December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks1 Positioning and Message

Developing a 2008 Strategic Marketing Plan That Delivers Results America Outdoors Confluence TM 2007 Julie Thorner - WillowWorks America Outdoors Confluence TM 2007 Julie Thorner - WillowWorks

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks3 Our Workshop Goals / Understand what a strategic marketing plan really is and how it can help you / Offer a process & template for developing your plan that works for busy outfitters / Build a framework for your 2008 plan, identifying key categories and initiatives / Take away the 5 planning support tools that will make your efforts more efficient / Understand what a strategic marketing plan really is and how it can help you / Offer a process & template for developing your plan that works for busy outfitters / Build a framework for your 2008 plan, identifying key categories and initiatives / Take away the 5 planning support tools that will make your efforts more efficient

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks4 Our Workshop Process / Roll up our sleeves and start creating the primary objectives and key categories of our 2008 marketing plans / We’ll use a small workgroups approach and collaborate to learn from our collective successes and failures / Roll up our sleeves and start creating the primary objectives and key categories of our 2008 marketing plans / We’ll use a small workgroups approach and collaborate to learn from our collective successes and failures

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks5 Hah! - A Real Marketing Plan? / Who has the time to write a plan? I have a business to run! / No one will read it anyway. / It’ll be outdated before the ink is dry. / It’s overwhelming - where do I begin? / It sounds so terribly “planned”, where’s the spontaneity? / But then my objectives will actually be “out there”- what if I miss them? / Who has the time to write a plan? I have a business to run! / No one will read it anyway. / It’ll be outdated before the ink is dry. / It’s overwhelming - where do I begin? / It sounds so terribly “planned”, where’s the spontaneity? / But then my objectives will actually be “out there”- what if I miss them?

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks6 Three Parts to the Marketing Plan Process / Strategic planning: pre-season / Blocking and tackling: in-season / Closing the loop (tracking): in-season and end-of-season / Strategic planning: pre-season / Blocking and tackling: in-season / Closing the loop (tracking): in-season and end-of-season

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks7 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Are Your Friend / Identify them. / Track them. / Report on them. / Take all learnings and adjust your next marketing initiatives appropriately. / Celebrate your wins in real-time (but only if you know your relevant KPIs). / Be accountable. It’s refreshing. / Identify them. / Track them. / Report on them. / Take all learnings and adjust your next marketing initiatives appropriately. / Celebrate your wins in real-time (but only if you know your relevant KPIs). / Be accountable. It’s refreshing.

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks8 First Things First: Big Picture 2008 Objectives / Define your company objectives: e.g. / 10% increase in revenues / 6% increase in profits / Define your marketing objectives: e.g. / Promote “Destination NOC” / Focus on online marketing initiatives to communicate with guests & prospects / Grow our guest database / Develop presence in Atlanta market / Define your company objectives: e.g. / 10% increase in revenues / 6% increase in profits / Define your marketing objectives: e.g. / Promote “Destination NOC” / Focus on online marketing initiatives to communicate with guests & prospects / Grow our guest database / Develop presence in Atlanta market

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks9 The Forest and The Trees: Its Important to Check Both / Use your Marketing & Sales Budget to help see the 50,000 foot view by making sure that your category spend % allocation maps to your major initiatives. / Use your Executive Summary to make sure that your plan details truly reflect your company and marketing goals. (Write it last.) / Use your Marketing & Sales Budget to help see the 50,000 foot view by making sure that your category spend % allocation maps to your major initiatives. / Use your Executive Summary to make sure that your plan details truly reflect your company and marketing goals. (Write it last.)

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks10 The Well-Integrated Marketing Plan: 10 “Super-Categories” 1. Online: Website, campaigns, online ads, PPC, blogs, podcasts, video, etc. 2. Customer Database Development: Direct mail and campaigns 3. Offline: Print ads, publications, brochure distribution, mass media (radio, TV) 4. Onsite Materials: Signs, posters, billboards, banners, flags, etc. 1. Online: Website, campaigns, online ads, PPC, blogs, podcasts, video, etc. 2. Customer Database Development: Direct mail and campaigns 3. Offline: Print ads, publications, brochure distribution, mass media (radio, TV) 4. Onsite Materials: Signs, posters, billboards, banners, flags, etc.

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks11 The Well-Integrated Marketing Plan: Super-Categories, cont. 5. Direct Sales: call center, group accounts 6. Press/Public Relations: print, online, social networking 7. Special Events: support, development, sponsorship goals, cause marketing 8. Intra-Company Marketing Communication: Most relevant for companies with > 15 employees. 5. Direct Sales: call center, group accounts 6. Press/Public Relations: print, online, social networking 7. Special Events: support, development, sponsorship goals, cause marketing 8. Intra-Company Marketing Communication: Most relevant for companies with > 15 employees.

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks12 The Well-Integrated Marketing Plan: Super-Categories, cont. 9. Geo-Market Targets: Goals within identified geographic markets for product /service specific offerings 10. Customer-Specific Market Targets: Goals within identified industry segments or customer groups for specific offerings (families, kids, seniors, etc.) 9. Geo-Market Targets: Goals within identified geographic markets for product /service specific offerings 10. Customer-Specific Market Targets: Goals within identified industry segments or customer groups for specific offerings (families, kids, seniors, etc.)

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks13 The 5 Elements of Every Category 1. Strategy: What 2. Purpose: Why 3. Implementation Plan (Tactics): How 4. Key Changes from Prior Year: Learnings put to use 5. Measurement: So what 1. Strategy: What 2. Purpose: Why 3. Implementation Plan (Tactics): How 4. Key Changes from Prior Year: Learnings put to use 5. Measurement: So what

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks14 Strategy / The “What”: what does this category of initiatives do to drive our business goals?

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks15 Purpose / The “Why”: why is the initiative in our plan; or what is it supposed to accomplish? / This step helps weed out ideas that sound good, but don’t actually deliver what we need to achieve our goals / The “Why”: why is the initiative in our plan; or what is it supposed to accomplish? / This step helps weed out ideas that sound good, but don’t actually deliver what we need to achieve our goals

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks16 Implementation Plan (Tactics) / The “How”: how will we implement or execute our strategy to achieve our stated purposes?

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks17 Key Changes from Prior Year / What is different in 2008 from 2007? / How have we addressed any weaknesses in our 2007 marketing efforts or results? / What is different in 2008 from 2007? / How have we addressed any weaknesses in our 2007 marketing efforts or results?

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks18 Measurement / The “So What”: How will we measure the results of these initiatives and determine success (enter KPIs)

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks19 Supporting Tools To Your Plan 1. Marketing & Sales Budget Template 2. Master Marketing Calendar 1. Media & PR Calendar 2. Enews Editorial Calendar 3. E-Offers Calendar 3. Direct Sales Calendar 1. Marketing & Sales Budget Template 2. Master Marketing Calendar 1. Media & PR Calendar 2. Enews Editorial Calendar 3. E-Offers Calendar 3. Direct Sales Calendar

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks20 More Useful Tools 6. Strategic Creative Brief: for overall Company Positioning and Ad Campaigns 7. Ad Spec Sheet 8. Integrated Direct Sales Framework Friday’s workshop Campaign-driven Advertising and Integrating Direct Sales teaches you how to put these tools to work for your company. 6. Strategic Creative Brief: for overall Company Positioning and Ad Campaigns 7. Ad Spec Sheet 8. Integrated Direct Sales Framework Friday’s workshop Campaign-driven Advertising and Integrating Direct Sales teaches you how to put these tools to work for your company.

December 6, 2007AO Confluence TM - WillowWorks21 Test, learn, track, and measure. Go on. Be a marketing hero.