEOs on their list. In addition, Green Dot will work with Argentum to design a double-sided postcard mailer approximately 5″ x 7″ to promote the event . Printing and fulfillment can be provided, or Green Dot can supply digital print ready files to the Argentum team.
Includes the Following:
- CEO mailer concept & creative
- Postcard mailer creative
- Account service
- Copywriting
- Design & visual concept development
- Layout and final production
- (2) sets of revisions
Not Included:
- Printing and fulfillment
- Mailing list
Email Marketing
Email Marketing
Communicating with members, past attendees and new prospects about the upcoming conference via email is a primary tactic to ensure the success of the campaigns.
Green Dot will create a two-part email communications strategy.
- A comprehensive email drip campaign administered through Hubspot to nurture prospects from initial engagement all the way to registration.
- Up to two (2) custom monthly promotional emails based on an approved template. The content for these communications will be determined during monthly conference calls.
Includes the Following:
- Email creative and copy for up to (15) drip campaign messages
- Campaign setup including drip campaign triggers, workflows and list segmentation
- Copywriting and design – (2) emails per month
- Initial email template for monthly communications
- Testing for all popular desktop and mobile platforms
- A/B testing of subject lines and content when applicable
- Tracking and reporting (incl. phone call tracking)
HubSpot Landing Pages
Landing Pages Scope of Work
Design and develop custom landing pages using the HubSpot platform support the marketing campaigns with ad specific messaging to enhance conversions.
Each landing page is quoted as a custom page built on the HubSpot platform. Green Dot will develop an initial template for landing pages, and then customize each page with messaging and images that directly relate to the ad messaging linking to that page.
Each landing page will be designed for both mobile devices and desktop computers with mobile responsive code ensuring content renders consistently on tablets and smartphones.
Landing Page Content Outline
- Small Owner / Operators
- Large Owner / Operators
- Exhibitors
- CEO Touch Support
- Members
- Referral Program
- Misc. - tbd
Includes the Following:
- Account service
- Copywriting
- Visual concept development for landing page designs
- (2) sets of revisions
- Custom landing page development & programming
- Up to (7) landing pages
- Setup on HubSpot
Google® Adwords
Google® Adwords
To ensure Argentum is listed prominently for desktop and mobile searches relating to “senior living conference” and related search terms, Green Dot will setup, manage, track and optimize a search engine marketing campaign on Google. Our Google AdWords certified marketer can help you write targeted ads that cost less than your competitors are paying by optimizing each part of your campaign.
Includes the Following:
- Keyword research and competitive analysis
- Ad copywriting
- Campaign setup including targeting and restrictions
- A/B testing of ads
- Campaign management and optimization
- Conversion tracking and reporting (incl. phone call tracking)
Retargeting Display Ads
Retargeting Display Ads
Digital display ads are used to retarget all prospects who visited the Argentum Conference website but did not complete the desired action. These display ads can be shown to visitors from all traffic sources. The retargeting ads run on a wide network of websites that support display advertising and “follow” your prospects from site to site as the browse the net, giving you a second and third opportunity to close the deal.
Includes the Following:
- Account service
- Copywriting and concept development
- Design of banner ad creative
- Campaign management and optimization
- Tracking and monthly reporting
Analytics & Reporting
Analytics & Reporting
Green Dot ensures you know how your campaigns are performing at all times. Clients have direct access to the marketers working on their campaigns as well as to reporting platforms like Google Analytics (website performance), RavenTools (campaign performance) and Call Tracking Metrics (phone call lead tracking).
Includes the Following:
- Ongoing campaign tracking and analytics
- Ongoing campaign optimization based on data
- Google Analytics goal tracking setup and management
- Call Tracking Metrics – phone call tracking
- RavenTools for campaign KPI reporting
- Monthly account review
Media Spend & Management Fees
Media Spend & Management Fees
How much you spend on media every month is totally up to you. The more you spend, the greater your reach and frequency. Green Dot provides recommendations and guidance based on campaign performance and objectives, while allowing clients to adjust their budgets as needed.
Green Dot does not bill clients for media insertion, or require a minimum budget. Instead, we only invoice for media planning and campaign management. We manage and execute the media buys, create all ads, a/b test the ads, optimize your monthly spend (we may suggest increasing / decreasing the budget allocation depending on a channel’s performance) and report on the results.
All media expenditures are the responsibility of the client and are billed directly to the client by the media vendor or advertising platform. This approach creates pricing transparency and trust, while allowing media budgets to be adjusted as needed.
Green Dot includes these media management services at no additional charge with your marketing retainer up to the specified monthly threshold ($10k Jan, $17k Feb, $17k March, $5k April). Scaling the media buy beyond this baseline triggers a media management fee of 12% applied only to the net new spend above the included monthly threshold.
Services Summary & Pricing
Services Summary & Pricing
Event Ads and Messaging
Services include:
- Account Service
- Design & visual concept development
- Ad design & production – CEO
- Exhibitor ad package
- Ad design & production – Event
- Resize CEO ad to half page format
- Adapt general event ad to (3) banner sizes
- (2) sets of revisions
$3,500
HubSpot Email Drip Campaign
Services include:
- Account Service
- Copywriting – up to (15) emails
- Visual concept development for Argentum Conference emails
- (2) sets of revisions
- Layout and program email creative – up to (15) messages
- Setup on Hubspot and program workflow
$7,500
HubSpot Landing Pages
Services include:
- Account Service
- Copywriting – up to (7) landing pages
- Visual concept development for Argentum landing pages
- (2) sets of revisions
- Layout and program landing page creative – up to (7) pages
- Setup on Hubspot
$5,000
Referral Program
Services include:
- Account Service
- Copywriting – concept and offer
- Visual concept development for Argentum referral program
- (2) sets of revisions
- Adapt to social ads, display ads and custom monthly emails as needed – this phase is included with monthly services fees.
$1,800
Direct Mailers
Services include:
- Account Service
- Copywriting – concept for CEO touch
- Copywriting – messaging for postcard
- Visual concept development for CEO mailer
- Visual concept development for postcard
- (2) sets of revisions
- Printing and fulfillment not included
$3,500
Campaign Setup
One-time campaign setup fee includes:
- Tracking set up for all channels
- Phone call tracking set up
- Google Analytics set up
- Retargeting banner ad design
- Keyphrase research and new Adwords creative
- Facebook audience profiling & targeting
- Update branding for social channels
$4,500
Digital Marketing Services
Your marketing services package includes the following:
- Creative for social and search channels
- Page Management for Facebook
- Advertising for Facebook
- SEM using Google Adwords
- Retargeting ad management & creative
- Ongoing tracking & analytics- including access to the GD project portal and a campaign dashboard
- Monthly reporting
- Includes media management up to $10k per month**Additional media management beyond $10k per month is billed at 12% of ad spend.
$3,500 p/m
Suggested Monthly Media Spend
$50,000
Search: $1,500 – $2,500 p/m
Social: $3,000 – $7,000 p/m
Retargeting: $300 p/m
Email Marketing
Monthly content generation includes the following:
- Manage, monitor and optimize Hubspot drip campaign.
- Write, design and code (2) custom promotional emails
- Test & blast email
- Monthly performance report
$1,800 p/m
Projected Monthly Payments
| Month 1 | Month 2 | Month 3 | Month 4 | Month 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery | $3,500 | ||||
| Event Ads & Messaging | $3,500 | ||||
| HubSpot Email Drip | $4,000 | $3,500 | |||
| HubSpot Landing Pages | $2,500 | $2,500 | |||
| Referral Program | $1,800 | ||||
| Direct Mailers | $3,500 | ||||
| Digital Marketing Setup | $4,500 | ||||
| Digital Marketing | $3,500 | $3,500 | $3,500 | $3,500 | |
| Email Marketing | $1,800 | $1,800 | $1,800 | $1,800 | |
| Monthly Totals | $7,000 | $18,100 | $14,800 | $5,300 | $5,300 |
Social Advertising & Management
Social Advertising
With Facebook Ads the targeting options are almost endless and there are many customized audience groups we can reach with very specific messaging that resonates with their unique needs and the type of experience they hope to have at the conference. Through custom targeting and segmented messaging (90 characters or less), Facebook Ads can become a powerful channel for registrations.
Facebook can match up email addresses and phone numbers to Facebook users through the creation of a Custom Audience to target people Argentum is already in contact with. Ad creative will be tested and modified based on results. Call to Action buttons and text will be prominently featured near or in the headlines. Sub-headlines will be utilized.
Social Media Management
Integrating the messaging from Facebook posts with Facebook ads is of key importance to ensure prospects can find social proof for the claims and promises presented by the ads. Additionally, Facebook posts are intended to nurture your audience over time, reinforce primary benefits and provide multiple opportunities for them to visit the Argentum Conference website and register.
Includes the Following: