Notes on marketing

Below are some of my notes on marketing-related presentations I’ve attended this past month. Starting with Phoenix Startup Week and other events from around the Phoenix valley. There are so many takeaways that I’m relearning! Great presentations, given by great speakers. If you get the chance, be sure to check them out! A lot of these events are posted on the #yesphx Slack channel.

On telling your story, by Stephanie Perrualt, at Co+hoots Midweek Mindtweak

• My story: What you did before starting business? What problem did you encounter to initiate change? How did you respond, what action did you take?
• The customer is the hero of the story; flip it to focus on them
• Customer’s story: Who is the customer — age, aspirations, career, family, etc; What problem does customer have that my story enables me to solve — external, internal, philosophical
• Have a plan
• Stories together: how does company solve problem — external, internal, philosophical; imagine better future, successes they will experience, what failure to avoid, how will it make them feel, be specific
• “Marketing is no longer about the stuff you make but about the stories you tell.” — Seth Godin
• Stories that spread on their own trump paid ads
• Story structure can apply across media

On branding, by Rani Sweis, at Phoenix Startup Week:

• Have a purpose; the foundation of your brand
• Know who you are and what you have to offer
• Stand for something; What does your product believe in?
• Know your audience and cater to their needs; it’s not about you, it’s about them
• People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it
• Brand identity: color choice increases brand recognition, font type adds a personality
• Messaging is the act of telling your story effectively to your target audience
• A great brand is: clear, concise and coherent

On content marketing, by Amber Pechin and Reid Markel, at Arizona Marketing Technology (MarTech) Meetup:

• Look at having a personality that stands out
• Make it educational; using your product in a way they may not realize
• Make it interesting and engaging
• Make friends with your clients
• Keep it conversational, be real
• Consistent voice and tone, messages that resonate
• Personalization is big
• Give, give, ask
• Have value

On growth, by Anati Zubia, at Phoenix Startup Week:

• If you can’t measure it, you can’t scale it; collect data
• Examine what is working and streamline
• What makes you special, how do you articulate it
• What attracts and retains people
• Track campaign results and the return on your effort
• Stay on target

On presenting, by Ashley Bright, at Phoenix Startup Week:

• Pitch with emotion first, then back up with logic
• Tell a story: How did you get your idea? What problem does it solve? Why does it matter? Why are you the one to solve it?
• Address the problem and back it up with data that supports it; put data into context and accompany with visuals
• What are your goals and the milestones you want to achieve?
• Ask for what you need
• End with something impactful to remember
• Have a clear outline before going into a presentation tool; simplify slides; reduce text; just talk, fine tuning what you say to your audience

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