Brandstorm

How do you go about getting your products in shopping feeds? On this episode of #Brandstorm, meet the co-founder and chief architect of Feedonomics, an advanced shopping feed management system that easily lets you import, optimize, and feed products to multiple channels like Google Shopping, Amazon, eBay and just about anywhere else.

What is Feedonomics?

Brian Roizen and his brother never set out to create a shopping feed management system. They were both working at an ad agency and were responsible for getting their clients' products on online shopping channels. Out of frustration with having to work with clunky, legacy feed platforms that needed far more scale, had bad customer service and lengthy contracts, the brothers wondered what would happen if they changed the product data around? 

Almost immediately, their clients' products started showing up in feeds. By using rich keywords that people search for in the product titles, descriptions and other attributes of products data, they were able to get the products to perform better.

 It was a Eureka moment and the start of a new company. Feedonomics is now a full-service feed platform that works with 30 percent of the top 1,000 retailers. Its 110 employees provide 24/7 support with offices in the U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Philippines, South Africa and the United Kingdom.  

Getting Started

Large or small, if you are a retailer with prices and inventory that change frequently, Brian says it makes sense to be working with a feed management system. Feedonomics charges a flat, monthly rate that usually runs about $200 - $300 and there are no contracts to comply with. Ad spending is over and above the monthly fee and is handled by the client or ad agency. Feedonomics simply manages shopping feeds.

To get started, Feedonomics needs a way to get your product data into the system. The company has created dozens of application-programming interfaces, or APIs, with the most common e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Magento and Square Space. If you are still working with a legacy feed platform, Feedonomics can crawl your website to create the feed as well. It typically takes about three weeks to go live. 

Feedonomics works with just about every advertising channel and marketplace in existence, including search channels like Bing and Google Shopping, remarketing channels Facebook and AdRoll, affiliate channels like Pepperjam and Commission Junction and even the shopping behemoths like Amazon.

Connect with Brian

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://feedonomics.com/

"Know Your Customer." It's the mantra of GlobalWebIndex (GWI), a company that creates and administers the world's largest survey on the digital consumer, representing 2.5 billion consumers in 45 countries. On this episode of #Brandstorm, we talk to Chris Hopkins, a sales development representative at GWI, about how to use its massive database to build out consumer profiles.

Humble Beginnings

Founder Tom Smith started GWI in a room in his house. Today, GWI has locations in New York, London, and Greece. He previously worked for MRM/McCann in the strategy, analytics and insights department. About the time social media emerged with MySpace and Facebook in 2006/07, clients began asking how they could get research about what consumers were doing and how they were interacting online. As an entrepreneur and visionary, Tom Smith left the agency to develop his own business model and dashboard. He reached out to thousands of potential clients about his company, but only needed one to take off. In 2009, Microsoft came on board as his first client and has been with GWI ever since.

The GWI Model

GWI creates its own surveys on a quarterly basis using panel providers around the world to administer them to consumers. Fresh, new respondents are used every quarter. The company's goal is to gather the full digital life of a consumer.  In additions to demographics, it also focuses on psychographics to understand the attitudes and behaviors of consumers, including purchasing habits, online activities, media consumption, interactions with brands and how much time people spend on Facebook versus Twitter.

Chris says the company offers its services primarily to advertising agencies, publishers and brands. The GWI platform, which is subscription-based, brings the data together and gives clients the tools to run their own research with the help of its team. The client provides the who and what and GWI gives the how and why.

With 35,000 data points, the dashboard can validate and segment audiences, and be used to collect data for new business pitches, avoid stagnation and find new growth opportunities. Chris tells us about Welch's Grape, a company that had typically targeted women because it believes moms or females were the primary food shoppers. Using GWI, Welch's discovered the primary shoppers were males and dads and were able to build a new campaign targeting them.

Connect with Chris

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/christopherjhopkins

Phone: 646-565-7116

Website: globalwebindex.com

What do you do when you work in tourism and realize your state is dead last in places people want to visit? You come up with a new campaign! Nebraska revealed their state's new slogan back in October. It immediately went viral for its honesty and self-deprecating humor. In this episode of #Brandstorm, we talk to the Nebraska Tourism Commission's Executive Director, John Ricks, and the campaign's Creative Director, Kirk Ruhnke, about its origins.

Nebraska…honestly, it's not for everyone

From the moment this campaign hit the newsstands, it was a viral sensation. John says the campaign was built from the outside-in based on extensive research that was done with visitors outside the state of Nebraska. Folks from Denver, Kansas City Minneapolis, Wichita, and Des Moines gave their honest opinions about the state and it wasn't good. For one, many people did not recognize Nebraska as being in the leisure travel category, and even worse, there was brand apathy. No one even cared.

They needed a slap in the face to change the negative perceptions of Nebraska. As creative director, Kirk was able to do this so eloquently by acknowledging those negative perceptions and then giving them a unique hook to talk about very positive things in a humorous, self-deprecating manner.

John says they also used values-based marketing, and the value they landed on for Nebraska was honesty...a humble culture with a unique sense of humor. They found those quirky things about Nebraska and transcended them into things to see and do. 

No campaign can convince everyone, and according to Kirk, they aren't even trying to. If you are one of Nebraska's out-of–state neighbors and you like to explore and find quirky things to do, the state welcomes you.

Campaign Reaction

When the campaign was first revealed, the state's major newspaper, Omaha World Herald, did a poll to see how Nebraskans felt about the campaign. John says 75 percent were for it. There was some pushback, but it was mainly people who felt the campaign made fun of the state when in fact it did just the opposite. The media gave a lot of print space and air time to explain the campaign thoroughly. Stories appeared in the Washington Post, on CNN, the Stephen Colbert Show and NPR's "All Things Considered," to name just a few. While the Tourism Commission has a $6.6 million budget, the state has earned $7.2 million in free publicity, and it hasn't spent a dime yet on advertising.

Is it Working?

In addition to the millions garnered in earned media, John says there is hard evidence that the campaign is working well. Nebraska has a 1% lodging tax and so far, this year, revenues are up by 5%.  Its biggest seasons, spring and summer, have only just begun.

Back in the Wisconsin Days

John, Kirk and Nancy worked together on Wisconsin tourism in the late 1980s. Although the two state campaigns are quite different, they remember working on another successful tourism campaign targeting Chicagoans. The border between the two states was once called the "tension line." Chicagoans crossed the border into Wisconsin for leisure time and relaxation. Billboards strategically placed along the states' borders simply read, "Wisconsin. Chicago's State Park."

The Nebraska tourism campaign officially launched on April 1. You can see the print and TV ads in Denver, Wichita, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Des Moines and Sioux Falls.

Connect with Nebraska Tourism Commission:

Website: VisitNebraska.com

Email John Ricks: [email protected]

What's the secret to a great radio campaign? If anyone knows it is today's guest. Having written, directed and produced more than 1,000 award-winning national and international radio spots, Dan Price is the president, owner and partner at Oink Ink Radio, the oldest and largest radio ad agency in the U.S.

Oink Ink Radio

What's the story behind the name Oink Ink Radio. Honestly, Dan wishes it was funnier. When Dan left a New York-based production company to join another in Los Angeles, both companies got into a heated legal battle over him.  Dan decided to go on his own with the name "Ham Radio."  The Internet was barely invented at the time, so he was initially unaware that there was another company, also based in New York, doing the same thing with the same name. Having already created the artwork, logo and rubber pig noses to promote his new company, Dan realized their company name had to be at least pig-related. Hence, Oink Ink Radio.

Impact of Technology on Radio

Dan says the newest technology impacting what they do is short form and dynamic radio. The short form forces the writer to create an ad so simple, it can easily be understood in 5- to 15-seconds.

Dynamic radio is a little more complicated. It's the real-time compilation of an audio spot on the fly using data points like weather, time of day, or day of the week. It can be highly targeted depending on who is listening, on what device, the activities they are participating in or the music they enjoy. New, highly customized spots are created by selecting pieces of audio with these various recorded data points and assembling them together instantly. Dan says it's an incredible way to be more relevant and is something that traditional radio is not yet able to do.

Other new audio platforms include streaming, podcasting, sonic branding and soon-to-be voice command and in-car. In Dan's opinion, traditional radio will never die, but it will be consumed differently.

Four Elements to Great Radio Copy

No radio spot should ever be produced without achieving the following:

1. It needs to immediately gain the attention of the listener.
2. It must tell a relatable story to engage the listener.
3. It should solve a problem using the product or service.
4. Must reward the listener for the time they gave the ad in a creative or clever way.

Dan provides three radio spots that demonstrate the effective use of these elements.

Talent is also critical. Oink has a rule that all scripts are written to the half-second before they go into a studio to record. Most scripts come in much shorter than standard spot times, so that more time is spent with the talent and less on trying to cut precious seconds to make the copy fit.

Ad Budgets

While Dan works with larger brands that do not have as many concerns over budget, Dan believes clients should invest more on the front end creating the radio spots, perhaps spending 15 percent of the media budget instead of 5 percent. This is particularly true when the client is spending a lot of money on the backend to advertise.

The State of Radio

Dan says radio is here to stay and is arguably the hottest medium at the moment. Radio is intimate, personal and very powerful. If he was to predict the next advances in audio advertising, Dan thinks it will involve interactive voice command and connected home.

Connect with Oink Ink Radio

Oink Ink Radio Twitter: twitter.com/OinkInk

Oink Ink Radio Facebook: facebook.com/OinkInkRadio/

Oink Ink Radio LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/oink-ink-radio/

Dan Price Facebook: facebook.com/dan.price.940

Dan Price LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danpriceoinkink/

Dan Price Email: [email protected]

Dan Price Phone: 212-334-5800  

When the craft brew industry took off, it wasn't surprising to see a new industry emerge…the craft brew pub. One of the more interesting franchise concepts is Growler USA Kitchen & Taphouse. Its president, John Kutac, talks about its success in this episode.

The Growler USA Concept

"True to the Brew" is the Growler USA® Kitchen & Taphouse trademark. The concept combines America's interest in craft beer with the power of franchising. Its visually stunning display of up to 100 taps, featuring regional and local microbrews, is delivered to its customers the same way it is at the brewery. Growler USA uses the same specs, including the equipment, pressure and delivery system, that is used at the brewery. 

These beverages are complemented by a chef-driven menu in a comfortable, neighborhood atmosphere.

Currently, there are 31 locations in 19 states, including Hawaii. Started in Eugene, OR, the Growler concept has gone through several iterations. The original concept was literally a Growler Filling Station for customers to get beer to go. One of the founders, Steve Hurt, visited the location, was intrigued by the concept and bought it. Growler USA then morphed into a tap house with a limited kitchen to what it is today. Just recently launched, it is now officially named the Growler USA Kitchen & Taphouse and is a full-scale restaurant with 100 regional and local taps.

The Franchisee Profile

Most of the early adopters of Growler USA were beer makers who had been home-brewing for decades. Today's franchise owners are more typically entrepreneurs who are investing in partnerships and treating it more as a business operation. John

says most of the franchise owners are driven and have excelled in the professional arena in some way. Despite their accomplishments, John believes the best franchise owners are the individuals who can check their egos at the door. He encourages owners to be honest, know their limitations, and hire and train people to fill in the necessary gaps.

Training & Certifications

Once the franchise agreement has been signed, John says the owners go through a university set up for about a week to learn about the software system and real estate and construction process. Then, they through three weeks of hands-on training running the back of the house, or kitchen, for two weeks and spending the last week training at the front of the house.

Just prior to opening, the franchisor sends in its own team…one who works in the kitchen with the employees and another who works with the servers and beer-tenders in the front of the house. Leading up to the opening, there are bi-weekly phone calls and lots of testing along the way. 

Every employee is also required to get a Cicerone Certification, a program to educate beer professionals in a way that elevates the customer experience.

The Local Flavor

Johns says finding local microbrews to fill 100 taps is almost never a problem. Most cities and towns have three to six distributors that handle all the craft beers in the area. Distributors and microbrews are very supportive of the Growler USA concept because of its "true to the brew" attention to detail and focus on USA craft beer breweries. Like the microbrews, Growler USA pubs are ensconced in their communities. Events, fund-raisers, clubs and tastings take place almost every night.

Franchise Investment

Investments will vary depending on the real estate footprint but is typically between $600,000 to $900,000.

Connect with John

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 303-210-1419

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-kutac-56a0621/

Company Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growlerusafranchise/

Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growler_usa/

Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growler-usa/

Exhibiting at trade shows is a great way to build your brand, meet new customers and strengthen the relationships you've already made. Unfortunately, small businesses often avoid trade shows because they cost too much. Maybe you're a startup business that has never exhibited before, or maybe you've managed a show before, but it didn't produce the results you expected. In the first of two parts, on this episode, we talk to Candy Adams about best practices for putting on a profitable show. Candy is so experienced at producing trade shows, she affectionately known as the Booth Mom.

Candy Adams

Candy was affectionately nicknamed the Booth Mom by a booth staffer in the early '90s for her nurturing personality and knowledge of the trade show industry. First and foremost, she thinks of herself as a mama bear, protecting her clients against unscrupulous individuals at trade shows who prey on rookies. Always looking for value for her clients, Candy never spends a penny where she doesn't have to. When she began freelancing in 1996, she realized her nickname was actually her brand, so she officially registered her nickname as the Booth Mom.

Duties of the Booth Mom

Candy says her primary duty is leading clients through the trade show maze. Do they understand their target market? What is the brand they want to project? What trade shows are where their customers are? What kind of exhibit will be the client's face and how will they display the brand? What is the key message to people who come to the show? What will the staff to say, and what will be the company's return when the show is over?

Candy believes the biggest mistake companies make at shows is in the pre-planning. It starts with what is the return-on-investment (ROI), the return-on-objectives (ROO) and the return-on-relationships (ROR)?

ROI is the company's goal at a trade show. Is the goal to sell product and if so, how much and is it worth it? Most companies go to shows to build relationships.

ROO refers to a company's marketing objectives. Are you at the show to educate, do you have a new product or are you trying to get to the press because you have a great story to tell?

ROR is what you need to do to get to the people with whom you already have a relationship with or want to create a relationship with.

According to Candy, if you haven't solidified the ROI, ROO and ROR in your mind, and prioritized them, you shouldn't spend a dime on a trade show.

Another duty of Candy's is acting as the exhibit manager on behalf of a client at the show and auditing the bills after the show. Most people don't know what goes on at a trade show. Candy is there to not only get the exhibit up, but to work with and understand union rules so she can coordinate with all of them and make sure the laborers are at your booth at the right time. It's pricey to have labor hanging around your booth at $130 to $250/hour. She also watches the labor force, keeps track of the paperwork on site and signs off on tasks. Candy says 75 percent of the bills given to her at a show are erroneous.

Booth Mom's Secret Weapon

Candy learned early on that having candy bars to hand out at a trade show isn't enough to get people to do what you want. Homemade cookies are her "friend-maker." Candy makes 40-dozen cookies before a show, including oatmeal, peanut blossoms and chocolate chip cookies, with or without chips. She also makes turtle brownies, peanut butter brownies and soft, buttermilk sugar cookies and then packages them in small plastic snack bags to bring to the show. It is not surprising her exhibits are up and running smoothly before other exhibitors.

Trade Show Training

Candy orchestrates two types of training at a trade show. The orientation involves getting the staff ready for a show and making sure they know where everything is and how they work.

The other training is boothmanship. To Candy, every show is a play with a script. The company has built a stage, the staff are the actors and the props are the videos, graphics and other tools onsite.

Training involves knowing:

* What to say when people come to the booth

* Why the company is there

* Icebreakers

* The company elevator speech

* The what's new elevator speech

* The qualifying questions

* The 3-minute presentation

* The recap

* The close, which involves saying just enough to get people to schedule a follow-up meeting.

* Entering and prioritizing leads

Training is necessary because the booth staff's biggest competition is time.

Available Resources

Candy is someone who will tell you everything she knows. Her website has an exhibitor's resources page with everything from surveys and checklists to templates and show plans.

Fees

Candy charges $140/hour, with a 4-hour minimum of $280/hour. Most of her clients save more than her fee when outsourcing her services.

Final Advice

Candy has two words: Strategize and Prioritize. Why are you going to the trade show? Keep focused on the ROI, ROO and ROR and then prioritize spending. Know what is going to happen at the trade show before you go to see an exhibitor company. If you don't, the exhibitor is likely to sell you something that is aesthetically pleasing, but functionally awful.

Connect with Candy

Phone: 760.271.0366

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: @candyadamstheboothmom

Twitter: @theboothmom

Website: www.boothmom.com

Milwaukee ranks #30 in population among U.S. cities, yet is home to four professional sports teams – the Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Brewers, Green Bay Packers (Green Bay is not a TV-metered market) and Milwaukee Wave arena soccer. That's a lot of pro sports in a city with a population of almost 1.6 million. But there's also a fifth team, the Milwaukee Admirals, a professional hockey team for the American Hockey League and an NHL farm team for the Nashville Predators. On this episode, Milwaukee Admirals President tells us how the team competes in a medium-sized market with so many pro teams.

Jon Greenberg

Jon Greenberg has been president of the Milwaukee Admirals for 14 years. He previously worked for the Milwaukee Brewers for 22 years, starting as a bat boy and working his way up to media relations director. Milwaukee Admirals Owner Harris Turer offered Greenberg the role of president and a blank canvas to build the organization and lead the marketing, PR and business efforts.

Milwaukee Admirals

As a member of the American Hockey League (AHL), the Admirals are the equivalent of Triple-A baseball team. They are the farm team for the NHL's Nashville Predators. When the Predators need a player for any reason, a player from the Admirals is moved up to the NHL. All 31 NHL teams have an AHL farm team, and very soon, Seattle will be added to the roster.

Greenberg believes the reason the Admirals can survive in a city full of professional teams is because Wisconsin loves sports, and every sports team has found a place and fan base within the Milwaukee community. The Admirals also keep their ticket prices low and family affordable and make the experience at a game undeniably entertaining.

Three years ago, the Admirals decided to make the Panther Arena it's new home. The 9500-seat house is a great size for Admirals hockey. Greenberg says they had their first sold out game last season, and this year, the Admirals introduced the Admirals 365 promotion, a membership for season ticket holders that allows fans to pay for their tickets over 12 months.

Creating the Admirals Experience

When Greenberg first began building his business team, he gave each employee a copy of Mike Veeck's book, "Fun is Good." Greenberg says he may not have any control over the hockey game itself, but when fans come to the Panther Arena, his staff provides entertainment from the beginning of the game to the end.  Customer service is key, so this year, Greenberg and his staff have initiated the Admirals Awards, a wooden coin with the inscription, "Thank you for creating a great experience" that is handed out when management finds out about or sees an employee doing something good.

The Admirals have a great sponsorship base that allows them to do lots of promotions. Sponsorship is an opportunity for smaller companies to get involved in sports marketing without paying the high price tag of professional sports. Sponsors have lots of opportunities to engage with fans as all 38 games in a season are treated as 38 different shows.

The Admirals begin each season with a brainstorming session, where everyone comes up with crazy ideas. Sometimes they get the inspiration for their ideas from other AHL teams, like the Admirals Dog Days, which is also done in San Antonio, or from visiting other Triple-A baseball teams. Greenberg says they also have also a Blue-Ribbon committee of 4 to 5 members, that does not include Greenberg or the Admiral's owner.  The committee's sole responsibility is coming up with new ideas that might include a "Salute to Candy Corn" or a "Salute to Hot Sauce" just for the fun of it. Its Human Hockey Puck" promotion has been a fan favorite since the Admirals first began and has been tried by many other teams as well.

According to Greenberg, the Admiral's are the gold standard of entertainment in the league. The league's AHL Fan Appreciation Award, which began in 2008, has been awarded to Greenberg's team three times.

Next year is the Admirals 50th anniversary, and we can only imagine they will be pulling out all stops for this celebration.

Connect with the Milwaukee Admirals

Phone: 414-227-0550

Email: milwaukeeadmirals.com

Facebook: @mkeadmirals

Twitter: @mkeadmirals

On this episode of Brandstorm, Co-hosts Dan Trzinski and Nancy Christopher are joined by Rob Brennan and Tyler Schmidt, two digital marketing specialists at Platypus Advertising + Design, to talk about geofencing and OTT. We'll find out the benefits to marketers and how it is used in advertising.

What is Geofencing and OTT?

Geofencing uses location-based technology, like GPS or WiFi, with mobile devices like your smart phone to serve messages to consumers within a targeted geography or area of high relevance. A geofence is a virtual perimeter around a real-world geography. It could be one or more physical locations like a store, a zip code or even the addresses of those on an email list. When someone with a mobile device enters that targeted location, the geofence acts as a trigger to serve an ad. Its uses in advertising are endless...from promoting a product or service with special discounts or offers and  encouraging visitors to go to a special attraction to inviting people to your booth at a trade show or pampering your fans with loyalty rewards, for example.

OTT stands for "over-the-top," the term used for the delivery of film and TV content via the internet, without requiring users to subscribe to a traditional cable or satellite pay-TV service like a Comcast or Time Warner Cable. OTT and Geofencing work well together. You can set up fences within homes with streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV or Amazon Fire. Advertisers can follow consumers based on specific demographics and criteria no matter what they are watching.

Benefits of Geofencing

Relevancy and value are the biggest benefits of geofencing, according to Rob. If you have done your homework and know your target audience, it is possible to serve the right message to the right person at the right time. The more defined your target audience is, the more relevant your message will be to them.

Value is also significant. Geofencing allows marketers to deliver massive amounts of impressions to targeted audiences at a fraction of cost of traditional media. In the Milwaukee area, the cost is typically between $7 to $10 per thousand, but it will vary in other markets.

Targeting Audiences

While advertisers can target customers using demographics like age, gender and household incomes, Tyler says geofencing enables you to dive deeper using contextual search, interests and purchasing, browsing and behavioral history. With this criterion, advertisers can get specific. For instance, if you are in a car wreck, you might receive messages from a rental car company, a car dealer, an auto shop, or a personal injury attorney.

Privacy Issues

Your phone is a GPS unit. While you can limit the number of in-phone apps you are using, you can never be completely off the radar. Smart phones can still be tracked even if all location services and GPS have been turned off. If you want complete privacy, Rob suggests that you buy a burner phone.

Questions to Ask Your Geofencing Vendors

There are a lot of media outlets, including television stations, radio stations, billboard companies and newspapers, getting into geofencing as an extra revenue stream. There is nothing wrong with this, however you may be spending more for your services going through second, third and fourth parties who are reselling the service. Ad agencies, like Platypus, have direct access to data providers.

Secondly, digital marketing in general is not the primary service these media outlets provide. Ad agencies, like Platypus, have digital marketing specialists like Rob and Tyler, whose sole responsibilities are working with you to develop campaign strategies and manage your ad accounts every day.

So, here are two important questions to ask your potential vendor:

1. What is your company's core business?
2. What is your access to the data provider's inventory? Are there any limits or competitive disadvantages when bidding on the inventory?

ROI

Geofencing can be easily tracked based on what you need to measure success, be it the number of impressions, click-thru-rates or number of conversions. The real exciting point is that it answers an advertiser's question of whether a consumer has seen an ad and responded. It can actually track a potential customer going into your business and making a transaction. And geofencing works no matter what size your company is. For as little as $2,000/month, you can achieve amazing results.

Connect with Rob and Tyler

Rob Brennan:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertpbrennan/

Tyler Schmidt:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-schmidt-18306a28/

About Gary Lancina

Gary Lancina is no stranger to marketing. Prior to joining Mercury Marine in 2016, Gary worked for SC Johnson's marketing department. Gary promoted personal care brands using a strategy known as influencer marketing. Influencer marketing involves a forming a relationship with an influential person to strengthen a brand's identity on social media or in-person. Gary has established a wealth of these relationships, from connections in the automotive field to minor league hockey teams and the NFL. Gary currently serves as senior director of Global Brand and Influencer Marketing Strategy at Mercury Marine.

Authentic Agendas 

Gary says that influencer marketing is all about creating productive, mutually beneficial relationships with potential customers. Utilizing well-vetted influencers within an industry has proven to be an ethical and successful way to increase awareness and product sales. Finding appropriate influencers are both an art and a science. Gary explains that when scouring social media for new relationships, individuals with a big following aren't always the most sought-after trait. While finding someone who emits a trustworthy, authentic perspective is crucial, you also have to carefully look at their audience's characteristics. Having an overly bloated or broad follower base can lead to weaker engagements or an inappropriate demographic altogether.

Connecting with Influencers 

When Gary first began utilizing influencer marketing, he created relationships through the use of agencies who helped broker introductions. The influencers many of these agencies brought in weren't always in tune with the demographics Mercury Marine was looking for. Gary says in marine sporting, history or legacy in an activity or industry is the key to reaching the audience you are catering to.

The smaller population of advocates and enthusiasts with marine interests isn't as cutthroat as other fields, making it feasible to introduce relationships and opportunities to specific people without the use of an agency. Gary says that once a strong relationship is formed with an influencer, other leads follow in the form of referrals.

Local Influencers

Mercury Marine's reputation and legacy helps reach everyday people who fit the profile of the company's influencers. Whether it be fishing guide services or pro fisherman, most enthusiasts are familiar with the Mercury brand. Creating relationships with these earnest, local aficionados can be tremendously successful in stimulating awareness, loyalty and purchases in many regions. The person-to-person contact initiated by on-the-ground advocacy is just as important as positioning a brand alongside a popular online influencer.

Maintaining Relationships 

The nature of influencer marketing requires establishing and maintaining relationships. Gary says keeping open and clear channels of communication is crucial. Hearing the perspective of an influencer and keeping an open dialogue about the relationship also helps prolong and strengthen a relationship. Gary says the longevity of relationships is extremely important, and at Mercury Marine some of these connections have lasted for decades.

Success Metrics 

Social platforms allow for content-creators to access a bounty of valuable statistics and data. Analytics like click-throughs, views, screen-time, sources of traffic, activation methods and location data help determine the effectiveness of the relationship. Tools like Crimson Hexagon also give detailed insights into demographics and audiences. Location analytics allow a detailed look into how word-of-mouth and social posting alone can generate buzz in a region. In all cases, building trust and evoking feelings for your brand without diluting the integrity of your brand is certainly considered a measurement for success.

Connect With Gary

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glancina/

How do you keep a business going, when your service or product is seasonal? David Lepak owns a pest control service called Mosquito Joe of Waukesha County.  He shares his journey to buying a franchise and building a customer base of 600 in the first year.

About Dave and Lynn Lepak

Lynn is a registered nurse and Dave is a recovering politician. After downsizing their home, the couple wanted to get into a business where they could help people. The idea for getting into the Mosquito business came after throwing a party on their new outdoor deck. As the sun started to go down, the mosquitos came out, forcing everyone to go inside their smaller home. After that experience, the Lepak's learned the mosquito was a dangerous predator, causing the most deaths in the world.  They also discovered mosquito control was a "thing." They originally worked with a pest control franchisor that proved to be non-responsive to their needs. Then, they discovered Mosquito Joe and became the first Mosquito Joe franchise in Wisconsin in 2018.

Mosquito Joe

Mosquito Joe has just under 300 franchisees in the U.S. and they all treat only mosquitos. The company has a Barrier Spray Program that uses three products. The first product is sprayed around the property's problem areas to deter flying pests. A second product is sprayed on foliage to kill mosquitos, followed by a third spray that inhibits reproduction. The first treatment eliminates 75 to 80 percent of all mosquitos, and more than 90 percent by the third treatment. Treatments typically last three weeks, so having a regular treatment program is best. All Mosquito Joe products are low toxicity, but there are also all-natural products available made from garlic extract or rosemary and peppermint that have no toxicity but are not as effective.

The Mosquito Joe Difference

David says the real difference in his pest control service from competitors is customer service. The company spends lots of time with its customers finding out how they use their backyard so that they can be effective. Mosquitos are the only thing Dave's company treats, so they strive to be the best at mosquito control.

Running a Seasonal Service

Mosquito season in Wisconsin may only be 5 months max, but according to Dave, it's a year-round business.  During the off-season, David spends the time evaluating the last season and making improvements, maintaining vans and equipment, restocking products and marketing materials, and updating customer lists. While profit margins take a hit in the off-season, Dave keeps revenues coming by offering attractive deals for customers who renew and new customers who sign up for the next season in advance. Staffing is also a challenge in a seasonal business, although David typically targets college students and places a heavy emphasis on training.

Advice for Franchise Seekers

If you're looking into purchasing a franchise business of your own, David has this advice:

• Call as many franchisees as you can and make sure you get answers to all of your questions
• Do some vetting of your own regarding the leadership team, finding out how long the organization has been in business, how much turnover there has been within the company and what kind of operations and marketing support it provides the franchisee
• Get to know the franchisor and support staff by visiting the headquarters
• Understand the franchise contract in totality because you can't change it
• Be passionate about your business. Don't just dial it in.

Connect with David Lepak

Phone: 262-232-7570

Email:  [email protected]

Facebook: @MosquitoJoeofWaukeshaCounty

Website: https://waukeshacounty.mosquitojoe.com/