Apps as a Marketing Tool

At Werkshop, we have been at this “DIG business” for a long time. For almost two years, we have been working to deliver interesting and informative marketing conversation in the form of the DIG events. We love doing it, and sessions like the one that we held today makes every second we spend building the educational arm of the agency – the Werkshop Institute -  worth it.

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. Marketing as a discipline has changed over the past eighteen months. We’ve moved from a static box of tools to an ever-evolving menu of marketing options. And now, as marketers, we have added smart phone “Apps” as a powerful and engaging option. Apps aren’t effective if they are used all on their own, but if incorporated into a well-planned marketing recipe – they can deliver a beautiful result.

In today’s session, we covered App basics, the App Economy and discussed how developers are making money. Knowing that there are more than 270,000 Apps in the AppStore proves the point that with a crowded market comes the need for marketing attention and a solid strategy behind their development. The concept that Apps can be used to market brands and products is widely accepted, but the concept that Apps must be marketed to be successfully received may not be occurring to developers and marketers alike. I hope today’s talk clarified both topics for the participants.

I want to thank today’s guest speaker, Brian Cauble of Appsolute Genius. His company is a great ally, and his knowledge makes us better!

In closing, I want to call attention to my thoughts about things to consider before creating an App for your company.

1.  Does developing and promoting an app help my company meet certain objectives?
2.  What business model is right for meeting our goals?
3.  What partnerships are possible that might make my app more appealing, or easier to market?
4.  What is my plan for marketing the app once it is built? (note: PR isn’t enough)
5.  How will I measure the app’s effectiveness and ROI?
6.  Is my app sustainable?
7.  How long do I have in the marketplace before a competitor surfaces?

View the presentation below.

Holly

Consumer Behavior

Fellow Consumers — we had some good times discussing our quirky behavior this past Tuesday at our Bowling Green DIG. For those of you who missed it, you missed some pure entertainment. We learned that although we all consume – we consume very differently. I enjoyed the conversation and interaction. As you focus on your own business and entity, remember that you can be a part of the consumer’s behavior patterns and processes.

One of the best ways to influence consumer behavior is to give buyers an acceptable motive. If marketers can convince consumers that they need a product or service for some “legitimate” reason, consumers will be more likely to make a purchase.

I look forward to seeing each of you at future DIGs.
Tim

Brainstorming

Like most Creatives I brainstorm for a living, but I had never really broken down or analyzed my brainstorming process until Holly started peppering me with questions about it. Brainstorming to me is all about collaborating, so when we were planning how to structure the Brainstorming DIG on 8/26 I immediately knew that putting together a panel of fellow brainstormers to discuss the topic was definitely the way to go. When I was choosing the panel I treated it like a brainstorming session, pulling together a variety of people who come from different scenarios (in-house and agency) as well as from different head spaces (email, web, media production, print design and marketing strategy) but who participate in the formal and informal act of brainstorming all the time. Thank you to Chris Blanz, Allison Davis and John Hussey for participating!

I guess I would peg my style within any creative project as “strategic/organic” which mainly just means that I always have clear goals in mind and do tons of research but arrive at my solutions in a very organic way. Creating a spark, layering ideas and collaboration are the key. Below are a few of my tips to help you have a productive brainstorming effort:

1. Know your goal. What problem are you trying to solve?
2. Use a group. Keep your group lean and mean and get the right variety. Maybe invite the accountant or someone who comes from a different head space.
3. Write down everything and encourage others to do the same.
4. Make sure there is a moderator who can guide the group (politics and all) through an effective session.
5. Give all participants equal time to share. A good moderator will encourage this to happen.
6. Embrace the ridiculous- even those ideas could lead to an effective solution.

Keep those creative juices flowing.

NEXT NASHVILLE DIG: Thursday, August 26 (Brainstorming)

WERKSHOP INSTITUTE PRESENTS
THE AUGUST NASHVILLE DIG:

Brainstorming

Thursday, August 26
8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Register for FREE at http://nashvilleaugustdig.eventbrite.com

Where? First Tennessee Corporate Offices

2525 West End Avenue, Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37203
Parking will be validated. Light breakfast will be served.

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Brainstorming. The daunting task of revving up those creative juices to come up with unique and amazing solutions. No pressure right? So how do you get from point A to point B in this process? While there is no standardized handbook to guide you through there certainly are different techniques to get there. We have handpicked some creatives who certainly have done their share of brainstorming for clients and we’ll be gathering for a panel discussion on the topic. Please join us and share your brainstorming techniques as well.

Please post any questions you have about brainstorming on our Facebook page here. We will include them in our discussion at the DIG.

Panel: Chris Blanz – Cabedge (“webcentric” agency), Allison Davis – Emma (in-house creative/email marketing service), John Hussey – PK Pictures (Film/TV/Media production house) and our own Jenn Sheets – Werkshop Marketing (Agency for Marketing & Creative Strategy and execution).

About the Panel:

Chris Blanz
Cabedge’s CEO and Creative director, Chris, holds to the philosophy “Find something you love doing and figure out how to get paid to do it.” After nearly 20 years in the industry, it seems like this idea of following one’s passions just might work. You should get to know him if only so he’ll tell you the story of how he once blew up a gas station. Don’t worry…it wasn’t intentional and nobody was hurt. That is…nobody except his parents’ insurance policy.

Allison Davis
Allison is Emma’s creative director, overseeing Emma’s own brand identity work and design. She created the original Emma face (arms and chin to follow) and guides the visual brand for all of our advertising and marketing collateral. A graduate of Miami (OH) University’s fine arts program, Allison studied graphic design and painting, which explains her awfully impressive eye for color and composition. While at Miami, she also dabbled in metalsmithing, which explains her eye for, well, metal and stuff. When she’s not designing Emma customers’ templates, Allison enjoys spending time with her cats, watching Japanese Anime and explaining the meaning of Japanese Anime to the cats.

John Hussey
Director, Producer, and Senior Editor has been with PK Pictures since 1995. He feels that wearing many different hats keeps things interesting and rewarding. A six time Emmy award winner, John has garnered the honor for Editing, Sound Design, and Producing/Directing of both Children’s and Informational/Instructional Programing. A Geffen recording artist in the 1980’s, John’s band Little America toured in support of two top ten singles and MTV airplay. His musical background infuses every project with an uncanny sense of timing relating both to music and the rhythm of the spoken word.

Jenn Sheets
Originally schooled in psychology and special ed, New Englander Jennifer Sheets eventually landed in the wild world of marketing — a place where the psych degree has come in handy. She oversees all aspects of Werkshop’s creative execution and plays a big role in strategy sessions. “I love what I do because it allows me to use both the analytical and creative sides of my brain. It makes for an achy brain sometimes, but it keeps me on my toes and keeps my ideas fresh. Where else would I use the particular set of skills I’ve acquired over the years — Special Ed, Psychology, Visual Communications, Marketing — I mean, really?” Adventure, determination and quick thinking are in Jenn’s blood- she has a relative that was on the Mayflower- the only known person who managed to reboard the ship after falling off.

NEXT BOWLING GREEN DIG: Tuesday, August 31 (Consumer Behavior)

WERKSHOP INSTITUTE PRESENTS
THE AUGUST BOWLING GREEN DIG:

Consumer Behavior: It’s Both Logical and Irrational at the Same Time

We don’t know about you, but we are completely intrigued by the decisions we as consumers make when we buy things. We all have our reasons for why we buy certain brands, why we shop at certain stores, why we drive the cars we do, and why we don’t buy other brands. Be a part of this very engaging and interactive DIG session. We look forward to seeing you.

Tuesday, August 31
8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Sponsored by Citizens First & Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce

Register for FREE at http://bgaugustdig.eventbrite.com.

Where? Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce
710 College Street
Light breakfast will be served. Compliments of Citizens First.

NEXT NASHVILLE DIG: Tuesday, September 14th (Social Media: All Risk and No Reward?)

WERKSHOP INSTITUTE PRESENTS
THE SEPTEMBER NASHVILLE DIG:

Social Media: All Risk and No Reward?

The importance of developing sound policies and practices concerning
use of social media as an employer and preventing employee misuse.

Special Guest Speakers:
Jennifer Rusie & Jonathan Harris of Ogletree Deakins

Tuesday, September 14th
8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Register for FREE at http://nashvilleseptemberdig.eventbrite.com

Where? First Tennessee Corporate Offices

2525 West End Avenue, Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37203
Parking will be validated. Light breakfast will be served.

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About Our Special Guests:

Jennifer Rusie joined the Nashville, Tennessee office of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart in October 2006. Prior to her arrival at Ogletree Deakins, Ms. Rusie concentrated her practice on general commercial litigation. Ms. Rusie now focuses her practice primarily in the areas of labor and employment law. Ms. Rusie has experience representing management in all types of employment matters before, federal and state trial and appellate courts and administrative agencies including representing and counseling clients regarding discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful discharge, breach of employment contracts, public policy claims and wage and hour issues. She also has experience working on traditional labor law matters including union election campaigns, NLRB hearings, labor arbitrations and unfair labor practice.

Ms. Rusie graduated from New York University School of Law and received her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Vanderbilt University, with a BA in American Studies.

Jonathan Harris joined Ogletree Deakins in July 2003 and concentrates his practice in employment litigation. Mr. Harris has acted as the responsible attorney in numerous cases under Title VII, the ADEA, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, THRA, and other state and federal employment laws. He represents employers in single plaintiff claims as well as in class action litigation. Mr. Harris handles litigation at both the trial level and on appeal.

Mr. Harris enjoys speaking on employment issues and works with clients on preventive strategies to avoid discrimination, retaliation and other employment claims. From 2000 to 2001, Mr. Harris served as a law clerk for the Honorable E. Richard Webber, a United States District Judge in the Eastern District of Missouri.

NEXT BOWLING GREEN DIG: Thursday, September 23rd (Social Media: All Risk and No Reward?)

WERKSHOP INSTITUTE
PRESENTS
THE SEPTEMBER BOWLING GREEN DIG:

Social Media:
All Risk and No Reward?

The importance of developing sound policies and practices concerning
use of social media as an employer and preventing employee misuse.

Special Guest Speakers:
Jennifer Rusie & Jonathan Harris of Ogletree Deakins

Thursday, September 23
8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Bowling Green

Register for Free at http://bgseptemberdig.eventbrite.com/

Sponsored by Citizens First
& Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce

Where?
Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce
710 College Street
Light breakfast will be served. Compliments of Citizens First.
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About Our Special Guests:

Jennifer Rusie joined the Nashville, Tennessee office of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart in October 2006. Prior to her arrival at Ogletree Deakins, Ms. Rusie concentrated her practice on general commercial litigation. Ms. Rusie now focuses her practice primarily in the areas of labor and employment law. Ms. Rusie has experience representing management in all types of employment matters before, federal and state trial and appellate courts and administrative agencies including representing and counseling clients regarding discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful discharge, breach of employment contracts, public policy claims and wage and hour issues. She also has experience working on traditional labor law matters including union election campaigns, NLRB hearings, labor arbitrations and unfair labor practice.
Ms. Rusie graduated from New York University School of Law and received her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Vanderbilt University, with a BA in American Studies.

Jonathan Harris joined Ogletree Deakins in July 2003 and concentrates his practice in employment litigation. Mr. Harris has acted as the responsible attorney in numerous cases under Title VII, the ADEA, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, THRA, and other state and federal employment laws. He represents employers in single plaintiff claims as well as in class action litigation. Mr. Harris handles litigation at both the trial level and on appeal.
Mr. Harris enjoys speaking on employment issues and works with clients on preventive strategies to avoid discrimination, retaliation and other employment claims. From 2000 to 2001, Mr. Harris served as a law clerk for the Honorable E. Richard Webber, a United States District Judge in the Eastern District of Missouri.

May Bowling Green DIG: PR 101

Toyota. Ring a bell? Yeah, figured it did. Come on, tell me what you really feel about this brand, especially now. They’ve taken a few sucker punches in the last few months haven’t they? It was through their PR efforts, or lack thereof, that we learned just how damaging a situation can become. At our Bowling Green DIG last week, David Green shared with us his philosophy of good PR and how we all should go about such activities.

If you have a hunch that PR should be a part of your daily marketing efforts, you’ve probably got a good hunch. Build a solid plan and make it happen.

For a more in depth look at PR101, see David’s presentation below.

An Ode to the Early Adopters of Social Marketing

I have a confession. I am not an “early adopter.” I said it out loud! I am NOT AN EARLY ADOPTER!!! I’m not sure WHAT to call myself, because professionally, I am a studier, predictor, strategy finder and lover of our early adopting friends. I know them, understand them and appreciate how they, as consumers of our client’s goods and services, keep us marketing types on our toes. They surprise us, and cause us to innovate. I “heart” them.

This group of trend setters has served as the engine behind the ever evolving discipline of social marketing. They have survived a million Google BETA tests and continue to be vocal when FaceBook screws up again. To them, I say, “Adopt on, my friends.” I’ll be watching, learning and once you have it all figure out, I’ll download the app.

For a more cerebral version of my “Ode to Social Marketing and the Early Adopters who we have to give thanks,” see the presentation below.

The Business of Sports

Yesterday’s DIG in Nashville was a special treat. My friend and client, Rob Bironas, was our special guest. Rob and I spent the 90 minutes talking about the business of football. We broke down the “org chart” of the NFL and even talked about how the athletes make money. Rob talked about the ins and outs of the “Franchise Tag” and about roster bonuses, but also about why he made the decision to handle his career with a plan in mind. Rob not only has a degree in Marketing from Auburn, but he understands that there is life after football. Check out his “Top 10 List” for insight into how he approaches his career and marketing his image.