AMCI Marketing Plan 2014

Transcription

1 AMCI Marketing Plan 2014 Draft for Input and Discussion MEAC Meeting Presented by May 27, 2014

2 Table of Contents Page State of Play 3 The AMCI Brand 10 Strategy Road Map 12 Channels 14 Target Audiences 14 Tactical Plan 16 Roles & Responsibilities 21 Metrics 24 Outcomes 24 2

3 State of Play The AMC Institute has embarked on an ambitious plan to extend its very successful internal brand to engage and motivate key external audiences resulting in long-term relevancy, sustainability, growth for its member firms, and the industry as a whole. To do so with the greatest efficiency and effectiveness will require a commitment to creating, curating, seeding, and connecting the Institute s collective knowledge, data, best practices, and leadership with the key influencers and decision makers that will most benefit from the AMC model. Data needs to be turned into insights that are molded into content that is compelling, constantly refreshed, easily consumable, and readily shared. Ensuring this content is distributed through channels that are most resonant to AMCI s target audiences, and leads them back to engage online, will require a concerted, ongoing outreach that is measured for engagement, requests, and visibility. AMC Institute is embarking on a path to accelerate: Thought leadership; Brand awareness; Online community leadership; Engagement with target audiences; and The ability to generate, manage, and nurture leads. The end result is delivering on the plan outlined below, where success relies on a strategic, collaborative approach to education, marketing, business development, and innovation. 3

4 This path is aligned with the key goals of the organization, as outlined in its Vision, Mission and Scope: Vision The AMC Institute will be viewed as the leading organizations advance professional and high performance standards for the AMC industry. Mission To advance the business interests of member association management companies and the AMC industry. Scope The AMC Institute is the trade association representing the global AMC industry. The focus of the following plan is on creating integrated content and communications, with each tactic leveraging the next. It s not about putting the same message everywhere rather it s allowing each component, from content marketing to social media to community participation, play to its individual strengths and drive the potential client closer to conversion. 4

5 In determining key messages for AMCI s communications, the 2011 research was reviewed. Highlights from it that informed the plan include: Paid Staff Challenges The following chart points clear to the opportunity for the AMCI model with a key target: 5

6 Paid Staff Barriers Messaging will need to address these obstacles to adoption of services: 6

7 Volunteer Leader Challenges These issues mirror those of paid staff and underscore the resonance messaging around these challenges would have with AMCI s target: 7

8 Volunteer Leader Barriers The issue of control over outcomes is a key obstacle for the AMC model and focused messaging will be required to overcome them: 8

9 Influencer Opinions The advantages of the AMC model are clear, so our task is building the bridge between them and our target s need for control over their organization: 9

10 The AMCI Brand Marketing identifies, qualifies, and engages buyers - branding creates allegiance. Effectively communicating the core attributes, values, and characteristics of AMC Institute s brand will pull your target audiences into your messaging in the short term, and result in loyalty over the long. People want to associate with brands that share their beliefs, so its essential to clearly and consistently define AMCI s purpose, the value of the AMC model, and the benefits gained when interacting with each. Your products and services should be proof of the progress toward the world you're trying to build. The stories you tell need to demonstrate how your products and services are helping clients get there too. Stories work well for brands because of what they reveal about those who tell them. That's why brands with the most meaningful stories win as long as the meaning is relevant to the listener. While the AMCI brand has been effectively activated internally, some refinement in the Institute s approach to its external audiences is required to make the brand and its promise clear. Further definition of the brand s personality (e.g. tone and manner) is also needed to clearly guide the content development and personality of the brand in the social media space. Finally, the brand s visual identity needs to be applied more consistently and simply so that it is more easily understood by audiences. In an over-saturated marketplace, a consistent visual identity is an essential short cut in customer communications. The following examples of the AMCI brand in the social media space point to a need for a more focused approach: Twitter 10

11 LinkedIn YouTube 11

12 Strategy Road Map Navigate will work with the AMC Institute, the MEAC Committee and staff to leverage existing and tailor new messaging and positioning that will define and differentiate: The AMC Institute the organization that identifies and accredits leading association management companies, providing a forum for education, research, technology, and the development and implementation of best practices. The AMC model the concept that offers a proven highly effective and efficient alternative to stand-alone association management, as well as a la carte services to extend and enhance a single association s member services. Additionally, navigate will employ research results to craft targeted messages that promote the both the Institute and the model by leveraging strengths against target audience needs/areas of challenge, while mitigating barriers identified as potential concerns to overall AMC competencies. Navigate will design approaches that will address barriers head on through a focus on capacity for delivering: Sector expertise Association integrity and individuality Dedicated, knowledgeable staff Customized solutions Further engagement will be accomplished by promoting solution proof points in needed areas: Efficiency Financial health Responsiveness to member needs Our recommendations, approaches, and activities will be led and evaluated by AMC Institute s 2014 Strategic Plan, the advantage that AMC Institute has is that as a group we have a wealth of highly impactful, credible, thought-provoking content that would 12

13 allow us to deliver the right content to prospects at the right points in the buying cycle, which will help them take incremental steps toward selecting the AMC model as a solution for their association s needs. The plan has been constructed to fully support and deliver the necessary strategies and tactics for AMC Institute s Strategy 1.2: Market the value of the AMC model (extend brand reach and impact): 1. Develop, curate, and seed relevant content around the value of the AMC model, best practices, accreditation value, testimonials, and aggregate research findings; 2. Create a marketing outreach campaign/communications including prioritization of communication channels, designed to engage target audience (influencers and potential clients) and their communities of interest; 3. Assess and analyze seeding, placement, and engagement to determine most effective channels; 4. Ensure messaging alignment with online community; 5. Repurpose developed content on AMCI communication platforms to support value proposition; and 6. Ensure content development and curation beyond current member assets. 13

14 Channels Association-related sites such as ASAE, Association Forum of Chicago, etc. Industry publication advertising Social especially LinkedIn and Twitter for both paid and unpaid communications Journalists industry publications, traditional media (e.g. New York Times, Wall Street Journal) Online Bloggers, other influencers SEO, SEM Advertising in related influencer and association publications (promotional), Google AdWords Target Audiences External Association and non-profit volunteer leaders (board members, state affiliates and advisory boards) Association and non-profit staff (CEOs, department heads and staff with specific job functions) Influencers: individuals (ambassadors) who have access to and influence with staff or volunteer leadership, including: - Professional services firms (accounting, legal, etc.) - Hotels (sales & marketing staff) - Other AMCs - Industry consultants (marketing, education, meeting planning, strategic planning) - Association staff - Trade media/freelance writers Professional associations such as the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), IMEX, AIBTM, EIBTIM Regional societies of association executives: - Board members (current clients) - Content experts (social media/blogs, etc.) - Members in another AMC organization 14

15 - Educators of non-profit courses - Philanthropic volunteers Association and non-profit past presidents Non-member AMC firms Internal Member AMCs Associate members 15

16 Tactical Plan The plan will focus on key steps in the target s path to purchase and the influence of various tactics on our customer s decision-making and advocacy for the AMC model and services: 16

17 Content Development As mentioned previously, the focus of content development will be around key messages that reinforce the efficacy of the AMC model while overcoming target barriers to engagement of an AMC. The chart below provides a guideline to the content development approach, matching messaging with the customer s state of mind to ensure AMCI is seen as a credible thought leader and partner. What do B2B Customers Want? 17

18 Additional examples of engaging content to be developed could include: Polls or Questions Data Aggregation - predictors Pro Tips FAQs, Facts Regulation impact Client Shout-Outs/testimonials Community Events & Interests Cited Quotations and Expertise Whitepapers, webinars navigate, in conjunction with MEAC and AMCI staff, will assess available content and recommend additional content as required. It is understood that a content development plan has been devised and navigate will supplement its work as needed, including assistance with the development of an editorial calendar to ensure alignment in messaging. Content Distribution & Community Engagement The focus of efforts in the social media space will be on three key platforms, with an emphasis on driving engagement of target audiences and industry influencers. Each platform s strengths will be leveraged and the appropriate linkages between the social media channels and AMCI s website will be made. LinkedIn is the premiere channel for our target. AMCI s presence on the platform will be refocused on building and growing one open community, with relevant content that will position AMCI as a thought leader. The channel will also be used to identify trends, influencers, and additional content that can be utilized by AMCI. A clear visual identity will be established, the content calendar will be employed, and ongoing monitoring of the platform will be undertaken to enable AMCI to be opportunistic around engagement opportunities. 18

19 The Google+ platform is growing in importance for our target. Additionally, playing in Google s sandbox will assist with AMCI s overall online presence. A consistent brand visual identity will be applied to the platform and content developed for LinkedIn will be leveraged on this site. Twitter will continue to be utilized as a key channel for AMCI and will be activated with dedicated hashtags around key industry events to further enable and encourage engagement. Monitoring of relevant conversations on Twitter will further inform content development efforts. Media Relations Once appropriate content has been identified/developed, navigate will target industry and influencer related sites, as well as select business publications to distribute audience-relevant statistics, achievements, and trends to increase brand awareness and establish AMC Institute expertise and knowledge to a broader professional base. Data Analysis Review and revision of online member questionnaire Data analysis compilation Accessing information on: Association trends overview, spending, growth pattern, most outsourced services, information communications, predictive membership growth, priority member benefits, millennial behavior, face to face meetings, virtual meetings, technology needs, prioritizing communications channels Sector trends e.g. education, scientific, professional services Competitive intelligence what s working, what s not, what s not there at all 19

20 Additional Opportunities New website aligned with keywords/google Industry face to face: ASAE August video content capture, f2f selling at ASAE booth Other industry meetings opportunity to record member sessions? Influencer trade shows (based on pre-education effort) Overview of Approach 20

21 Metrics Final metrics will be determined with AMCI staff and with the input of MEAC. Recommended KPIs should include: Site traffic Leads (RFP submissions) Keyword improvement Adword click-thrus New content created (videos, articles, data points) Content posted to external sites Content shared LinkedIn group members and engagement Google + presence Twitter members and engagement Member newsletter click-thrus Video views Member satisfaction (based on survey/research) Outcomes With the successful implementation of the marketing plan, we anticipate the following outcomes: Increased positive awareness of association management companies, the value proposition of the AMC model, and the benefits and insights gained through engagement with AMC Institute and its members, among your target audiences; Increased business opportunities to increase growth and opportunity for AMC Institute members; Qualified traffic and sustained interaction with the AMC Institute online community and website; Heightened awareness of AMC Institute member thought leadership and expertise; and Ongoing engagement and extension of reach through content. 21